Enriching the lives of LGBT older adults by creating a safe, welcoming home health care environment

VNSNY’s new senior LGBT Outreach provides the most vulnerable seniors in New York City’s LGBT community with greater access to VNSNY home- and community-based services, raises awareness of VNSNY as a safe and trusted ally of the LGBT community, and increases outreach to self-identified and closeted LGBT seniors.

An estimated 122,400 older New Yorkers identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. At VNSNY, we understand that many LGBT older adults have experienced discrimination, social stigma, and prejudice. To that end, we are committed to treating every patient with empathy, courtesy, and respect.

All VNSNY nurses, rehabilitation therapists, social workers, and home health aides, along with administrative and senior staff, have received training on working with LGBT communities from the LGBT senior advocacy organization SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders), ensuring that all of our staff are aware of and sensitive to the needs and concerns of LGBT older adults. VNSNY is the largest home- and community-based health care organization in the New York City metropolitan area with the SAGECare Platinum level LGBT cultural competency credential.

In addition to this cultural sensitivity training, in early April of 2018, VNSNY expanded its Senior LGBT Outreach. Funded by a New York Community Trust grant, the program is committed to supporting the health of LGBT seniors in the New York City area.

This initiative will facilitate VNSNY’s collaborations with the growing number of community-based organizations that serve New York’s elderly LGBT population. The program will also help education organizations, providers, and patients about VNSNY’s LGBT-related initiatives, including our gender affirmation surgery program, which has provided post-surgical care for 225 patients since its launch in 2016, and other efforts to help eliminate barriers to care.