Rainbow Seniors Fear Discrimination in Finnish Care Homes

A growing concern among elderly LGBTQ+ individuals in Finland is the fear of not being able to live authentically in care facilities, according to a reader's opinion piece in Helsingin Sanomat. Many seniors worry they might face discrimination or be forced to conceal their identities while receiving essential services like home care, rehabilitation, or residential living.

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It is essential that they feel safe in these services and are met and accepted as themselves.

These concerns stem from a lifetime of experiencing prejudice, harassment, and even violence. The fear is that this discrimination could continue into their old age, whether from staff, other residents, or even family members. Added anxieties include financial insecurity and the uncertainty of being able to live with a partner.

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The fear is whether one will experience discrimination or belittling from staff, other residents, or relatives in one's old age.

A publication by Sonja Iltanen and Jukka Keronen, "Sateenkaariseniorien toiveita ikääntyneiden palveluille" (Rainbow Seniors' Wishes for Elderly Services), details situations where residents' gender identities or sexual orientations were overlooked or not acknowledged, sometimes leading to the denial of services. Conversely, there were instances where these aspects were highlighted inappropriately, unrelated to care needs.

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We need rainbow-sensitive practices in elderly services, which are built on people's own experiences and needs, and with the help of which everyone can participate and be met safely.

However, the report also includes positive experiences where individuals felt they were treated as "just ordinary people." These cases involved attentive listening to residents' needs and acting accordingly. The article stresses that sexual orientation and gender identity are integral parts of a person throughout their life, particularly in caregiving roles that involve the most personal aspects of life. It advocates for LGBTQ+-sensitive approaches in elderly services, built on individual experiences and needs, ensuring everyone can participate and feel safe. The authors urge for improved training in social and health care studies and for well-being regions to actively enhance staff competence through planning, guidance, and management.

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The skill of rainbow-sensitive encounters must be promoted in basic and further education in the social and health care sector. Simply providing training on diversity and equality is not enough; well-being regions must ensure that the competence of all employees improves through planning, guidance, and management.