December is usually filled with holiday parties and rich traditions surrounding Hannukah, Christmas and Kwanzaa. Obviously the pandemic has altered so much of how we gather and celebrate. We pray this year you find joy and comfort in the memories of loved ones from celebrations past, and that you find new traditions to renew your spirit.
With the expected announcement of Emergency Use Authorizations for two COVID-19 vaccine candidates from Pfizer and Moderna, there are a lot of questions about them, the how and the when. As we know more we will share more.
Distribution is expected to begin as early as late this month, with first priority given to older adults in healthcare settings and senior living along with healthcare workers, which includes our team members.
We have been preparing for months and have a team meeting regularly to respond to new information from federal, state and local authorities as well as Kaiser. We have opted-in to two programs to connect retail pharmacies with senior living providers: Walgreens will be our provider for the Care Center and CVS will be our provider for the assisted living communities.
At this time, we are participating in training and readiness activities. We do not yet have vaccine clinic dates to share. Please see the posted Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document for more information on the vaccine progress.
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
