VOICES 60+
“VOICES 60+ has done a lot for me; you watched out for my health and inspired me to get up and go. I keep coming back to the program. If it wasn’t for 60+ I would not be who I am today.” -Winifred, 68
Our Mission
The mission of VOICES 60+ is to enhance the medical care experience of Hospital for Special Surgery’s older adult patients with arthritis and orthopedic disorders. We can achieve this by helping patients to navigate and access the care, community resources, support and education they need to meet the challenges they face.
Services for Patients Age 60+
"VOICES 60+ is like a family to me." - Carmen, 71
Our goal is to empower our patients 60 years of age and older, with arthritis and related chronic illnesses, with accessing services and support to improve quality of life. Our program is devoted to meeting your care needs.
We can help with:
- Talking with your doctor
- Understanding your illness and treatment
- Age-related concerns
- Transportation and homecare resources
- Information about benefits and government programs
- Information about community support services
In addition to ongoing in-person and phone support, every year VOICES 60+ sponsors a holiday event for program users. The goal of this special event is to promote social connections and provide an educational forum on topics that are of special interest to older adults. Presentations are provided in English and Spanish and past topics have included:
- Talking to your Doctor about your Arthritis
- Building a Good Relationship with your Nurse
- Nutrition and Arthritis
- Living With Chronic Pain
Educational Articles
For Patients:
- Talking with Your Doctor
- Talking with Your Doctor About Falls
For Professionals:
- Best Practices When Working With Caregivers of Ethnically Diverse Families
- Addressing Falls Prevention Among Older Adults, Part I: Understanding Why Falls Happen
- Addressing Falls Prevention Among Older Adults, Part II: Approaching Your Patients
- Overcoming Our Fears when Living with Myositis: Focus on Falling (Part II: From Fear of Falling to Confidence)
VOICES 60+ in the Community
"The group was well done and helped me to learn how to talk to my doctor." - David, 80
As part of HSS’s Community Service Plan, VOICES 60+ partners with older adult community service providers to enhance patient-doctor communication, and to increase patient safety and support at home by providing language and culturally appropriate services. We provide educational workshops and presentations in English and Spanish on these topics. For more information on our community presentations or to discuss partnership opportunities, please contact Nadia Murphy, LCSW, VOICES 60+ Manager at 212.774.2541.
How to Contact Us
Program staff are available to assist HSS patients in the Rheumatology waiting area and select orthopedic clinics Monday-Friday. We can also be reached at 212.774.7072.
Our Staff
To carry out our mission, our dedicated staff consists of a social work manager and social worker.
Nadia Murphy, LCSW
Manager
VOICES 60+ Senior Advocacy Program
murphyn@hss.edu
212.774.2541
View more services and information for both patients and professionals at our Department of Social Work Programs.