Ohio native Jessie Hart is a passionate advocate for trans visibility and fighting against discrimination, especially when it comes to older adults.
“More precisely, I wanted to become an advocate for anyone facing the terror of Alzheimer’s or dementia during their life,” she wrote in her personal blog. “If I can somehow help one person cope in the future, my effort will be worth it.”
Hart’s father passed away from dementia in 2004 after being diagnosed only a few years earlier. Hart and her late wife, as well as her brother and sister-in-law, were present for him almost around the clock when he was transferred to a memory-care facility.
“The staff even mentioned how different it was to have such a hands-on family for one of their patients,” Hart says.
But that was before Hart came out as a trans woman – and now, she fears that if she or her wife need to move into a care facility as they age, they could both be subject to discrimination and harassment due to Hart’s gender identity.
“Not only do I want to not lose all the work I put into living as my authentic feminine self, I certainly don’t want to bring any extra pressure to my family caregivers,” she says.
From grief to advocacy
Hart first connected with the Alzheimer’s Association chapter in Cincinnati through a trans organization called Crossport. The group’s organizer “knew I was passionate about elder care,” she says.
From there, Hart became an outspoken advocate for both transgender issues and elder care. She was the first queer and transgender member of the Greater Cincinnati Alzheimer’s Association’s Diversity Council and has been blogging daily about her transition since 2010.
“I was impressed by how quickly I was included into the Alzheimer’s Association. They’ve always had a diversity outlook that has been welcoming,” says Hart. She also says that she’s found the Cincinnati and Dayton chapters to be very pro-LGBTQ+ and friendly when she attends meetings and events.
Hart never came out to her father before he passed, but she has been fortunate to have a supportive daughter, a nonbinary grandchild and a devoted wife who all want her to live as her true self for the rest of her life.
Many LGBTQ+ adults don’t have a support network of people who can visit and watch out for discrimination the way Hart’s family looked out for their father. It’s up to care facilities and elder-care advocates to push for better care and competency when it comes to the LGBTQ+ community.
What does “better” look like? On a micro-scale, it’s about respect – it doesn’t actually take much to make a trans person feel safe and welcome. “Respect their names, their gender, and the people who come visit them,” Hart says. “It doesn’t get much better than that.”
However, there’s much more to be done on the local, regional and national levels.
Cultural competency among elder-care agencies
Yarissa Reyes, the director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion for the Alzheimer’s Association, says that stigma and higher rates of poverty and social isolation are important factors facing the LGBTQ+ community and its elders. She adds, “Spouses, partners and family members caring for someone living with Alzheimer’s may face challenges finding culturally sensitive care and support networks.”
This further validates Hart’s worries that her future could be complicated by care staff that don’t know how to support an aging transgender patient.
The Buckeye Flame has reported on the disparities in the LGBTQ+ community when it comes to older adults – they’re more likely to live alone, to not be partnered, and to not have children. The Alzheimer’s Association further explores these challenges and gaps in care in their LGBT and Dementia Issues Brief.
Of particular note in the brief is a 2010 survey of 320 Area Agencies on Aging across the United States. The survey data revealed that cultural competency training is a major factor in LGBTQ+ access to elder care – around one-third of the respondents had offered staff training on LGB (34%) and T (31.5%) aging. Agencies that offered training were more than twice as likely to have received a request specifically from an LGB older adult in the previous year, and three times as likely to have received a request from a transgender older adult.
There’s one major takeaway from the survey that echoes Hart’s concerns: “Transgender older adults were less likely to request aging services in all regions and in all types of communities than older adults identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual.”
Targeted outreach and competency training focusing on the transgender community could be key to closing this gap in care.
“We have formed strategic alliances for this very reason,” said Reyes.
The Alzheimer’s Association, along with national partners including SAGE and the Human Rights Campaign Foundation, provide resources for members of the queer community living with dementia.
- LGBTQ+ Caregiver Concerns outlines important considerations for care partners and caregivers, including legal issues, accessing health care and disclosing sexual orientation.
- ALZConnected is a free online community for people living with dementia and their caregivers. It includes a forum specifically for members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies to connect with one another.
- SAGE’s National Resource Center on LGBTQ+ Aging provides several resources for assistance with care planning and caregiver support. SAGE provides resources on housing, long-term care, discrimination and other issues that LGBTQ+ older adults face. They also have a page specifically dedicated to transgender aging resources.
- SAGECare provides training on culturally competent care for LGBTQ+ older adults, including modules on LGBTQ+ people and dementia and training for memory-care providers.
- The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association advocates for health equity and provides a directory of health care providers for those seeking a LGBTQ+-friendly doctor or other health professional.
- Lambda Legal is a national organization committed to achieving full recognition of the civil rights of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people and everyone living with HIV through impact litigation, education and public policy work.
Further advocacy
Hart will continue to support the Alzheimer’s Association and actively seeks other opportunities to engage with her passions for trans and elder advocacy. Earlier this year, she participated in a panel discussion at the University of Cincinnati’s Transgender Wellness Event, and this month she’s participating in a support group at the Dayton Veterans Administration Hospital.
She writes in her blog, “Just being available to answer questions [as a trans person] is very important in Ohio, where we’re in a constant battle for our trans rights.” 🔥
IGNITE ACTION
- The Alzheimer’s Association has a TON of resources to support you on your journey. Visit their website here.
- Save the SAGE National LGBTQ+ Elder Hotline to your contacts to share with those who need help finding resources: 877.360.LGBT (5428)
- Speak with leaders of local care facilities and invite them to participate in LGBTQ+ competency trainings and outreach.
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