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The Future is Now - Safeguarding end of life for older LGBTI Victorians

Published: 11/01/2017

Published in Latest News

The Council on the Ageing (COTA) Victoria and Transgender Victoria (TGV) are seeking to understand the needs of the LGBTI community in relation to planning for future care and medical needs, financial and estate planning as well as funeral and burial wishes. 

Is this important for you?

What are your biggest concerns about getting older? Protecting your assets? Making sure your partner or family of choice has the right to be informed and to make the important decisions about your care and treatment (when you are no longer able to)?

If you are an older Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Gender Diverse or Intersex person, you may have to go the extra mile to make sure your partner or family of choice is not sidelined. The documents that make this possible include a Will, Powers of Attorney and Advance Care Directives.

However, as Sally Goldner, Executive Director of TGV notes, many older LGBTI people do not have these safeguards in place. This is a critical gap in planning and is likely compounded by barriers to information and services.

This project aims to address this gap in planning by developing information resources specifically tailored for the circumstances of older LGBTI Victorians. We hope these resources will support the community in taking charge of their future.

Call for Volunteers

COTA and TGV will work with older LGBTI people to co-design resources specifically for the community. They are looking for volunteers from the community to contribute to this project.

You can be involved in one or more of the following ways:

  • By completing an anonymous survey CLICK HERE or by requesting a hard copy (contact details below)
  • By participating in a focus group
  • By sharing your story (anonymously, if you like)
  • By appearing in a video about the importance of planning for the future

Your responses are completely anonymous

If you have any questions about this survey, please contact the lead researcher:

Dr Sue Malta, 03 8387 2614 or s.malta@nari.unimelb.edu.au

For more information, please contact:

Arati Vidyasagar of COTA Victoria via avidyasagar@cotavic.org.au; or

Sally Goldner of Transgender Victoria via sally@transgendervictoria.com

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