About

About the OPAL Institute

The OPAL Institute was established to promote the sexual rights of older people. There is still a long way to go before older people's sexual rights are recognised. The approach taken by the OPAL Institute is on shifting relationships of power, knowledge and culture. The Institute focuses on information to recognise the sexual rights of older people and to empower older people, service providers and the broader community.

Founder and Director

Dr Catherine Barrett is the Founder and Director of Celebrate Ageing and The OPAL Institute. Catherine has been working with older people for over 30 years. She began her professional career in residential aged care, as a Unit Manager and it was in this role Catherine recognised that addressing resident sexuality improved quality of care and resident quality of life.

Catherine was part of a team that developed Australia's first sexual health policy in 1998. She established a Sexual Health and Ageing Program at the Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society (ARCSHS) La Trobe University - attracting around $2.6 million in projects. In 2016 Catherine established the OPAL Institute, under the Celebrate Ageing umbrella and in 2017 Catherine co-edited a book on the Sexual Rights of Older People. Key work related to sexual rights includes:

Preventing sexual assault of older women

2021 (May): project coordinator #ReadyToListen project being led by the Older Person's Advocacy Network, in partnership with the Older Women's Network NSW and funded by the Department of Health - including 12 month Leadership Course for residential aged care services
2021 (May): presentation Australia and New Zealand Society of Geriatric Medicine Advanced Trainee Weekend Seminar
2021: resource on sexual assault with the Australian Association of Gerontology (forthcoming)
2020 (June): participated in a webinar with the Older Women’s Network NSW and Kerrin Bradfield (Gold Coast Centre Against Sexual Violence), moderated by journalist Caroline Baum for Compass
2020 (June): wrote an article for Compass on Sexual Assault, An Uncomfortable Truth
2020 (Jan): launched a campaign with the Older Women's Network NSW called #InHerShoes to document older women's evaluations of reporting sexual assault
2020 (Jan): launched a campaign with the Older Women's Network NSW called #WalkWithHer to encourage solidarity and listening to older women who experience sexual assault
2019 (Dec): participated in a Round Table at Parliament House Canberra, hosted by Senator Rachel Siewert (Hansard, see pages 19-21: link; SBS News: link; The Wire: link; HelloCare news: link
2019 (November): workshop on Unlawful Sexual Contact - compliance, resourcing and prevention with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission prior to the Australian Association of Gerontology Conference in Sydney
2019 (August) developed a submission to the Royal Commission into Quality and Safety in Aged Care, on the sexual assault of older women
2019 (August): presented the perspectives of older women at a National Forum on preventing sexual assault in residential aged care. Forum hosted by the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine at Monash University
2019 (July): worked with 97 year old Margarita Solis to deliver a plenary presentation on her experience of sexual assault and her strategies for prevention at the National Elder Abuse Awareness Conference in Brisbane
2019 (July): participated in a panel on elder abuse (reflections on sexual assault) at the National Elder Abuse Awareness Conference in Brisbane
2019 (August): worked with the Australian Association of Gerontology on a paper outlining the outcomes of the November pre-conference workshop on sexual assault
2019 (March): worked with Margarita Solis to launch a social media campaign and online resource called #SheToo which raises awareness of the importance of listening to older women who report sexual assault and developed strategies to improve listening
2019 (October): wrote an article for the Australian Journal of Dementia Care included a feature on listening to older women who experience sexual abuse. It focused particularly on sexual abuse and dementia (link here.)
2019 (November): workshop on Unlawful Sexual Contact - compliance, resourcing and prevention with the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission prior to the Australian Association of Gerontology Conference in Sydney
2018 (March): co presented a webinar for the Australian Association of Gerontology on the role of aged care service providers in preventing the sexual assault of older women
2018 (November): Facilitated a preconference workshop on sexual assault prevention at the Australian Association of Gerontology Conference in Melbourne
2017: produced a film called Margarita which documents the experiences of Margarita Solis after her sexual assault, as a tool to educate service providers and community members
2017 (November): participated in a forum hosted by Senior’s Rights Service NSW on Older Women, Ageing and Disadvantage
2017: coedited a book on the Sexual Rights of older people including their right to be free from sexual violence. In a world first, the book takes the World Association for Sexology’s Charter of Sexual Rights and applies them to the lives of older people
2017: coordinated an interdisciplinary panel on sexual assault at the National Elder Abuse Awareness Conference in Sydney, which was hosted by Virginia Trioli. Video produced from panel and also podcast on sexual assault with Ellen Fanning
2017: developed training and a policy for aged care service providers on addressing sexual rights of older people and on sexual boundaries in home services. Made the policies available free online and delivered the training
2017: delivered presentations on sexuality and aged care at the Better Practice conferences in four states/territories
2016-2017: Older Women's Right To Be Safe At Home and in Care: researcher on a project being conducted by the Council on the Ageing, Victoria and ARCSHS to document aged care service providers strategies for preventing sexual assault and to work with peak bodies on the development of a state wide strategy to prevent sexual assault. Project funded by Victorian Women's Trust
2015-current: member of Victoria Police’s Community Consultation, Seniors Advisory Group to present issues related to sexual assault
2015: Its Gone Wild Out There: chief researcher for a project in partnership with Women's Health in the South East (WHiSE) that documented older women's experiences of sexual wellbeing and safety
2014-2015: Norma's Project: chief investigator for Norma's Project which documented the first evidence base in Australia on older women's experiences of sexual assault - and strategies for the primary prevention. The project was conducted by ARCSHS in partnership with Alzheimer's Australia, Council on the Ageing, National Ageing Research Institute and the University of Melbourne and was funded by the Federal Government
2007-2011: researcher at La Trobe University working on projects addressing sexual safety for people living with a disability and project for White Ribbon Foundation
Victoria Police's Senior's Working Group (2015 - current): working group member.

LGBTI inclusivity

Established Alice's Garage, a social enterprise to empower older LGBTI people and promote healthy LGBTI ageing
National LGBTI Ageing and Aged Care Strategy (2013 - 2017): co-chair of a working group that developed the National LGBTI Ageing and Aged Care Strategy a current member of a working party reviewing the Strategy
Alice's Garage (2016): established a project and network to empower LGBTI elders (see: alicesgarage.net)
Still gay ...(2015): chief researcher on a project that documented LGBT people's experiences of dementia and produced a guide to inclusive services and a narrative resource kit for the education of service providers and community members. The project was conducted by ARCSHS in partnership with Alzheimer's Australia and funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services
We are people first (2015): chief investigator for a project documenting trans people's experiences of ageing and aged care and developing a guide to trans inclusive services and a resource kit for service providers. The project was coordinated by ARCSHS in partnership with Transgender Victoria and FTM Shed and was funded by the Department of Social Services
An extra degree of difficulty (2015): chief investigator on a project that documented carers experiences and utilised this evidence base to develop a practice guide and resource kit. The project was conducted by ARCSHS in partnership with Carers Australia and was funded by the Department of Social Services
Appropriate bodies and other damn lies (2015): chief investigator for a project that documented intersex people's experiences of ageing and aged care and utilised this evidence to develop a guide to intersex inclusive services and a resource kit for service provider education. The project was conducted by ARCSHS in partnership with OII and was funded by the Department of Social Services
Aged Care Assessment (2015): researcher on project documenting Aged Care Assessor's understandings of LGBTI inclusive assessment and working in partnership with assessors to develop assessment guide sheets
National LGBTI Ageing and Aged Care Conference (2014, 2015): coordinated Australia's first National LGBTI Ageing and Aged Care Conference focusing on the experiences and needs of older LGBTI Australians - successfully supported 33% of speakers LGBTI Elders
The HACC Pack (2014): coordinated the development of a guide to LGBTI inclusive HACC services in partnership with HACC service providers. Project funded by the Department of Health, Victoria
No need to straighten up (2013): chief investigator for a project commissioned by beyondblue that produced a report on older LGBTI people's experiences of discrimination and the impact on anxiety and depression. Research conducted by ARCSHS in partnership with Curtin University
Rainbow Tick (2013): project coordinator at Gay and Lesbian Health Victoria developing the Rainbow Tick standards, indicators and guide to practice
How2 Create and LGBTI Inclusive Service (2012): developed a 12 month program of series of workshops coaching service providers through the practical steps involved in becoming LGBTI inclusive. Program has now been established in three other states. Funded by Department of Social Services to develop an aged care specific version - which has now been taken up in four states
Val's Cafe (2009): established Val's Cafe at ARCSHS to promote the health and wellbeing of older LGBTI Australians. Built the project to a successful website funded by GALFA (see: valscafe.org.), over 600 members and core government funding
Permission to speak (2009)
My People (2008): chief researcher for Matrix Guild of Victoria and Vintage Men Inc documenting LGBT people's experiences of aged care services. Project funded by Reichstein Foundation
Permission to speak (2008): chief researcher for Matrix Guild of Victoria and Vintage Men Inc documenting aged care service providers experiences and perceptions about caring for LGBTI clients. Project funded by Reichstein Foundation

Sexual boundaries in home services

Sexual boundaries policy (2016): developed a policy for home care services to ensure clear guidance for staff around sexual boundaries in home care
Sexual boundaries education tool kit (2016): developed a suite of educational resources for service providers to educate home care workers on sexual boundaries

Sexual expression in residential aged care

Sexuality policy (2016): developed policy on sexuality for residential aged care and a resource kit for the education of service providers implementing the policy.
The Wellness Project (2002): researcher on a project led by the National Ageing Research Institute that documented aged care service providers knowledge and attitudes towards older people's sexuality and develop resources for change
Sexual Health Policy Committee (1990): founding member of a committee established to address client sexuality at North West Hospital
Sexual Health Policy (1998): nurse clinician working on project documenting resident, staff and relatives perspectives of resident sexuality. Project resulted in the development of Australia's first sexual health policy for age care and undertaken by Gerontological Professorial at La Trobe University and North West Hospital.

Sexuality after stroke

Worked with the Stroke Network Victoria to support stroke clinicians address sexuality after stroke. Developed a 12 month program of workshops coaching clinicians through practice change. Outcomes included

Developed a staff survey tool to measure knowledge, attitudes and confidence addressing sexuality after stroke
Developed an organisational audit to measure key indicators of successful change
Developed an interdisciplinary guide to addressing sexuality after stroke
Mentored 6 organisations through successful changes to practice and edited a report on the project.

Sexually transmissible infections

Sex, Age and Me (2015 - current): Researcher on a project addressing the 58% increase in STIs amoungst older Australians. Project coordinated by ARCSHS and funded by the Australian Research Council.

Publications

Sexual Rights of Older People (in progress): Routledge
Barrett, C. Crameri, P, Latham, J.R. Whyte, C and Lambourne, S. The Perspectives of Lesbian, Gay and Trans (LGT*) People and their Partners on Living with Dementia. In Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Trans* Individuals Living with Dementia. Westwood, S and Price, E (eds). Routledge, London
Crameri, P; Barrett, C; Latham J.R. and Whyte, C (2015). Its more than sex and clothes. Culturally safe services for older lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people. Australasian Journal on Ageing. LGBTI Special Edition. 34(2). Pp. 21-25
Barrett, C; Crameri, P; Lambourne, J.R. and Whyte, C. (2015). Understanding the experiences and needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans Australians living with dementia and their partners. Australasian Journal on Ageing. LGBTI Special Edition. 34(2). Pp. 34-38
Latham, J.R. and Barrett, C. (2015) Appropriate bodies and other damn lies: Intersex ageing and aged care. Australasian Journal on Ageing. LGBTI Special Edition. 34(2). Pp. 19-20
Barrett, C, Crameri, P, Lambourne, S and Latham, J.R. (2015). ‘We are still gay’ … the needs of LGBT Australians living with dementia. Australian Journal of Dementia Care.
Barrett, C., Whyte, C., Comfort, J., Lyons, A., & Crameri, P. (2015). Social connection, relationships and older lesbian and gay people. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 30(1)(Special Issue), 131-142.
Lyons, A., Croy, S., Barrett, C., & Whyte, C. (2015). Growing old as a gay man: How life has changed for the gay liberation generation. Ageing and Society, 35(10), 2229-2250.
Leonard, W., Duncan, D. and Barrett, C. (2013). “What a difference a gay makes: The constitution of the ‘older gay man’” in Kampf, A., Marshall, Petersen, A. (eds.) Aging Men: Masculinities and Modern Medicine. London, Routledge.
Barrett, C (2011). Storyboarding: using the arts to promote the sexual health and emotional wellbeing of older Australians. Culture, Health and Sexuality. Supplemental volume. 13 (1).
Barrett, C (2011). Auditing organisational capacity to promote the sexual health of older people. Electronic Journal of Applied Psychology. 7(1): 31-36.
Barrett, C., Mitchell, A., Craig, L., Crock, L. (2010). Ready or not: Addressing stigma and promoting wellbeing of people living with HIV in aged-care. HIV Australia, 8(3), 35-37.

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