Team profiles :

Dignity Seniors Society

At a Glance   

Region: British Columbia

Setting: Urban 

EAIP program principle(s): 

• Access to social and community supports 
• Access to system navigation and support 
• Access to specialized healthcare services 

Implementation (new, spread, and/or expand):   

• New 

Team Profile  

The organization leading this initiative is Dignity Seniors Society (DSS), a non-profit focused exclusively on the needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ older adults and seniors in BC. The team includes DSS representatives who provide project guidance, coordination, and volunteer support. Additionally, the team is supported by an advisory group of community members and experts who contribute their specific knowledge and training regarding best practices for the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. 

Community

• DSS is committed to having diverse communities within the 2SLGBTQIA+ community lead the board. This includes people who identify as Black, Indigenous and trans/non binary.  DSS's work focuses exclusively on the needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ older adults and seniors in BC. They have a provincial mandate and have built collaborative alliances with multiple organizations. 
• DSS works diligently to connect with seniors in regions where the needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ older adults have not been identified and where it could feel less safe for older adults to disclose their sexual and gender identities. 2SLGBTQIA+ can often experience discrimination in the healthcare system, are at greater risk of mental and physical health problems, isolation from community, and less familial support. 
• 2SLGBTQIA+ people are more likely to have chosen family, however, contemporary aging policies tend to support an "intergenerational support system of informal caregiving". Chosen family likely to become infirm at the same time.  

Program Focus 

Program Description  

• The "We Are Familee" program by Dignity Seniors Society (DSS) is a pilot volunteer initiative aimed at supporting 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors to age in place. DSS will conduct an environmental scan of Metro Vancouver to assess existing services, identify gaps, and recommend improvements. In partnership with Haro Park Centre Society, volunteers will be recruited to support seniors using a circle of support model. The program will develop video training modules focusing on the specific needs of 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors, incorporating a strength-based, trauma-informed approach to reduce stigma and discrimination while promoting cultural and intersectionality awareness. By creating a sustainable, volunteer-led initiative, the "We Are Familee" program aims to address the systemic challenges faced by 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors, particularly those experiencing social isolation, poverty, and health inequities. If successful, DSS plans to replicate the initiative across BC, offering specialized training for other "Aging in Place" programs, leveraging their history of providing education to health authorities and non-profit organizations in the healthcare field.  

Implementation Approach:

• Environmental Scan: Conduct an environmental scan of Metro Vancouver to assess current services for 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors, identify gaps, and provide recommendations for improvement.  
• Pilot Volunteer Program in Collaboration with Haro Park Centre Society: Volunteers will support 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors at Haro Park Centre through comprehensive services including weekly/bi-weekly social visits, appointment accompaniment, emotional support, advocacy, and connecting clients to community groups, events, and online support systems. 
• Develop Video Training Modules: Create online training modules covering cultural and intersectionality awareness, best practices for supporting aging 2SLGBTQIA+ seniors, volunteer safety, boundaries, and self-care. These modules will be based on advisory member feedback and ongoing volunteer input, initially for pilot project volunteers, with future expansion to other organizations providing aging in place services.