GRAI - Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Retirement Association Incorporated
Welcome to the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Retirement Association Incorporated (GRAI) website.
We are a Western Australian community-based group with a mission to create a responsive and inclusive mature age environment that promotes and supports a quality life for older and ageing people of diverse sexualities and gender identities.
We are a voluntary group that works actively in the policy and political environment and we would welcome your support and involvement.
As with any organisation, we value feedback from anyone who visits our site so please check back here often for the latest in GLBTI retirement news and let us know if there’s something you want to see us include on our site.
“The future belongs to truth, science and rationality rather than to dogma, hatred, and ignorance".
The Honourable Justice Michael Kirby AC, CMG
An excerpt from Justice Kirby’s opening address at the Inaugural GRAI Public Forum – held on Tuesday 25 October 2005.
Noeline Brown, Australia’s Ambassador for Ageing, launch the research report and her staff have kindly put up photos from the night on the Health Department Ambassador for Ageing site (Scroll down to the 12 July event.)
Research indicates older GLBTI people are likely to be disadvantaged in the aged care sector due to their sexuality. Recent research carried out by GRAI in conjunction with Curtin University and supported by a Lotterywest Social Research Grant, investigated the preparedness of the retirement and residential aged care sector in Western Australia in response to this minority group. Findings from the research are presented in the report: We don’t have any of these people here: Retirement Accommodation and Aged Care Issues for Non-Heterosexual Populations.
A set of best practice guidelines – accommodating older GLBTI people have been developed for the retirement and residential aged care sector in WA, to facilitate the provision of GLBTI-inclusive services.
Further background information can be found in the Retirement Accommodation and Aged Care Issues for Non-Heterosexual Populations, Literature Review.
We dont have any of those people here
Best Practice Guidelines
Literature Review
Welcome to the July issue of our GRAI newsletter. Our biggest news is that we are ready to launch the findings of our one year Lotterywest social research grant investigating the attitudes and practices of aged care providers towards LGBT residents. With the fantastic work of our project officer Rita Freijah we are now the point of releasing the final report, best practice guidelines and a comprehensive literature review.
These will all available on our website www.grai.org.au from July 12. So please take a look or better still, come to the launch! (see next page for details).
GRAI operates as a member based organisation with an elected board. Our 2010 AGM is scheduled for Tuesday 17 August and will be held at the Freedom Centre in Brisbane Street starting at 6.00pm with refreshments.
All members are urged to attend – the AGM is always an opportunity for a pleasant get together as well as the business of the meeting. We are also seeking a couple more board members as we have several of our members retiring. Please do not be shy about self nominating or giving me a call to discuss what is involved (0422 654244). A warm welcome awaits you from the existing board.
One of our retiring board members will be Virginia Hailes who was a community representative on behalf of the Alzheimer’s Association WA.
Virginia bought a great input to the board and especially was active in getting GLBTI issues on the agenda of Alzheimer’s Australia in WA. Alzheimer’s Australia also supported the board by providing us with a meeting place and we thank them for that. We also welcome a new board member, Brett Tizard.
We have recently done a new print run of our GRAI brochure and if any member would like some to put out at their work place, or share with friends etc, please email us (info@grai.com) and we will get some in the mail for you.
Wearing our advocacy hat, GRAI made a submission to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee for its inquiry into planning options and services for people ageing with a disability. Thanks to board member June Lowe for work on this.
As always, your board is here to listen to your suggestions and remember, GRAI is your organisation – so get involved!
Jude Comfort, Chair
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
- Research Launch
- Pennies from heaven
- Recent conferences
- Rainbow Vision
- Productivity Commission review
- Thoughts on the American situation
- Where will all the Queens go?
GRAI MATTERS July 2010
