A New Zealand aged care facility has achieved the Silver Rainbow seal in recognition of being an inclusive, safe and welcoming environment for elderly LGBTI. Awanui Rest Home in Auckland has been recognised with the award, the first aged care facility in New Zealand to do so. Silver Rainbow was a project at the School of Nursing, University of Auckland after initial research indicated that LGBTI elders have almost no visibility in aged residential care and that carers have little awareness of specific LGBTI needs, let alone any knowledge on how to manage homophobic behaviour from other residents. Subsequently the research was used as the basis of the next phase: design, development and field-testing of a resource kit to educate staff who care for LGBTI in aged residential care. The exercises concentrate on the effects of homophobia on elder LGBTI residents, and their right to the same high quality of care as anyone else - irrespective of the personal beliefs of the carer. Julie Watson, Silver Rainbow programme leader, handed the Silver Rainbow Seal to Jackie Jones, Awanui’s manager on Monday during a celebration with residents, management and staff. Management and staff at the rest home have been committed to Silver Rainbow from the moment the resources were introduced, with staff attending training and documentation changed to be more inclusive. “All staff have gone through extensive training and paperwork has been updated to reflect that there are no assumptions made and every resident will made feel welcome and be treated with the upmost dignity and respect no matter what their culture,” says Jessica Buddendijk, an independent Aged Care Adviser. Jones says the process has been extremely fulfilling and hugely informative for all of the staff and the training has opened up conversation among them, with questions being raised that they might never have asked before. "Achieving the Rainbow Seal is my way of offering a welcome mat without question," she says. "We all have the right to be just who we are." Buddendijk goes on to say “We all hope this achievement will inspire more people to work towards an all inclusive aged care, to make the world a better place for our LGBTI elderly. One day that will be us. So big congratulations to Jackie and her team at Awanui rest home in Mt Wellington in New Zealand. You are stars!”
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 12th May 2016 - 2:29pm