Addressing the inequalities faced by LGBTQ+ people as they grow older

Join us for a joint panel discussion contributing to LGBTQ+ history month.

This panel discussion, organised by the Centre for Ageing and Biographical Studies and the charity Opening Doors, will be led by Professor Ben Thomas (Research and Policy Coordinator, Opening Doors) and chaired by Dr Verina Waights (CABS Co-Chair). The panel includes Ms Janet Idowu (Royal College of Nursing Ethnic Minorities Subgroup) and an ambassador from Opening Doors.

Research shows that older LGBTQ+ people have worse outcomes across different aspects of their lives including physical health, loneliness, social isolation, mental health and experiences of violence. They are more likely to be single and live alone than their heterosexual counterparts, to be estranged from their biological families and are less likely to have children. In addition, they are often reluctant to engage with statutory services due to fear of discrimination. Moreover, they can dread the prospect of accessing care and residential services and, as a result, avoid planning for the care they will need in later life.

The seminar is online via Microsoft Teams for registered participants only, please register below.

Register via Eventbrite

The speakers

Professor Ben Thomas is the Research and Policy Coordinator at Opening Doors with extensive experience in research and policy work. He has a national reputation for producing and using evidence to influence social and health policy, with a focus on LGBTQ+ ageing and inequalities later in life. He has a track record of dealing with complex and sensitive issues in an inclusive style, resulting in a significant and identifiable change in the experience of older LGBTQ+ people and other marginalised and disadvantaged communities. His most recent work includes Joint Strategic Needs Assessments: Assessing provision for the older LGBTQ+ population of London, funded by City Bridge Trust and the National Lottery Community Fund. He is currently a co-investigator on an NIHR-funded project Understanding the Social Care Assessment of Older LGBTQ+ people and a Co-investigator for an ESRC-funded project examining the Intersectional Perspectives for Community Inclusion: Understanding the Past and Shaping the Future with Older Marginalised IDD and LGBTQ+ People.

Opening Doors is the only national charity aimed at addressing the needs of older LGBTQ+ people. We work with statutory, private and third-sector partners to raise awareness of the experiences and needs of LGBTQ+ people and to support the development of LGBTQ+-inclusive policies and services. Research is essential to the work of Opening Doors, and we have been developing an evidence base to support our activities. We also collaborate with a range of researchers, institutions and organisations intent on improving the lives of older LGBTQ+ people. Generating evidence in these ways underpins the work and services provided by Opening Doors.

About the series

This seminar series aims to discuss and debate current topical issues that are concerning older people and older people’s organisations, health and social care professionals working with older people, health and social care policymakers and academic researchers in this field. For further information or to join CABS please contact the CABS Co-Chairs: Dr Manik Gopinath and Dr Verina Waights.