Despite the end of the national public health emergency (PHE) the spread of the novel coronavirus is not going anywhere anytime soon. Through a partnership with the Department of Health and Human Service, LeadingAge is distributing $270,000 in grants among 20 member organizations in an effort to boost vaccinations.
“It’s important to remember that our members and their residents are still very vulnerable,” LeadingAge Director of Communications Christina Carden told McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse. “Just because waivers are now ending and we’re calling off the public health emergency, they’re still at risk. They’re still our high risk population and we have to continue to protect them. That’s what’s most important every day.”
The 20 recipients include long-term care and senior communities across the country, from Hollenbeck Palms in Los Angeles to Seabury at Springvale Terrace in Silver Spring, MD, where a vaccine drive was hosted over St. Patrick’s Day. Home care organizations also are among the recipients.
LeadingAge’s partnership with HHS’ We Can Do This campaign is the latest pandemic-related collaboration between the two organizations. Their work together dates back to the 2020 Federal Pharmacy Partnership for Long Term Care that brought the first COVID-19 vaccines to nursing homes and HUD 202 communities. The most recent allocated funds must be used for vaccination clinics, educational materials and other related costs. Spreading awareness and education about vaccines is key to getting more people to take a needle for their neighbors, Carden said.
“It’s normal and natural to have questions and hesitancy, but there’s so much fact and truth out there we can share with them,” said Carden. “The way to protect yourself is keeping updated on your boosters and having regular testing in these environments in particular.”
This is not the first time LeadingAge has partnered up with another group to improve vaccine awareness. Beginning in November 2021, the group joined with Community Catalyst to distribute a combined $500,00 through CDC Vaccine and Equity in Access Grants to elevate COVID and flu vaccine confidence and access among older adults. Soon LeadingAge also will release a “partnership toolkit” for members to share with its communities.
“The whole purpose of [the partnership toolkit] is so members or anyone can take that toolkit anywhere in the country and use it in their communities,” Carden said.
Home Sweet Home is a feature appearing Mondays in McKnight’s Home Care Daily Pulse. The story focuses on an engaging, heartwarming or offbeat happening affecting the world of home care. If you have a topic that might be worthy of the spotlight in Home Sweet Home, please email Special Projects Coordinator Foster Stubbs at [email protected].
