This project, entitled Forgotten lives: The experiences of trans older adults with dementia, is led by two professors in the School of Social Work at the University of Ottawa, Marjorie Silverman (cisgender woman, pronouns she/her) and Alexandre Baril (trans man, pronouns he/him).

The project is funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) and has ethics approval by the University of Ottawa.

This innovative research aims to examine the lived experiences of trans (transgender, transsexual, nonbinary, etc.) older adults with Alzheimer’s or dementia and their support networks, with the goals of:

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1. Exploring and documenting how the intersections of gender identity, cognitive disability and age are experienced in everyday life;

2. Exploring and documenting the everyday realities of intersecting oppressions and forms of discrimination they experience;

3. Developing recommendations for practitioners working with these populations.

 

This research is being conducted from a trans-affirmative, disability, and anti-ageist perspective, and aims to improve the lives of marginalized populations and give back to these communities through a vast array of knowledge dissemination activities.

The researchers are available to meet with participants by videoconference, in either French or English. They are looking to recruit trans older adults with dementia, as well as caretakers who are supporting a trans person with dementia.

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