An initiative to improve the quality of care for LGBT older adults in Rhode Island has been made possible by a grant to SAGE/Rhode Island from the Rhode Island Foundation through the Equity Action Fund. Recognizing that LGBT elders comprise a distinctly disadvantaged population, a series of workshops will be offered to convey knowledge and best practice skills for meeting the needs of this growing but often invisible and underserved minority.
A two-part series of three workshops will provide knowledge and best practice skills to build cultural competence. Each workshop is focused toward a specific setting: hospitals, long term care or assisted living facilities and community-based agencies. The first series will be offered by a SAGE/Care trainer employing resources developed by SAGE/USA and the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging. The follow up workshop will be held in April to explore in more depth relevant topics and ways of improving practice skills. The schedule for the first sections is as follows:
Participants who complete the workshop series receive a certificate of completion. Applications are being submitted for CEU’s in nursing, social work, assisted living and long term care facility administration. Resource material will enable interested participants to become designated LGBT resource staff for their settings. Health care, social service and community-based senior service staff are welcome to attend. All sessions are open but participants may choose one most relevant to their work setting. The workshop fee of $35 and CEU credits apply separately to part 1 and part 2 of the workshop series. There is a capacity limit of 40 people per session.
For further information on scheduling and location contact: sageriinfo@gmail.com.