Resources available in Chester County for seniors needing vaccine assistance
The Pennsylvania Department of Aging on Thursday continued to encourage older adults seeking a COVID-19 vaccine appointment to contact their local Area Agency on Aging (AAA) for any assistance they may need in scheduling an appointment.
The AAAs have been working with vaccine providers to arrange appointments for older adults eligible in Phase 1A of the commonwealth’s vaccine plan after the Department of Health (DOH) issued an amended order in March.
“Even though the Department of Health recently ramped up its timetable for all Pennsylvanians 16 and older to receive vaccinations, we continue to focus on our mission to get older adults their vaccines with AAAs assisting seniors as much as possible with navigating the vaccination process. While we’ve seen real progress in getting older adults the vaccines they need, more older adults need assistance. Any senior who needs help should not hesitate to reach out to their local AAA,” said Secretary of Aging Robert Torres.
In addition to working with vaccine providers to schedule appointments for older adults, AAAs may be able to help with arranging transportation if that is needed. Shared ride programs are available in every county and fixed-route transportation systems statewide offer accessible transportation. Older adults can use these services for assistance in getting to mass vaccination sites and any site where a vaccine is available to individuals, including pharmacies, hospitals and doctor’s offices. Free transportation to vaccinations may also be available for qualifying seniors.
The department is offering resources and guidance to help educate and protect older adults who are still looking to schedule their COVID-19 vaccine appointment.
The phone number list Chester County Area Agency on Aging is 610344-6350. In Delaware County it’s 610-490-1300.