2015_Annual_Report

35 • • • continued on page 36 35 C M M U N I T Y G R A N T H E L P S H OM E B O U N D P R OG R AM G R OW F or decades, SUNY Optometry, through the support of its foundation the Optometric Center of New York (OCNY), has provided in-home care for New Yorkers who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to leave their homes. This unique Homebound Program currently provides about 200 doctor visits each year to individuals in the boroughs of Manhattan and Queens. But the need to provide care to homebound patients continues to rise throughout the city, particularly as New York’s population grows increasingly older. Now, thanks to a two-year, $120,000 grant to the OCNY from the New York Community Trust, the College will expand its Homebound Program, hoping to double the number of patients seen in the next two years and establishing a presence in The Bronx. Vision is often a critical factor in maintaining personal safety and enhancing the quality of life for homebound patients. Older adults with impaired sight are at a much greater risk for falls and fractures, as well as depression and difficulty identifying medications, which can lead to serious drug-related errors and poor management of systemic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. In addition, growing numbers of individuals are experiencing vision loss from conditions like macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, increasing the need for many homebound people to receive quality eye care. Too many of them simply are unable to get the care that they so desperately need. “Thanks to the dedication of our doctors over the years, we’ve been able to help quite a few homebound patients,” said Dr. Richard Soden, SUNY Optometry’s director of health care development. “But there are so many more people in our city who need care and we’re grateful that this grant from the New York Community Trust will allow us to build on our experience serving homebound patients and expand the program.”