The Alzheimer’s Association and Human Rights Campaign (HRC) announced a new partnership aimed at providing Alzheimer’s disease information and resources to LGBTQ communities in early June.
“People told me it doesn’t matter what your sexual orientation or gender identity or gender expression was, Alzheimer’s affects all of us, so we have to support each other,” Jordan Braxton, director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Pride STL said.
Working with over three million HRC members across the country, the partnership will seek to maximize support for LGBTQ individuals and their families impacted by Alzheimer’s and other dementia.
“What I think this partnership will do is help shed light on people living in our community living with Alzheimer’s because this is not an illness we talk about in our community,” Jordan Braxton, director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Pride STL, said. “Dementia runs high in our LGBTQIA community and hopefully the Human Rights Campaign will be able to shine a light on that.”
Braxton had an older brother who suffered from Alzheimer’s, who passed away prior to the pandemic.
She is on the human rights committee of Pride STL where she brings more diversity to the Human Rights Campaign. She participated in fundraisers with the Association in the past including creating an event called “Don’t Be Chicken to Fight Alzheimer’s”
“In the queer community and being a volunteer for the Alzheimer’s Association, I was hesitant because I didn’t know how I would be accepted. I don’t think people within our community realize how much this affects them,” Braxton said.
“Once I got involved, I saw how accepting, welcoming, and how much of a safe space the Alzheimer’s community was, and I opened up and talked about my experience. People told me it doesn’t matter what your sexual orientation or gender identity or gender expression was, Alzheimer’s affects all of us, so we have to support each other.”
Currently, there are more than 6 million Americans living with Alzheimer’s disease. More than 7% of LGBTQ individuals are living with dementia.
“I feel that working with the Human Rights Campaign that they care and open doors for resources for people with Alzheimer’s; sometimes we can’t go to facilities because of our sexual orientation or our gender identity or gender expression because some nursing homes and assisted living facilities will not take us,” Braxton said. “Hopefully, the HRC will work to start opening those doors to provide that necessary care.”
LGBTQ individuals living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia face unique disease-related challenges, including smaller support networks, lower rates of access to care and greater health disparities, many of which are risk factors for dementia, including depression, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.
“Ongoing conversations and discussions about health equity and health disparities allow diversity and inclusion to strengthen our innovative capacity,” said Carl V. Hill, chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, Alzheimer’s Association. “When we actively seek diverse perspectives, we unleash the full potential of our society, and that’s what we at the Alzheimer’s Association hope to accomplish with HRC and other partners representing diverse communities.”
The Alzheimer’s Association joined the HRC and other LGBTQ community leaders in a virtual forum “ALZPride: Voices of the LGBTQ Community on June 2 that addressed current barriers to ensure LGBTQ individuals have access to dementia care, support, and resources.
“HRC looks forward to working with the Alzheimer’s Association to increase access to care and support for LGBTQ+ individuals affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementia,” said Dan Stewart, associate director, Human Rights Campaign.
“As a gerontologist and a trans individual, I have seen the unique challenges LGBTQ+ individuals face in accessing dementia care and services. This partnership can make great strides in advocating and addressing the needs of our community, which is too often overlooked.”
