Affirming Care for Transgender Older Adults with Loree Cook-Daniels
#034- Transgender Awareness Week (November 13-19) is a week when transgender people and their allies (like me!), take action to bring attention to the transgender community by educating the public.
Transgender folks have heartbreaking rates of suicidal ideation and attempts. According to a 2019 study, suicidal ideation averaged 46.55% and attempts averaged 27.19%. Suicide rates were highest among non-White folks and those who had lower levels of education, reminding us of the phenomenon that people who hold multiple minority identities experience higher rates of risk and harm (known as double and triple jeopardy, etc).
There are many factors that increase the risk for suicide and mental health concerns among transgender folks, including: trauma, discrimination, minority stress, rejection from family, and exclusion from society.
This is why I'm devoting today's episode to deepening our understanding of the unique mental health needs of transgender seniors. Each of us have an important role of creating safe and secure spaces for healing for transgender clients, patients, family members, and friends.
To shed light on these important topics, I'm delighted to interview one of the nation's leaders in Transgender aging, Loree Cook-Daniels, Founder of the Transgender Aging Network.
Here's a peak inside the episode:
- [05:27] Loree shares her personal story that inspired her to create the Transgender Aging Network.
- [11:22] Discover the difference between transitioning early in life versus later in life, including the relationship and social factors that you need to be aware of.
- [22:32] Mental health concerns and suicidal thoughts disproportionately affect transgender folks, learn more here.
- [25:15] When we're sick, we need to be cared for. Unfortunately, Transgender folks experience high rates of discrimination in the health care system, including being denied care or having to educate their medical providers about care.
- [28:33] Family and partner relationships also go through an adjustment period when the transgender person transitions. Learn more about common relationship experiences.
- [35:48] Mental health providers for years have been in the role as gatekeeper related to assessing a person's ability to psychologically tolerate affirming hormone therapy or surgeries, but this can have the effect of setting up an imbalance in the mental health system.
- [42:26] There is a lot providers CAN DO to create affirming spaces when working with Transgender older adults, learn what you can do here.
- [55:00] As a national expert on Transgender Aging, Loree Cook-Daniels shares her top recommendations and resources for family, friends, mental health and medical providers, and senior care professionals.
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