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Social worker Joseph Alvino on how ‘connecting with others can really help’
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 ...
