www.ohca.com SPRING/SUMMER 2022 The Oregon Caregiver 25 DEI we could. We’ve also given more than 20 presentations at the beginning of the year to internal and external organizations to get the results and the data out there. From January through March, we hosted several listening sessions and work sessions with members of community— both members of the LGBTQIA2S+ community, our partners, and advisory committee members, who worked with us throughout this survey to help us prioritize the main issues we need to address. We’ll pull together all that information so we can nail down the top priorities and begin developing some action plans because we’re really committed to not having this be a report that’s done. We know that there are some things needed to be addressed rather quickly, like the numbers around abuse. We’re working internally with our own adult protective services unit, having some conversations there to see how we can begin to address that. There are ways that community- based organizations can do that perhaps government can’t do and looking at ways where we can support them. We’re going to try to develop some action plans and work toward implementation. What’s the timeline for implementation? We’re still in the development phase, looking toward how we can begin to address some of these issues. We’re already working internally and we’re considering possible projects and how they would be funded. Advocates and community members are also thinking about this and digesting this data, thinking about ways they might go forward in terms of potential legislative advocacy, or other kinds of advocacy. There may be ways that ODHS can fund pilots or initiatives. To provide or develop services where we know there are disparities, there must be an acceptance of those services as well. For example, people can advocate for a performing arts stadium, but that doesn’t mean that people are going to come and listen to the music. Every project needs to start with understanding the needs. This part of this work has been very intentional to ensure we are keeping and building relationships with community members and organizations, so that we can begin to turn this ship together by building some level of trust and an understanding of what’s needed for people to feel safe. We still have a lot more listening to do, and we have a lot of partnering to do. * Survey data collected in 2021 from 1,402 LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, Two Spirit, non-binary, or sexual or gender diverse) adults aged 55 and older residing in Oregon. Needs and Strengths of LGBTQ+ Oregonians Aged 55 and Older Results from CommunityBased Survey* HARD HIT BY COVID-19: More than half of participants reported needing COVID-19-related services during the pandemic, with only one-third using these services. There was a decrease in the use of social support programs, adult day programs, and transportation services. Participants endorsed the following as most needed services: 54% of participants have unmet services needs. Major barriers include: Medical & health services Social support services Mental health & substance use treatment Food assistance Medication assistance Transportation Information & referral Housing Case manager or social worker Adult day programs 67% 64% 48% 38% 35% 35% 34% 32% 31% 30% Di culty applying: 46% High cost: 39% Not LGBTQ+ friendly: 32% Inaccessibility: 29% Unavailability: 29% Not culturally confirming: 11% SAGE LGBTQ+ Elder Hotline Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week 1-877-360-LGBT (5428)
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