LGBTQ Caregiver Center Celebrates 1-Year Anniversary

DUNEDIN, FL — In an ever-aging population, a growing number of partners, spouses and children are finding themselves in the position of being LGBTQ caregivers.

To help LGBTQ caregivers educate themselves and ensure their own wellness while caring for loved ones, Jennifer Henius, founder of Yoga4Caregivers, and social worker Zander Keig, launched the nonprofit LGBTQ Caregiver Center in Dunedin in June 2021.

Now celebrating its one-year anniversary, the LGBTQ Caregiver Center is part of an initiative of the Caregiver Wellness Collective Inc., guided by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals, advocates and allies who share a passion for improving caregiver health and well-being by providing education and services who provide assistance to others due to illness, injury or disability.

“I created the nonprofit at the onset of COVID-19 to improve access to holistic wellness practices such as yoga and meditation to at-risk caregivers," said Henius, a licensed social worker.

Henius herself is a long-distance caregiver and social worker who has worked with veterans, their families and caregivers nearly 20 years.

A recognized caregiver advocate, in 2021, she successfully advocated for the city of Dunedin to become a designated Hidden Heroes City in partnership with the Elizabeth Dole Foundation, in support of the more than five million U.S. military and veteran caregivers.

“The pandemic has worsened the challenges that caregivers already face, including social isolation and poor mental health," she said. "We need our community to step up and support them, but we also need to recognize that our caregiver population is diverse with unique needs."

The LGBTQ Caregiver Center was co-founded with Zander Keig, a licensed social worker, transgender man and veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard who provides care for his veteran father, who was diagnosed with dementia.

Keig said the LGBTQ community faces unique experiences and challenges as caregivers.

“It’s important for us to share our caregiving story so that others know they are not alone," he said. "Our community needs access to culturally competent caregiver support services, and we hope we can bridge LGBTQ caregivers to trusted resources.”

Still in its infancy, the LGBTQ Caregiver Center serves as an online resource hub, offers cultural competency training and connects caregivers to important research studies that aim to better understand the unique needs and challenges of LGBTQ caregivers.

The center also offers an online LGBTQ caregiver peer support group, holds webinars with expert speakers and engages with the community to raise awareness about issues and concerns.

To learn more about the LGBTQ Caregiver Center or to volunteer or donate, click here.