Charlotte Varcoe
LIMESTONE Coast Connect has welcomed a new community project which is designed to gather views from the local queer community on ageing in rural settings.
Working with the Council of the Ageing (COTA) and Pangula Mannamurna Aboriginal Corporation, members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Asexual plus (LGBTQIA+) community support group are encouraging those interested to provide their views on end-of-life care, planning and dying as a queer person living in the regions.
Organised through the Rainbow Hub, the Rainbow Horizons Project will kick off this weekend to assist in designing an inter-generational ‘compassionate community’ model for end-of-life care.
Limestone Coast Connect organiser Patrick Smith said it was an important topic for those in the LGBTQIA+ community and that it was a way to find out local views in regards to progress and acceptance.
“We are grateful we were approached to collaborate in order to get the rural representation that is so drastically needed in any of these services,” Mr Smith said.
Mr Smith said the opportunity would allow the local LGBTQIA+ community to be heard and share their concerns about services such as aged care.
“These days the assumption of heteronormativity shouldn’t be taken into aged care and we need to make sure those that work in aged care get the pronouns correct, respect people’s bodily autonomy and their needs must be met,” he said.
He said the up-and-coming discussions would not only assist the LGBTQIA+ community but also the wider Limestone Coast.
Those interested in participating in the event are able to do so by booking through the COTA South Australia website.
The meeting will be held this Sunday at Di Monty Training.
