“I Needed to be That Voice”: A Multi-Party Study of the Healthcare and Social Service Experiences and Needs of Transgender and Gender-diverse Older Adults in Canada

The social contexts of transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) older adults remain under-examined. In this qualitative study, which involved six virtual focus groups with a total of 21 participants inclusive of TGD adults ages 50+, service providers, and community advocates, we sought to examine the healthcare and social service experiences and needs of TGD older adults in Canada. Drawing theoretically on critical gerontology and intersectionality, and methodologically on interpretive description, we examined the perspectives of different participant groups to develop insight into TGD older adults' issues and priorities in the context of their engagements with systems of care. Our findings revealed the role of histories of marginalization, precarity, contemporary sources of intersectional oppression, and resistance in shaping the experiences of this population, while also highlighting community-driven ground-up activities to address evolving needs. Drawing on this conceptualization, we explored the implications of our research for ongoing inquiry, policy, and practice.