Neverman explores transgender people’s fears of dementia and long-term care

Cuban-Canadian director Rodrigo Barriuso says he made Neverman to draw attention to the challenges some LGBTQ+ people face when they enter long-term care. The Toronto-based director had seen reports from abroad of homes unable to provide identity-affirming care, where discrimination led some residents to conceal their identities again.

The film, which screened at the Toronto International Film Festival and is a finalist for the $25,000 Windsor International Film Festival prize, follows transgender activist Lucia Neverman. Staff at a fictional long-term care home try to strip Lucia, played by Justin Vivian Bond, of her identity. Her nurse Eleanor, played by Québécois actor Marie-Josée Croze, increasingly tries to discourage her from wearing makeup and replace her dresses with masculine clothing.

Lucia is also afraid of losing herself as Alzheimer’s disease progresses. In a conversation with her neurologist about her prognosis, she says she would rather not “moonwalk back into the closet” and mentally regress to her youth. Experts say the fictional story reflects genuine concerns among aging LGBTQ+ people.

Allison Sekuler, chief scientist at Baycrest Academy for Research and Education, said bias and misunderstanding persist in long-term care, often because staff have not received adequate training in gender-affirming care. Ontario’s Ministry of Long-Term Care says homes are expected to meet a strict standard that requires residents to be treated with courtesy and respect in recognition of their dignity, worth and individuality, regardless of characteristics including sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

The ministry has supported agencies developing resources for LGBTQ+ long-term care residents, including the guide Welcoming Trans and Gender-Diverse Older Adults to Long-Term Care, published in August. Sekuler said the remaining gap is whether individual homes use those resources and train staff in detail.

She said transgender residents may have specific needs, such as access to required hormones or personal care consistent with their gender identity. Caregivers assisting with bathing and dressing should not make assumptions about a resident’s body, she added.

People with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias can sometimes experience shifts in memory and in the period of life they believe they are living in. Sekuler said training staff and family members to respond when transgender residents regress to a time before their transition is not widespread and should become part of mainstream training in long-term care and home care.

Staff turnover can also force LGBTQ+ residents to repeatedly explain their same-sex relationships or gender identity. Sekuler said personal histories should be included in care plans so all staff understand a resident’s background, while chosen family can help residents settle into a facility and share insight into who they are.

Bond, who now focuses on live queer performance, returned to film for the role of Lucia. Bond said training would be helpful if staff are also caring and thoughtful, and that people who want to provide appropriate care need to be told how to do so.

Bond and Barriuso also support dedicated spaces for LGBTQ+ residents in long-term care. During research for the film, Barriuso volunteered and spoke with staff and residents at Rekai Centres’ Wellesley Central Place in Toronto, which has a designated Rainbow Wing. Barbara Michalik, executive director of community academic partnerships and programming at Rekai Centres, said staff throughout the facility receive LGBTQ+-affirming-care training; some take additional training to become champions and wear rainbow symbols on their lanyards. She hopes more homes create spaces where residents feel at home in their community and culture.

Neverman does not yet have a theatrical release date.