Long-Term Care Planning Workshop
Race, Religion, and Sexuality in Long Term Care
February 27, 2024
8:00 AM
Chatham Place
138 Clinton Ave
New Haven, CT 06513
2 Cultural Competence CEC’s by the NASW
During this session we will be discussing some hot button issues impacting the long-term care of all seniors, those in facilities, and those who work in long term care or have loved ones in long term care. In providing proper care and evaluating a care facility it is important to consider the make-up of the current residents and the caregivers, the social engagement that is provided and ensuring that the staff are trained to deal with different racial makeup. Residents and Caregivers often have a different make up and it is important to examine the impact that this has on quality of care when evaluating a facility.
When working with different religions, it is important for those working with seniors to understand the different religious views when it comes to aging, medical treatment, termination of medical treatment and have appropriate facility plans in place to respect both the caregiver’s and the patient’s religious views.
Sexuality in aging has become a bigger issue in recent years, and one that is likely to continue to trend. Who has the capacity to consent to sexual activity, what level of competency is required in order to consent to sexual activity, is the patient aware of the relationship, and does the family need to be informed. Does the patient understand the identity of the other person they are having a relationship with and the risks associated with the sexual act? How should the staff be educated, the need for privacy of the resident vs the need for responding to intimacy and providing physical space that is safe for sexual intimacy.
In this program we also look at the issues of sexual orientation and gender identity. More than 3 million Americans over the age of 50 identify as LGBT and are 2x more likely to live alone and 4x less likely to have children who can act as caregivers. We will discuss how these statistics impact the day to day of LTC and what families and those who work with seniors can do to help.
In examining all of these ideals, we will be looking at cultural issues, and how to be both an advocate for social justice, but provide for fairness amongst individuals, understanding the issues of aging amongst cultures and understand the need for policies to be in place at long term care facilities, our own offices and also be able to address these issues in private practice with the families of loved ones
This presentation has been approved for 2 Cultural Competence CEC’s by the NASW.
