On a February 17, 2021 Zoom call with Residential Care For the Elderly (RCFE) administrators, the California Department of Social Services announced that major progress had been made in distributing vaccinations to the 7500 assisted living facilities in California. As of mid-February, CVS and Walgreens reported that most California assisted living facilities had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. A large majority will have completed both doses by the end of the month.
Walgreens and CVS have been scheduling three vaccine clinics at each assisted living facility. The initial clinic, largely held in January, provided residents and staff with the first dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna COID-19 shot (blue bars). A second clinic administers the second dose and inoculates those who may have missed the first (green bars). The final and third clinic is providing follow-up vaccinations to those at assisted living facilities who may have missed the original sequence (yellow bars).
The CDSS call was provided to update assisted living administrators on progress in administering the vaccine, what has been learned so far, and to discuss how the COVID-19 vaccination will impact surveillance testing, family visits, dining and activities. While CDSS officials were not ready to provide guidance on changes to current protocols, they did say that discussion is underway on how to safely reopen and that more information would be forthcoming in the near future. The oversight body is waiting on further data to determine what the “new normal” will look like.
Assisted Living Locators Los Angeles owner Sarah Ordover is one of LA’s top senior living advisors. Certified in dementia care, Sarah is a trained aging specialist who holds an RCFE assisted living administrators license. Sarah thoughtfully guides families through the senior living decision-making process, helping them find the best solution for their loved ones. Call Sarah at 310-853-8282 for a consultation. Assisted Living Locators is free to clients.
