January 27, 2021
It is hard to believe we are nearing the end of January already. The rollout of the vaccine has brought a sense of relief to many – even as it has been rocky – while creating anxiety for some. It is important for us to recognize the full range of emotions we may be experiencing around this issue.
The decision as to whether to get vaccinated is a deeply personal one. If you would like more information, please see the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document and Resource List on our website.
In the meantime, we must remain vigilant as new variants of the virus appear in California. Getting vaccinated is just a tool that needs to be accompanied by our ongoing commitment to good practices around mask wearing, social distancing and hand hygiene. Together we can beat the virus!
Mercy Retirement and Care Center and AlmaVia of San Francisco held their first clinics the week of January 10th. More than 95% of residents and 67-93% of team members were vaccinated (this includes team members vaccinated at another job). The second clinics will be held the week of January 31st, administering second doses as well as capturing first doses for those who missed the first clinic.
We are excited to share that AlmaVia of Camarillo and AlmaVia of San Rafael both found out Monday that their first clinics will be held today. We expect great vaccination rates at both of these communities. Team members from both communities have already been taking advantage of county options, with more than 67% of both communities’ team members already vaccinated.
We continue to fight the spread of this virus through strong infection control protocols and have contingency plans in place in the event of an outbreak. We remain on high alert due to the current surge in California and around the country.
Here at Elder Care Alliance, we continue to be amazed by the incredible work of our team members. Their passion and positive attitude are on display every day, living out our core values of dignity and caring.
We also want to take this opportunity to let you know there are several ways you can help us in our mission of serving older adults. As a non-profit organization, we welcome contributions to our various initiatives. If you are interested in donating, please look at giving opportunities at the following websites:
Mercy Brown Bag Program (help us feed more low income seniors): https://mercybrownbag.org/
Charitable Care Program (help residents who have outlived their financial assets): https://eldercarealliance.org/giving/
COVID Response Fund (help ECA cover the over $1.2M in COVID-related costs): https://www.givingeca.org
