Practical tips for LGBTQIA+ care partners: pictures, bios and referral-based providers

Don Jefferson urged caregivers to make family relationships clear to care settings so staff do not repeatedly question identity or relationship status. "I put our wedding photo in my mother's room on the wall ... so I didn't have to retell it all the time," Jefferson said, describing a simple visual step that staff can use to understand who should be included in care.

She also recommended bringing an ally to appointments, using referral-based providers who are known to be affirming, and protecting personal energy by deciding when to educate a provider and when to step away. Jefferson said support groups reduced isolation in her own experience and recommended both in-person and online groups for grief support and practical caregiving guidance.