Subscribe in a reader By Chandra Wilson   Getting proper healthcare can prove a challenge for many. That challenge becomes even greater for those in the transgender community, who, due to family and societal pressures, may find themselves without access to health care or living without the social supports and resources that many of us take for granted.  SelectHealth , a specialized Medicaid plan from VNSNY CHOICE, is dedicated to painting a new picture of health and empowerment for members of New York’s transgender community, or those who are homeless and/or living with or at risk for HIV/AIDS.  For Trust Robinson, a transgender Bronx resident, helping others is a calling. A way to step up and support members of the community he knows so well. As an Outreach and Enrollment Coordinator with SelectHealth, Robinson looks forward to the day when gender and identity have nothing to do with access to health information, culturally competent medical care and preventive wellnes

Subscribe in a reader By Chandra Wilson May 6th through May 12th marks National Nurses Week , a time set aside to recognize the indelible impact that nurses have on our lives and our communities. In January 2021, New York State listed close to 400,000 registered nurses, licensed practical nurses and nurse practitioners in the profession. Whether those nurses worked in a hospital, a doctor’s office, a school, sports arena or even someone’s home, it’s safe to say that the past year has been a year like no other for nurses everywhere. Home care nurses played a major role in New York City’s response to the coronavirus health crisis—and they continue to do so. Frontline hospice nurses with the Visiting Nurse Service of New York cared for patients on respirators and brought family members together through smartphones when quarantine kept them apart. Behavioral health nurses helped families in crisis as the stresses of daily living escalated with job loss, remote school and work a

Subscribe in a reader Tweet Empire City Casino by MGM Resorts (“Empire City”) announced that the premier northeast entertainment destination will resume normal operating hours beginning Wednesday, April 7, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m., providing guests additional time to visit and enjoy their favorite slots and electronic table games.   Empire City’s health and safety protocols remain in place to ensure guests have a safe entertainment destination. Over 2,800 of the hottest games are available for play, outfitted with plexiglass dividers or socially distanced. In addition to fan favorites, Empire City has introduced new games over the last few months such as Wheel of Fortune Wild Sapphires 3D Reels, Jinse Dao Tiger & Ox, Lock It Lin Piggy Bankin, Fortune Coin and others for visitors to enjoy.   “The lifting of the curfew brings us one step closer to a sense of normalcy as we resume regular operating hours for our loyal guests. While capacity restrictions and al

Subscribe in a reader Tweet By Chandra Wilson  March 23, 2021 During the April peak of the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City last year, social worker Joseph Alvino was sick with COVID-19 himself.  “I had every symptom in the book,” he says. He was also mourning the loss of his father from the illness. But Joe, who has been with VNSNY for over 25 years, opted to continue visiting patients by telephone, in keeping with COVID-19 protocols, a heroic act that gave him purpose and provided patients with a compassionate and expert resource. “It was important for me to keep my mind busy and active, doing the best I could to help my patients with all they’re dealing with,” says Joe. A full-time social worker with VNSNY Home Care in Queens, Joe cares for patients coping with a variety of medical conditions and for their often-overburdened family caregivers. During last year’s peak, at a time when even the simple act of going to the grocery store felt riddled with peril, he h

Subscribe in a reader Tweet By Fatima Shell-Sanchez, Registered Nurse with Visiting Nurse Service of New York February is National Heart Month, and as New Yorkers continue to wear masks, practice social distancing, take extra caution with hand washing and get vaccinated for COVID-19 when they are eligible, they’re also encouraged to check in with their health professionals about good heart health—especially with sedentary lifestyles on the increase due to COVID-19. Hypertensive heart disease (HHD) is the leading cause of death for all Americans, and something to stay mindful of during the pandemic. HHD increases with age, and includes heart failure, coronary artery disease, and other conditions.  Each year, approximately 100,000 home care patients in the U.S. report a prior stroke, and a recent study at the Visiting Nurse Service of New York Center for Home Care Policy & Research further shows that, at start of care, recurrent stroke risk is high for many

Jaimie Walker, 30, has been charged in the death of his elderly father. -Photo Facebook Subscribe in a reader Queens Voice  January 18, 2021  A Queens man has been charged with fatally stabbing his father in the culmination of a brutal attack on the elderly victim. The defendant was also charged with trashing the interogation room when investigators tried to question him. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced that Jaimie Walker, 30, has been charged with murder in the stabbing death of his 72-year-old father. The victim was found Thursday morning in the bathroom of his Queens Village home with multiple stab wounds to his neck. The defendant is additionally charged with criminal mischief for wrecking the interview room inside a police precinct. Katz said, “The defendant in this case is accused of committing patricide. He allegedly beat his father before stabbing him to death. This was a brutal, violent killing.” Walker, of Queens Village, was arraigned be

Deranged Attackers Slash People in Bronx, Queens for Beer and Water Subscribe in a reader  Tweet By Dan Gesslein  Bronx Voice  January 11, 2020  Police are looking for two men in connection with a pair of unrelated and unhinged stabbings in Queens and the Bronx. One shocking attack was caught on video.  Police released surveillance video of a brutal attack taken inside a Queens hotel in which a worker was slashed repeatedly after handing the man a bottle of water. Police are looking for this man in connection with a stabbing in the Bronx on Christmas morning. At around 6:15 am on January 10, a 33-year-old worker at the La Quinta Inn on Queens Boulevard confronted a man who was loitering in the hotel’s lobby. The loiterer asked for a bottle of water. When the clerk came out from behind the desk to hand him the water, the man pounced.  The lobby video shows the man pulling out a large knife and using it to stab and slash the clerk. The worker tries to flee but is cornered