How To: Talking to an Older Adult With COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy

For some, making a decision to get a vaccine may be more difficult than others. Many people and communities may distrust medical and government institutions because of a history of wrongdoing. Others may not want to share their health information or think that clinical trials of COVID-19 vaccines were too rushed. Whatever the reason, it is important to encourage you and your family make the healthiest and safest decisions possible.

Here are a few tips that can be tailored to your specific needs:

Understand why they haven’t gotten a vaccine.

• Try your best to listen to and validate their perspective. Many people are scared for their own reasons and feel like their concerns have not been listened to.

Answer questions and direct them to their health care provider as needed.

• If you feel comfortable, answer some of their questions. If you are unsure, help them to talk to a healthcare provider they know and trust. You can do research on FAQ together by referring to trusted sources like the CDC, WHO and our COVID-19 resource center.

• The CDC even has a new myth-busting page so you can talk about common sources of misinformation.

Talk about vaccine safety and efficacy.

• All three COVID-19 vaccines used in the US were developed under emergency orders to combat the deadly spread of COVID-19. Vaccines were produced quickly, but no corners were cut.

• However, each vaccine was tested on up to 40,000 subjects with a range of backgrounds and health conditions even before doses were publicly administered.

• The US has a very trustworthy history of vaccination efforts. It may be helpful to ask your older adult what other vaccines they have gotten in the past, and point to how well they protected them.

• The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are over 94% effective and the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine is 72% effective in clinical trials. Because each vaccine was tested under different conditions, their efficacy cannot be compared. However, they are very effective at preventing severe disease and have already saved thousands of lives.

Talk about your own experiences getting a vaccine.

• Sometimes, it is better to hear about an experience from someone you know! Consider trying our Tell a Friend or Dinner and a Dose programs.

• Getting a vaccine is easier than it has been in the past. Many places offer walk-in vaccinations and most people can also get a vaccine from their trusted healthcare providers. Refer to this website to find your closest appointment.

• Vaccines are free and do not require insurance information or proof of immigration status.

• Talk about the side effects you experienced, and how each step of getting the vaccine felt.

Talk about the benefits of getting a vaccine.

• California has the largest vaccine incentive program in the US called CA Vax for the Win. They are offering $50 visa gift cards to the next 2 million people who complete their vaccinations. In addition, each person is entered to win $1.5 million and $50,000 cash prizes, among other prizes! For a full list, click here.

• While many have said that vaccines will not be mandatory, it is possible that some establishments may require proof of full COVID-19 vaccination status to enter. For example, many universities, as well as Universal Studios and other event spaces, may require proof of vaccination to protect their guests.

• Most importantly, getting a COVID-19 vaccine can protect you and your family from a serious illness! Getting vaccinated can help you return to normalcy, see your loved ones again, and even prevent a third wave of the pandemic.  

Gift cards to those who help others protect themselves from COVID-19

La Opinion published an article regarding SBSS’ Dinner and a Dose program.

Translated version below:

St. Barnabas Senior Services rewards volunteers who take seniors to receive the vaccine with a dinner.

The Parable of the Good Samaritan tells the story of a man who found a wounded traveler on his way and stopped to help him, bandaged his wounds and, mounting his horse, took him to an inn and cared for him.

During the covid-19 pandemic, millions of good Samaritans gave their time and effort to help others and are still doing so. Such is the case of Zoila Esperanza Carrillo, a 76-year-old immigrant from Guatemala, who wanted to make sure her friend Ana Arévalo received the vaccine and is protected against the pandemic.

Zoila and Ana met years ago when they both worked caring for people at home. Over the years, Ana lost her sight until she became blind.

“My friend Ana worked all her life like me, in Home Care. She had a work permit and now that she is blind, she doesn’t receive a cent from the government," shared Zoila, in an interview with this media outlet. "Before the pandemic I liked to pick her up, take her to afternoon Mass. Every time I had a little change, I liked to invite her to eat, or look for some little thing to give her," he added.

But everything changed with the pandemic and, momentarily, the friends stopped meeting and going out. But Zoila continued to watch over Ana, and when St. Barnabas Senior Services organized a vaccination clinic, she made sure to pick her up and take her to receive her immunization.

Zoila, who lost another good friend to covid-19 in February this year, also took another friend and her daughter to be vaccinated.

"I'm happy to help people. Thank God, I have someone to help me and so I can help my friends," she explained.

A dinner and a dose (Una cena y una dosis)

To reward Zoila and other good Samaritans who take their grandparents, family members and other loved ones to get vaccinated, St. Barnabas Senior Services (SBSS), in collaboration with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), created the "A Dinner and a Dose" program, which hands a $25 DoorDash card to those who take others to get vaccinated.

On Wednesday of this week, during an emotional event, SBSS announced the new program by presenting the card to Zoila and other good Samaritans so they can share a dinner together, after getting vaccinated.

The initiative began on June 9 and will go on until the stock of gift cards is exhausted.

"Dinner and a Dose" is part of SBSS' efforts to increase vaccination in Los Angeles, especially among low-income elderly people with limited English language," explained Trisha Hanudel Lopez, SBSS Director of Development. The center, one of three from the nonprofit, is located near MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, an area where 48.5% of the population is Latino, 11.6% Asian and where nearly 60% of its residents speak a language other than English at home.

"Through the campaign, we hope seniors can safely reconnect with their loved ones, starting with a meal we invite them to," added Hanudel Lopez.

"We serve older adults, a vulnerable population with many needs, from housing, to transportation, to health care. But seniors also have a great need to connect socially," explained Miguel Velasquez, Administrator of the SBSS center located near MacArthur Park. This new program allows third-party people to reconnect, after being vaccinated and share a dinner with a loved one.

Vaccination in the family

Los Angeles resident Maggie Escobar was another good Samaritan whose actions were rewarded by SBSS. With the arrival of the pandemic, Maggie and her family decided to quarantine together.

"My children moved into my house and there were nine of us in total. From my 82-year-old mother to the youngest, 7 months old, we decided to quarantine at my home," explained the Latina mother. Many of the Latino households in Los Angeles are multigenerational and include grandparents, babies, and uncles, and other relatives of different ages.

With the authorization of the vaccines, Maggie decided that they would vaccinate two at a time, so that there would always be someone who could take care of the rest.

"We were all a little scared, we didn't know what to expect, but one by one they got vaccinated," explained Maggie, who, like so many Latina mothers put her children and family first, and was the last to receive the immunization, to make sure everyone was okay.

During the launch of the program Dinner and a Dose, Maggie also received her DoorDash card that she will share with her loved ones.

Multi-ethnic population

The zip code in which the SBSS center is located is home to immigrant families, not only Hispanic, but also Asian, with a high rate of Korean immigrants.

During the launch of the new program, food cards were also handed out to Korean residents who took the time to take someone to get the vaccine and protect themselves against COVID-19.

The SBSS center, founded in 1908, serves people over the age of 70 on average, who generally live alone, with few family members and speak very little English. The 35% of those attending the center are Asian, 33% Latino, 25% white and 6% African American. Most of the seniors served by the organization rely on their Social Security of $800-$900 a month to cover all their expenses and depend on Medicare and Medicaid for their health care.

"God and my parents blessed me with a big heart," Zoila said upon receiving her gift card."I am always looking to do charity work. It gives me great joy to be able to help," she concluded.

In detail

A Dinner and a Dose: SBSS is offering a DoorDash card to those who take the time to take a family member, friend or community member to vaccinate.

For more information you can visit: www.sbssla.org/dinner-a-a-dose or call 213-435-3993.

To view the article in Spanish, please visit: https://laopinion.com/2021/06/10/tarjetas-de-regalo-a-quienes-ayudan-a-otros-a-protegerse-del-covid-19/

Special Announcement from Jodi Cohn, SBSS Board Chair

Having been a part of SBSS for decades, I’ve seen St. Barnabas Senior Services’ incredible journey through the years; one that continues to this day as we emerge from a global pandemic stronger than ever in our mission to serve the most vulnerable older adults of Los Angeles.

It is from this foundation of strength that Rigo Saborio will be stepping down from his position as President and CEO in December 2021.  Rigo feels that his time at SBSS has been a blessing, and fortunate that he has had the opportunity to lead and grow SBSS through both challenging and prosperous times.  He is ready for new career challenges and growth opportunities of his own.  He knows that part of being a great leader is finding the right time to exit and let new leadership take SBSS to new heights. 

We will deeply miss Rigo’s spirit, leadership, and optimistic, can-do attitude.  During Rigo’s tenure, SBSS added an advocacy focus to SBSS, co-founded the Los Angeles Aging Advocacy Coalition (LAAAC), implemented numerous technology initiatives for older adults including the Aging Into the Future conference; made family caregiver support and education a priority, and expanded SBSS’ reach to Hollywood and Echo Park.  Internally, Rigo developed his staff into leaders, focused together on impact, innovation, and above all, excellence.  Rigo’s empowering style of leadership has prepared the SBSS staff well to carry the organization forward through this leadership transition.

SBSS remains dedicated to promoting healthy and holistic aging, supporting independence and aging in place, and enhancing the overall quality of life for older adults and their caregivers.  We will continue to focus on strengthening our core services, programs, and infrastructure; bridging the digital divide for older adults; and fostering diversity, equity and inclusion in everything we do. 

Over the next few months, we will be embarking on a rigorous search for our next President and CEO.  Rigo is leaving SBSS in a wonderful position to support its next great leader, with empowered staff and an energized board.  We believe our future has never been brighter nor more open with possibilities for helping older adults in Los Angeles thrive.  Whether in-person or remotely, we remain here for older adults and will continue to help them live well, feel well, and age well with dignity and respect.

Check out our Dinner and a Dose press event in English, Spanish, and Korean.

Hear Maggie, Zoila and Anna, and Mr. Lee share their own experiences in keeping their communities healthy.

St. Barnabas Senior Services and the California Department of Public Health launch “Dinner and a Dose” campaign to give gift cards to people who help others get their COVID-19 vaccine

(Los Angeles, California – June 9, 2021) St. Barnabas Senior Services partnered with the California Department of Public Health to launch "Dinner and a Dose" today, a campaign that gives $25 DoorDash (a food delivery app) gift cards to people who take the time to help their older friends, family, or community members get the COVID-19 vaccine.

After helping someone get their COVID-19 vaccine, participants should fill out, and submit a photo through, an online form to receive their gift card. The form and more instructions can be found at www.sbssla.org/dinner-and-a-dose. “Dinner and a Dose” will run from June 9, 2021 until supplies last.

“Dinner and a Dose” is part of St. Barnabas’s ongoing efforts to increase vaccination rates in Los Angeles, particularly among low-income seniors with limited English proficiency. The campaign was conceived to make vaccines more accessible for people who face barriers to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, such as lack of transportation or technology, disabilities, or limited mobility.

“Through the campaign, we hope that older adults can begin to reconnect safely with their loved ones – starting with a meal on us,” says Trisha Hanudel Lopez, Director of Development for St. Barnabas Senior Services.

A leader in the aging services sector, St. Barnabas Senior Services has been at the forefront of providing accurate, timely information about COVID-19 and vaccines to seniors in Los Angeles. The organization has devoted itself to helping disadvantaged older adults get vaccinated, establishing a COVID-19 Vaccine Resource Center and hosting talks on vaccine equity and safety.

Most significantly, St. Barnabas organized and hosted a week-long community vaccine clinic at its Mid-City location in April 2021. In partnership with Kaiser Permanente, they distributed over 1,000 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to older adults, their caregivers, and members of local communities. St. Barnabas’s multi-lingual staff facilitated vaccine appointments in English, Spanish, Korean, and Mandarin.

“I see ‘Dinner and a Dose’ as a natural extension of the work we did with the vaccine clinic in April,” explains Hanudel. “[With the clinic,] we saw how important the vaccine was in helping family members feel safe reconnecting with each other. We gave vaccines to not only older adults, but also to their loved ones: family members, friends, and caregivers. With ‘Dinner and a Dose,’ we hope to see more vulnerable older adults get vaccinated, with the help of the ‘good Samaritans in their own lives, so they can feel safe in seeing with their loved ones again.”

For questions, please contact Trisha Hanudel Lopez at phanudel@sbssla.org or call 213-355-8554.

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St. Barnabas Provides COVID-19 Vaccines to Older Adults & Their Loved Ones in Pop-Up Clinic

Since 1908, St. Barnabas Senior Services (SBSS) has been supporting older adults in Los Angeles to help them live well, feel well, and age well with dignity and respect.

COVID-19 has not changed that mission one bit. 

In fact, SBSS has risen to the occasion throughout the pandemic, providing safe transportation, access to food, and online and telephone services to senior Angelenos. Now, SBSS has been able to offer one of the most important forms of support and care during this time: safe access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

From April 6-10, St. Barnabas Senior Services partnered with Kaiser Permanente in SBSS’s first-ever COVID-19 Vaccine Pop-Up Clinic.

With easy sign-ups and an organized flow, the pop-up clinic provided a convenient environment for older adults to receive a one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine administered by Kaiser Permanente.

“It’s an easy, seamless environment where all people need to show is proof of identification to get the vaccine,” said Maggie Escobar, Executive Assistant at St. Barnabas Senior Services.

Offering Accessible Vaccination

Safely held in a beautiful courtyard outside the Mid-City location on Carondelet Street, the clinic was organized and executed smoothly and quickly. With the goal of getting older adults vaccinated as quickly as possible, SBSS contacted Kaiser as soon as a vaccine was made available.

“St. Barnabas reached out to a Kaiser representative and told us, ‘We want to be able to give vaccines in our neighborhood’,” said Nalani Coleman, Department Administrator at Kaiser. “That representative reached out to the mobile health vehicle team and that's when the ball started rolling.”

Approximately two weeks later, the clinic was up and running and receiving 200 adults per day.

“Most clinics have maybe 150 patients the first day and 75 the next day,” said Nalani. “But the staff at SBSS worked their tails off to get 200 sign-ups for every single day, which makes the event go so much smoother. They were absolute rock stars.”

“It’s a lot of work on the back end. But everyone involved has been so dedicated and passionate about this process and this event. So it's been a lot of fun,” added Nalani.

The dedication put into the clinic was evident: A steady stream of vaccine recipients entered the courtyard throughout the day to register with a friendly SBSS staff member. They then waited comfortably under a socially-distanced tent until they were directed to Kaiser staff to get their vaccine.

After receiving the vaccine, participants were directed to a second tent, where a nurse would monitor them for 15 minutes to make sure there were no adverse side effects.

Of the entire process, Mike, 74, remarked, “I'm happy. We came in and out. It was easy.”

Mike came to the clinic with his neighbor and friend, Julia. Hearing about the event by word of mouth, Julia, 84, told Mike about the clinic and then registered them both online. “It’s been a pleasant experience in the courtyard. There’s sunshine, trees, and a nice breeze.”

The overall feel of the pop-up clinic was hopeful, calm, and happy, as participants finally received the vaccine that would allow them to begin to return to a state of normalcy.

Haley, 22, came with her entire family to get the vaccine.

“I live with my grandparents (my mother’s parents) and my grandma (my father’s mother). They’re all over 90,” said Haley. “So we all decided to get the vaccine.”

Haley’s mother found out about the clinic through a Korean community group. She then signed the entire family up online.

“I feel like everyone will eventually get the vaccine and hopefully go back to life like it was before,” said Haley.

Connecting with the Local Community Through Grassroots Advocacy & Volunteer Work

To spread awareness and reach older adults in the community who may not use the Internet, SBSS took a grassroots approach to marketing. Part of that grassroots approach involved distributing flyers on foot throughout the neighborhoods surrounding the Mid-City location.

That also meant raising awareness in multiple languages to reach a diverse population. 33% of older adult participants at St. Barnabas are Korean and 33% are Hispanic, with many non-native English speakers. 

“We disseminated a lot of flyers in English, Spanish, and Korean. We posted them at the laundromats and coffee shops,” said Maggie Escobar. “We used old school, grassroots advocacy to get the word out. People went to wash their clothes and they learned about how they could get a vaccine.”

The pop-up clinic was also prepared to receive vaccine recipients who might not speak English, with multilingual volunteers ready to help them fill out forms and understand the process.

“It’s been nice for me to help people who may not be able to get the vaccine otherwise,” said Hannah Baek, a Korean translation volunteer. “A lot of Koreans have found it difficult to make an appointment elsewhere because they’ve had trouble filling out forms online, so they’ve just given up on getting the vaccine.”

HyonJu Lee, 85, has been volunteering with St. Barnabas Senior Services since 2006, when he came to the United States from Korea with his wife. He started working with SBSS to help other seniors acclimate to the U.S.

“My goal is to return the knowledge I have received back to society,” said HyonJu. “It’s been a normal part of my life to volunteer.”

Accomplishing the Task Through Teamwork

At the end of the day, SBSS and Kaiser partnered together through this event to administer 1,006 vaccinations to adults in Los Angeles–including a large population of seniors, their loved ones, and caregivers. 

The event was a smooth success, and ideally, will have helped the lives of participants return to a state of normalcy. But it didn’t happen without effort. Partnership, planning, and passion were essential to the event.

“We had a goal of 1,000 vaccines and we met the goal,” said Maggie Escobar. “Without teamwork, we couldn’t have gotten this done.”