Information Letter

Title: Aging in community: A focus on older LGBTQ2+ Canadians

 You are invited to participate in a survey for a research project led by Dr. Kim Wilson (University of Guelph) and Dr. Arne Stinchcombe (Brock University).  This research is funded by a grant from the Pan-Canadian New Horizons for Seniors Program through Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). 
 
 Purpose of the Study
 Age-friendly initiatives have gained traction in Canada and internationally, with many Canadian communities making commitments to becoming age-friendly. Aging lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and two-spirit (LGBTQ2+) Canadians are a diverse subpopulation whose social histories and contexts may not have been considered in such initiatives.

This pan-Canadian project will examine models of age-friendly communities that have a particular focus on the inclusion of diverse aging communities. Our work will include exploring the following questions:  How do the existing Age-Friendly Communities (AFC) initiative and existing Canadian age-friendly communities ensure inclusion of LGBTQ2+ older adults? How does a community become both age-friendly and LGBTQ2+ friendly? 

By conducting an environmental scan and producing a “promising practices” model, we hope to increase awareness of LGBTQ2+ issues within Canadian communities and promising approaches, increase the social inclusion and social participation among LGBTQ2+ Canadians and enhance rationale for communities to adopt age-friendly community approaches.
 
 Procedures
This survey is designed to help us identify potential communities that are both age and
LGBTQ2+ friendly. We are interested in learning about what you and/or your community are doing to support seniors and, more specifically, LGBTQ2+ seniors. If you choose to participate in this survey, the questionnaire will begin immediately following your consent. The survey will take approximately 20 minutes to complete, but please take as long as you need. Please note that the survey should be completed in one sitting. This means, you would not be able to start the survey at one time and come back to finish the questions at a later time. Following the survey, our project team will not contact you for any reason unless you are the contact person for the identified spotlight community and you have left your contact information for follow up.

 
 Participation & Confidentiality
 Your participation is completely voluntary. You may choose to skip any questions by selecting the next arrow. Should you choose to stop participating simply close your internet browser and any/all data will be erased. To assist with identification of potential communities and community activities, we will ask you for your contact information so we can follow up with you; however you can choose not to answer. Please note only those who have provided their name and contact information will have the option to have their responses withdrawn from the project. If you would like to have your information withdrawn, this must be done within four weeks of completing the survey. Please note that confidentiality cannot be guaranteed while data are in transit over the internet.
 
 Every effort will be made to make sure that all data collected is held securely. We will never share your personal information with anyone else.
 
 All collected data will be stored indefinitely on a password-protected, encrypted laptop that is stored in a secure location. Findings from this survey will be compiled for presentation in a final report. Information gathered from this phase of the study will be shared and may be used for additional education and publication purposes in a manner that will protect your identity
 
 Potential Risks
 The risk to participating in this survey is very low. You may choose to skip any questions you would prefer not to answer or stop participating in the study at any time. 
 
 Potential Benefits
 Although there is no direct benefit to you for participating in this study, your input will help us to understand what it takes for communities to become both age and LGBTQ2+ friendly.  Findings from this study can lead to improved advocacy efforts, policy, and practice. If you are interested in receiving a summary of the findings, please contact the study researchers.  We would be happy to share the findings with you. We expect that a final report will be publicly available on the Egale website in April 2021.  
 
 Ethics & Contact Information
 This project has been reviewed by the Research Ethics Board for compliance with federal guidelines for research involving human participants. If you have any questions regarding your rights and welfare as a research participant in this study (REB # 20-05-006), please contact: Manager,  Research Ethics; University of Guelph; reb@uoguelph.ca; 519-824-4120 ext. 56606. You do not waive any legal rights by agreeing to take part in this study.

Should you wish to receive a copy of the final report for this study please contact Dr. Kim Wilson (info below) or visit www.dearcollab.ca in Spring 2021. 

If you have any questions after the completion of the study, you may contact by Dr. Kim Wilson or Dr. Arne Stinchcombe.  Please save and print a copy of this information letter to keep for your records. Thank you for your participation.
Dr. Kim Wilson
Associate Professor
Dept. of Family Relations & Applied Nutrition
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON    N1G 2W1
kim.wilson@uoguelph.ca
 519-824-4120 ext. 53003
Dr. Arne Stinchcombe
Assistant Professor
Dept. of Recreation & Leisure
Brock University
St. Catherines, ON L2S 3A1
astinchcombe@brocku.ca
905 688 5550 x5387
 
 

Clicking on ‘Yes, I consent to participate’ at the bottom of this page indicates that I understand the information provided and agree to participate in this research.