

During Pride Month, the New York State Office for the Aging presents a new LGBTQ+ Resource Guide For Older Adults and Aging Services Networks.
The guide provides background on the unique service needs of LGBTQ+ older adults, along with a comprehensive statewide directory of over 200 organizations who specialize in LGBTQ+-inclusive services.
This statewide resource is designed for older adults and the providers who serve them. It identifies trusted organizations that provide a range of services and supports, from nutrition to legal advocacy, home and community-based care, long term care, health services, social supports, and so much more.
Over 5 percent of all New Yorkers, 3.8 percent of adults aged 55-64, and 2.3 percent of adults over the age of 65 openly identify as LGBTQ+. Studies have shown in recent years that despite various efforts made for civil rights and inclusion, LGBTQ+ older adults continue to face discrimination when seeking health or supportive services. A January 2021 report by AARP, SAGE (Services & Advocacy for GLBT Elders), and other advocates for LGBTQ+ older adults revealed several disparities:
NYSOFA’s Strategic Plan for LGBTQ+ Older Adults
NYSOFA has incorporated questions to identify the needs of LGBTQ+ older adults within NYSOFA’s Comprehensive Assessment for Aging Network Community (COMPASS), our primary screening instrument. This screening process assists in developing client-centered planning to provide any one of the seven supportive services, including case management, home health aides, adult day care services, and home-delivered meals.
NYSOFA has also developed a strategic work plan to enhance services for LGBTQ+ older adults in New York State. This plan was drafted in coordination with the Association on Aging in New York State, AARP, and SAGE. It includes: