Callen-Lorde Awarded $180,000 Grant to Support Elder Care

We are excited to announce that Callen-Lorde has been awarded a first-time grant of $180,000 from The Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation to support the salary of the new Clinical Director of Elder Care.

The number of healthcare providers competent in both elder care and LGBTQ+ care is staggeringly small, and as Callen-Lorde’s patients age, many feel like they must choose one or the other, often leaving Callen-Lorde to receive gerontological care elsewhere. LGBTQ+ elders should not have to make this choice. They should be able to receive competent healthcare that serves every aspect of their identity.

Based on recommendations made by the Aging Committee of our Community Advisory Board, Callen-Lorde has been working to build competencies in care for LGBTQ+ elders. Earlier this year, we received a grant from the AIDS Institute to pilot a program that addresses barriers and needs of older adults living with HIV. That pilot is currently running. Last month, Callen-Lorde was certified as an Age-Friendly Health System through the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. Additionally, over the summer Callen-Lorde announced the opening of a new satellite site and partnership with SAGE. Callen-Lorde is providing primary care and mental health services to LGBTQ+ elders at the SAGE Center Brooklyn at Stonewall.

This grant builds upon all that work. The Clinical Director of Elder Care will provide medical leadership and vision to elder care services provided at Callen-Lorde. They will act as a subject specialist on staff and be responsible for the clinical and organizational aspects of the elder care program. We are grateful to The Fan Fox & Leslie R. Samuels Foundation for supporting this incredibly important work, and excited to continue developing our elder care program.