Safeguarding LGBTQ+ Identities in Care Homes Research: Insights from the CIRCLE Project

Ensuring that care homes are safe, inclusive, and affirming spaces for people with dementia who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, or have other marginalised sexual orientations and gender identities (LGBTQ+) is more urgent than ever. As transphobia and discrimination rise across the UK, the experiences of LGBTQ+ residents—particularly trans and nonbinary individuals—often remain overlooked in both care settings and research.

This gap is why the CIRCLE Project, recently published by Dr. Jolie Keemink of the University of Kent, is so groundbreaking. The study brought much-needed visibility to LGBTQ+ people with dementia, providing evidence that can shape how care homes meet the unique needs of this community.

Why It Matters

LGBTQ+ older adults are disproportionately at risk of isolation, discrimination, and lack of appropriate care, especially in residential settings. For trans and nonbinary people with dementia, safeguarding their identities becomes even more critical. Misgendering, denial of gender-affirming care, and transphobic abuse in care homes are real concerns that can exacerbate cognitive decline, worsen mental health, and deny residents the dignity they deserve.

Including LGBTQ+ people with dementia in care homes research, as the CIRCLE Project did, highlights these vulnerabilities and provides data-driven pathways to address them. It is no longer acceptable to view these individuals as an “invisible minority.”

Representation Starts at the Top

For research and policies to be truly inclusive, leadership must reflect the diversity of the populations they aim to serve. LGBTQ+ representation among care home leadership, researchers, and advisory boards ensures that decisions are informed by lived experiences. Organisations committed to inclusion and diversity must practice what they preach by elevating LGBTQ+ voices into leadership roles. This is not only about fairness but also about fostering environments where LGBTQ+ residents—and their care staff—feel seen, safe, and valued.

What Needs to Happen Next?

• Care homes must embed inclusive practices that affirm LGBTQ+ identities, such as training staff to safeguard trans and nonbinary residents.
• Researchers must continue centering LGBTQ+ individuals in dementia care studies to ensure care homes are prepared to meet their needs.
• Organisations must prioritise meaningful LGBTQ+ representation in leadership and research design to drive real change.

The CIRCLE Project has set a clear example: when LGBTQ+ people with dementia are included, research and practice become richer, more inclusive, and better equipped to provide compassionate care. Care homes across the UK must now take this work forward to ensure that no LGBTQ+ person living with dementia is left behind.

About the author

Dáithí Clayton, diagnosed with young onset dementia in 2015, is a passionate advocate for housing and healthcare equity, particularly focusing on the needs of trans and nonbinary individuals with dementia. Their lived experience as a nonbinary person with dementia drives their advocacy work, where they emphasize the importance of inclusive research and service delivery for LGBTQI+ older adults across various countries, including the U.S., U.K., Ireland, Spain, and Belgium.

Dáithí has co-produced The Space Between: Understanding the Experience of Nonbinary Persons with Dementia, a qualitative research study that sheds light on the unique challenges faced by nonbinary individuals living with dementia. Collaborating with Phil Harper of Newman University and John Hammond of Brighton/Sussex Medical School, they have shared their findings at numerous international dementia conferences, advocating for greater visibility and inclusion in dementia-related research and services.

Their advocacy work includes contributions to various projects, such as the Opening Doors London Memory Cafe, the Fundación 26 de Diciembre initiative in Madrid, Switchboard’s Speak Out Dementia and the Flemish Dementia Working Group in Belgium. These projects highlight their commitment to raising awareness and promoting the rights and dignity of LGBTQI+ individuals within the dementia community.