LGBTQ Home Health

Creating a welcoming home health care environment for LGBTQ older adults

Caring for LGBTQ older adults with dignity and respect.

At the Visiting Nurse Service of New York (VNSNY), we are committed to treating every patient with empathy, courtesy, and respect.

VNSNY clinicians, administrative and senior staff have received training on working with LGBT communities from the LGBT senior advocacy organization SAGE, ensuring that all of our staff are aware of and sensitive to the needs and concerns of LGBT older adults. In fact, 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. SAGE is the country’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults.

Our promise to LGBTQ patients:

• Our staff will treat you in a friendly and professional manner and with the highest level of confidentiality.
• We are dedicated to providing a welcoming, bias-free environment to all of our LGBTQ patients.
• We want our patients to feel free and safe and to be open
  about their sexual orientation and gender identity with their VNSNY caregivers and to expect nothing less than utmost respect and encouragement in return.
• We will give special attention to protocols and procedures around gender identity so that insurance coverage is not affected.
• We will help identify safe and trusted resources in the community to help support your health care needs.

At VNSNY, we value diversity and we are committed to upholding discrimination-free ethics for both our employees and our patients and members.

Over 125 years as a safe harbor for all New Yorkers in need.

VNSNY provides a wide range of welcoming, safe home- and community-based health care services to LGBTQ community members.

• Nursing services provided by registered nurses.
• Rehabilitation therapy provided by physical therapists, occupational therapists and speech language pathologists.
• Help with social, emotional or mental health needs, provided by nurses and social workers.
• Assistance with personal care and activities of daily living, provided by certified home health aides.
• Hospice and palliative care provided by compassionate, specially trained experts. For more information, call 1-212-929-1920.
• Private pay home care services, including nursing and home health aide personal care, are available through Partners in Care. For more information, call 1-888-9-GET-HELP.
• Medicare and Medicaid health plans as well as special needs plans for HIV/AIDS provided by VNSNY CHOICE Health Plans. For more information, call 1-855-AT-CHOICE.

The LGBTQ Health Care Bill of Rights

First announced by Dr. Mary Travis Basset, the LGBTQ Health Care Bill of Rights is a critical piece of health care information that empowers you to take responsibility for your health. It lays out 10 important legal rights that you can assert in any health care situation.

At VNSNY, we strongly support the LGBTQ Health Care Bill of Rights.

“As a nurse, I’ve met so many LGBTQ people of all ages who still live in fear, and to whom these basic rights have been withheld, miscommunicated, or culturally garbled… But it doesn’t have to be that way.” Arthur Fitting, BSN, RN, LGBT Program Manager

Support Groups

VNSNY in partnership with Brooklyn Community Pride Center and Griot Circle, is offering a safe space to the LGBTQ+ community, to share their experiences and hear from others who might be going anxiety, grief and a feeling of loss during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The groups meet:

• Every Tuesday from 10:30-11:30 AM at https://lgbtbrooklyn.org/events/calming-anxiety-during-covid-19/
• Every Sunday at 11:00-11:45 AM at https://lgbtbrooklyn.org/events/covid-19-support-group/

VNSNY celebrates PRIDE!

Pride 2020

VNSNY at the 2019 Pride March

Gender Affirmation Program

For patients undergoing gender affirmation surgery, VNSNY provides specialized home care services by a team of over 250 clinicians who have been specially trained in transgender health and gender affirming post-surgical care. Our goals include creating a care plan to meet each individual’s unique needs, providing a safe space for patients to recuperate fully at home and helping to ensure that the transgender patient feels they are cared for by a knowledgeable and culturally sensitive clinician.

We’re here for you.

An estimated 122,400 older New Yorkers identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Our goal at the Visiting Nurse Service of New York is to comprehensively support the home health care needs of LGBTQ older adults in the city. We are committed to providing high quality, culturally sensitive care for LGBTQ older adults. VNSNY is proud to have its own LGBTQ Advocacy Group made up of staff from all parts of our organization, with the goal of ensuring the best possible home care support for LGBTQ older patients.

For more information about any of VNSNY services, please call the VNSNY Customer Care Center at: 1-888-VNS-1-CALL (1-888-867-1225)

VNSNY Home Care services are available in the five boroughs of New York City, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties. Our Care Center staff is available to answer your questions 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

*Stock Photos. Posed by Models