Gender Minority Elder Care

The challenges facing older adults are great, including the challenges involved in finding quality healthcare and, potentially, assisted living or nursing residences. The challenges for older transsexual, transgender, and intersex (TGI) adults are compounded due to lack of sensitivity and confidentiality with regard to TGI patients or residents that is prevalent amongst especially lower level healthcare professionals. Part of the project was to develop an evaluation tool for changes in attitude and practical knowledge, to be administered as pre- and post-tests at employee trainings at elder care facilities. It was the goal of this project to evaluate the training programme for elder care employees by Lifelines Rhode Island at several sites in Rhode Island. Due to lack of receptivity and resources, this was not possible. As a result, the presentation will focus on many of the challenges facing TGI elders and the evaluation tool itself. It will address the issues of receptivity as well as training transfer, or how well trained employees transfer learning to practice in their regular work environments