Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1327570
WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM 14 UCW JANUARY 13-19, 2021 Vaccinations at The Carolina Inn in Fayetteville began Jan. 3, as residents received their first doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. While the assisted living community has recor- ded zero cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, The Carolina Inn's staff is thankful for the opportunity to offer this extraordinary safety measure to one of the most at-risk segments of the population: seniors. "Providing a superior level of care has always been the hallmark of The Carolina Inn," said Jared Fryer, president of Village Green Real Estate and Development. "Having the ability to vaccinate all our residents who choose to do so enhances ever- yone's safety and helps bring us one step closer to normalcy." Second dosages of the Moderna vaccine have been scheduled for later this month. Plus, a third installment is planned so residents who did not opt to receive the first shots can still receive two doses by the end of February. "Because of the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, some seniors have been reluctant to move," said Fryer. "With vaccinations underway, there's no reason to wait. New residents can feel confident in our community's safety and receive the person-centered care they need—now." Assisted living residents such as those at The Carolina Inn are among the first groups to receive the COVID-19 vaccine as part of North Carolina's COVID-19 vaccination plan. As a result, seniors who move into the community in January may be immunized weeks—possibly months—before those living at home. At The Carolina Inn, CVS is the pharmacy part- ner in the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-term Care Program. According to the CDC, the program was created to facilitate safe vaccinations to a cri- tical population and provide end-to-end manage- ment of the process. CVS will: •schedule and coordinate on-site clinic dates •provide vaccines and associated supplies •ensure cold chain management for the vaccine •administer vaccines on-site to residents and staff •report required vaccination data to the local, state/territorial, and federal jurisdictions within 72 hours of administering each dose and •adhere to all applicable CMS COVID-19 testing requirements Preserving the health and well-being of its resi- dents is of the utmost importance at The Carolina Inn, which has garnered a reputation for unparal- leled senior care for more than 20 years. With the highest licensed nurse-to-resident ratio of assisted living communities in the area, The Carolina Inn has nurses on each f loor and staff is available around the clock. Every resident is equip- ped with a 24-hour emergency response system, and services such as diabetic care, podiatry, and lab resources are available as needed. The Carolina Inn offers a range of care levels. Trained professionals have the experience to recognize how much - or how little - support someone requires so they can provide just the right amount of assistance. Caregivers help residents with daily activities, personal hygiene and dres- sing, and medication management and monito- ring. Nutritious meals are also included. To schedule an in-person or virtual tour of The Carolina Inn, visit w w w.CarolinaInnNC.com or call 910-501-2271. Residents at assisted living community receive vaccine a STAFF REPORT COVER A resident of The Carolina Inn assisted living community receives a dose of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Pharmacy partnership program delivers vaccine to long term care, assisted living facilities a STAFF REPORT Recognizing that some people have concerns about taking a COVID-19 vaccine, the American Health Care Association and National Center for Assisted Living launched the #GetVaccinated cam- paign to encourage all long term care residents, families and staff members to consent to the vac- cine as well as provide information to help inform their decision. The AHCA/NCAL represents more than 14,000 nursing homes and assisted living communities across the country that provide care to approxima- tely five million people each year. "With record-breaking cases in nursing homes right now due to soaring community spread, no one could wish for a swifter delivery of the vaccine than those living and working in long term care facilities," said Mark Parkinson, president and CEO of AHCA/NCAL. "While we must be efficient in order to save the lives of our most vulnerable, we must also be thoughtful and targeted in our approach." We are in the midst of the pharmacy partnership program really getting underway, and Parkinson believes the program is operating according to its intended timeline. Under the CDC, the Pharmacy Partnership for Long-Term Care Program is facilitating on-site vaccination of residents and staff at facilities across the country. At no cost to the facilities, the program provides end-to-end management of the vaccination process, including cold chain management, on-site vaccinations and fulfillment of reporting requirements. Facility staff can also be vaccinated as part of the program. CDC is part- nering with CVS, Walgreens and Managed Health Care Associates, Inc. to offer these services to nur- sing homes and assisted living facilities. "Since the creation of the pharmacy partner- ship program for long term care, we knew that this rollout would take time: to approve the vaccines for use; to have enough supply for each state to activate the program; to encourage states to prio- ritize our population; to distribute and ship the vaccine to the pharmacies; to prepare the clinics for our residents who have complex conditions; to gather consent among residents or their health care representatives; and to educate staff, residents and family members about the need to take the vaccine." Currently, the AHCA/NCAL is not aware of any widespread issues or delays with this vaccine roll- out, he said. "We continue to assist a minority of member providers who come to us looking for assistance or clarity, but the majority of providers tell us that their clinics have been scheduled or have already occurred and that overall, the program is running smoothly." With any effort of this scale, there will be issues, and vaccine hesitancy is the primary focus at the moment. "Uptake among residents and staff is varying widely, but in general, staff seem to be mirroring the general public's reaction: excitement mixed with hesitation about the vaccines' development and safety," Parkinson said. "we get more than one shot at this. We remain hopeful that uptake for the vaccine will improve as this pharmacy partnership program continues to unfold in the coming weeks and months in the subsequent clinics." "This is a monumental effort to vaccinate mil- lions of our nation's vulnerable seniors and their caregivers, and we are confident and grateful that everyone involved is working as hard and as fast as they can while still ensuring we get this right." For more information on the AHCA/NCAL visit w w w.ahcancal.org or w w w.ncal.org.