Health bureaus to work with Meals on Wheels to bring COVID vaccine to homebound seniors
When Victoria Coyle heard that many vulnerable, homebound seniors face barriers getting the COVID-19 vaccine, she realized that Meals on Wheels could help.
Coyle, CEO of Meals on Wheels of the Greater Lehigh Valley, said she understands that hospitals and health departments are trying their best. Setting up clinics like the one at Wind Creek last month helped, “but it’s not going to help our clients who are all medically vulnerable and can’t get out to those clinics,” she said.
Pennsylvania is in Phase 1A of vaccine distribution, which includes those 65 and older. Coyle pointed out that many senior citizens do not drive, which makes it difficult for them to get the vaccine. A number of those homebound seniors in the Lehigh Valley use Meals on Wheels, which provides daily meals to their residences.
To help them receive the vaccine, Meals on Wheels will provide its delivery routes in the Lehigh Valley to Allentown and Bethlehem’s health bureaus. The health bureaus will work to vaccinate those seniors — many of whom are considered low income and have chronic health conditions — at their homes. Meals on Wheels serves 750 clients in Allentown, Bethlehem and
Northampton County. About half of those clients told Meals on Wheels that they want the vaccination and would agree to share their contact information with the health bureaus.
“They can still get out, they can go to church, they can go to doctor’s appointments, but generally not under their own steam — they might need help getting out of the house,” Coyle said.
“It is a partnership that is allowing us to get more vaccines into arms,” Vicky Kistler, director of the Allentown Health Bureau said. “This is a true example of where a partner stepped up and said ‘I work with seniors, I can help. How
can we make this happen?’ That doesn’t happen very often.”
Allentown and Bethlehem’s health bureaus will vaccinate Meals on Wheels clients in their respective cities, and the Bethlehem Health Bureau will also vaccinate clients in Northampton County. Sherri L. Penchishen, director of chronic disease programs for the Bethlehem Health Bureau, said she expects it would start vaccinating people within the next two weeks. Kistler said Allentown does not have a timeframe.
The Bethlehem Health Bureau is working with Cedar Crest College nursing students, who will help set up vaccine appointments. The group iTN
Lehigh Valley, which provides transportation to seniors and those with visual impairments, will help transport Bethlehem’s mobile vaccination team to the homes of Meals on Wheels clients, Penchishen said.
Allentown will examine whether it can expand its effort to others who want the shot, but who face barriers getting to clinics, Kistler said.
Coyle came up with the idea of working with the health bureaus several weeks ago, after she read a Morning Call story that said many seniors, especially ones who are homebound or lack transportation, face serious obstacles in getting the vaccine.
This isn’t the only local effort to vaccinate seniors. The Bethlehem Health Bureau launched a mobile COVID-19 vaccine unit earlier this month to provide on-site vaccinations at 10 senior living apartments and facilities in Bethlehem. Throughout February, the mobile vaccine unit has been stopping at these senior living facilities; its last two stops are Holy Family Manor on Feb. 27 and the Rooney Building on March 1.
The Allentown Health Bureau also launched a call center this month to make it easier for seniors to schedule appointments at Allentown-run vaccine clinics.