LGBTQ+ Seniors to Have Access to Expanded Services in N.Y.
A new law will make it easier for older LGBTQ+ people in New York to access free meal deliveries, caregiver assistance, mental and physical care, and other services.As a result of the new law signed by Gov.
Kathy Hochul this week, LGBTQ+ people in New York who suffer disproportionately from poverty and isolation now have access to more services.The state’s Office for the Aging now must take into account gender identity, sexual orientation, and HIV status when assessing the needs of older New Yorkers.
Additionally, the agency must consider language barriers, disabilities, racial isolation, and other non-economic factors when determining eligibility for services.As of 2012, the United States Department of Health and Human Services Administration on Aging has issued new guidance on the definition of the “greatest social need” in the Older Americans Act that now includes people isolated because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.“There is drastic inequity in physical and mental care for older adults in the LGBTQ community,” Hochul said in a statement. “This legislation is an important step in addressing those inequities while helping ensure LGBTQ older New Yorkers receive the same respect and support as anyone else in the state.”One of the state lawmakers behind the bill, Assemblymember Harry Bronson, said, “The Older American's Act affects everyone—older adults, people who help support them, and all of us who hope to one day grow old.
