Fairfax webinar guides LGBTQIA+ caregivers through dementia stigma, legal protections and resources

Algra Joffy, supervisor of the Caregiver and Support Service Unit at the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging, opened a recorded webinar and introduced Don Jefferson of Insight Memory Care Center to discuss dementia care in LGBTQIA+ communities. Jefferson framed the session around three goals: explain what dementia care looks like for queer and trans people, describe how chosen-family caregiving works, and identify legal and practical steps to protect relationships and access to care.

Jefferson said discrimination and social marginalization can increase dementia risk and make clinical encounters harder for LGBTQIA+ people. He urged care partners to gather paperwork early — ‘‘get the paperwork to make that happen’’ — and to use visible cues such as family photos and a brief bio in care settings so staff understand family relationships. Jefferson also pointed attendees to organizations and programs that specialize in LGBTQIA+ elder care and caregiver support.