SPOKANE, Wash. — Local leaders have worked to streamline the process of getting a vaccine, but there are technology and transportation barriers preventing some seniors from getting the shot.
That is particularly true for seniors who are stuck at home with no support system. Some seniors don't have friends, family or neighbors to help them sign up for an appointment or transport them to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
“I think there’s a fear factor of it too. ‘I’m going to go, I’m going to sit. How am I going to get out, how am I going to get in,’” Janet Dixon, Director of Development and Communications at Meals on Wheels Greater Spokane County, said.
The Meals on Wheels organization saw this need coming, so they worked to find resources for their clients. They partnered with Safeway and Albertsons pharmacies to get their 1,000 homebound seniors vaccinated.
But the organization still needs assistance with transporting their seniors to the pharmacy sites. They are asking for monetary donations to help pay for uber rides and bus passes.
This group of 1,000 seniors is not the only group that needs help though. There is an entire subset of the senior population who are not part of the Meals on Wheels Greater Spokane County client base but are still struggling to overcome the barriers of getting a vaccine.
Dixon suggested that the community rally to ensure every senior is accounted for.
“If someone has a friend or a neighbor that’s unseen, I would recommend that whatever you do, you just start advocating for those people,” she said.
Whether it is filling out the Washington Department of Health online survey, booking an appointment, or providing transportation, it’s important to look out for seniors who may need an extra hand in order to get vaccinated.