Inadequate access to transportation remains an underlying source of inequity during the COVID-19 vaccination process across the country. This is especially true for many older adults and people with disabilities who live in rural communities where vaccination rates are reportedly at least five percentage points lower than in urban areas.
To help address this problem, Lutheran SeniorLife is assisting the most vulnerable in its communities by hitting the road and bringing the vaccine straight to them. The organization’s Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) of Western Pennsylvania began enabling nurses to provide a COVID-19 vaccine to anyone who is either homebound or resides in a skilled nursing facility or personal care home. What’s more, if the individual in the skilled nursing facility is due for a second dose of the vaccine but is discharged to their home, the organization’s nurses will make a house call to administer the vaccine.
The organization’s VNA initiative is just the latest COVID-related effort to keep its communities safe. Lutheran SeniorLife created a series of safety protocols it dubs “WearWashWatch.” These three W’s include:
- Wearing masks
- Washing hands
- Watching your distance
Together, with its forward-thinking vaccination campaign and its safety guidelines, Lutheran SeniorLife is protecting its community and helping to ensure equal access to the vaccine for so many.
Lutheran SeniorLife is a member of Lutheran Services in America, a network of 300 health and human service organizations located in more than 1,400 communities across the United States. Together, the network makes a difference in the lives of one in 50 Americans every year.
Learn more about Lutheran SeniorLife.
By Christopher Findlay, Senior Marketing Manager
