• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Council on Aging
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
DONATE

  • Home
  • Programs & Services Programs & Services
    Overview
    Home & Community-based Care Options
    • Elderly Services Program
    • AddnAide
    • PASSPORT
    • Assisted Living Waiver
    • MyCare Ohio
    • Specialized Recovery Services Program
    Transitional Care
    • FastTrack Home
    Duke Energy Bill Credit Program
    Hamilton County Senior Utility and Home Repair Assistance Program
    Aging and Disability Resource Center
    Caregiver Support Program
    • EVRTalk virtual reality caregiver training
    • Working Caregivers
    Health & Wellness Programs
    • Connecting the Dots
    • Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
    Nursing Home Pre-Admission Review
    Other Services
  • Find Resources Find Resources
    Search for Resources
    Document Library
    • Annual Reports
  • Service Providers Service Providers
    Working with Council on Aging
    • Requests for Proposals (RFPs)
    Overview
    PASSPORT & Assisted Living
    • Prospective Provider Information
    • Current PASSPORT Provider Information
    Elderly Services Program
    • Current ESP Provider Information
    • Clinton County Senior Services Grant
    Title III, Senior Community Services & Alzheimer State Funds
    • Information for Current Title III Providers
    Care Management & Billing
  • About About
    Overview
    Working at COA
    • Open Positions
    • Employee Thoughts
    Senior Leadership Team
    • Board & Advisory Councils
    Advocacy
    Funding
    • Tax Levies
    How to Help
    • Donate
    • Volunteers Needed
  • News & Events News & Events
    Overview
    Coronavirus and Vaccine Information
    News
    Newsletters
    • Join our Mailing List
    Events
    • Forum on Aging
    Public Meetings
  • Contact Contact
    Overview
    Make a Referral
    Contact Form
    Service Excellence Awards
    Communication & Media
    Outreach Bureau
    Title VI
  • Home
  • Programs & Services Programs & Services
    Overview
    Home & Community-based Care Options
    • Elderly Services Program
    • AddnAide
    • PASSPORT
    • Assisted Living Waiver
    • MyCare Ohio
    • Specialized Recovery Services Program
    Transitional Care
    • FastTrack Home
    Duke Energy Bill Credit Program
    Hamilton County Senior Utility and Home Repair Assistance Program
    Aging and Disability Resource Center
    Caregiver Support Program
    • EVRTalk virtual reality caregiver training
    • Working Caregivers
    Health & Wellness Programs
    • Connecting the Dots
    • Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
    Nursing Home Pre-Admission Review
    Other Services
  • Find Resources Find Resources
    Search for Resources
    Document Library
    • Annual Reports
  • Service Providers Service Providers
    Working with Council on Aging
    • Requests for Proposals (RFPs)
    Overview
    PASSPORT & Assisted Living
    • Prospective Provider Information
    • Current PASSPORT Provider Information
    Elderly Services Program
    • Current ESP Provider Information
    • Clinton County Senior Services Grant
    Title III, Senior Community Services & Alzheimer State Funds
    • Information for Current Title III Providers
    Care Management & Billing
  • About About
    Overview
    Working at COA
    • Open Positions
    • Employee Thoughts
    Senior Leadership Team
    • Board & Advisory Councils
    Advocacy
    Funding
    • Tax Levies
    How to Help
    • Donate
    • Volunteers Needed
  • News & Events News & Events
    Overview
    Coronavirus and Vaccine Information
    News
    Newsletters
    • Join our Mailing List
    Events
    • Forum on Aging
    Public Meetings
  • Contact Contact
    Overview
    Make a Referral
    Contact Form
    Service Excellence Awards
    Communication & Media
    Outreach Bureau
    Title VI
Council on Aging
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
DONATE
(513) 721-1025
  • Home
  • Programs & Services Programs & Services
    Overview
    Home & Community-based Care Options
    • Elderly Services Program
    • AddnAide
    • PASSPORT
    • Assisted Living Waiver
    • MyCare Ohio
    • Specialized Recovery Services Program
    Transitional Care
    • FastTrack Home
    Duke Energy Bill Credit Program
    Hamilton County Senior Utility and Home Repair Assistance Program
    Aging and Disability Resource Center
    Caregiver Support Program
    • EVRTalk virtual reality caregiver training
    • Working Caregivers
    Health & Wellness Programs
    • Connecting the Dots
    • Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
    Nursing Home Pre-Admission Review
    Other Services
  • Find Resources Find Resources
    Search for Resources
    Document Library
    • Annual Reports
  • Service Providers Service Providers
    Working with Council on Aging
    • Requests for Proposals (RFPs)
    Overview
    PASSPORT & Assisted Living
    • Prospective Provider Information
    • Current PASSPORT Provider Information
    Elderly Services Program
    • Current ESP Provider Information
    • Clinton County Senior Services Grant
    Title III, Senior Community Services & Alzheimer State Funds
    • Information for Current Title III Providers
    Care Management & Billing
  • About About
    Overview
    Working at COA
    • Open Positions
    • Employee Thoughts
    Senior Leadership Team
    • Board & Advisory Councils
    Advocacy
    Funding
    • Tax Levies
    How to Help
    • Donate
    • Volunteers Needed
  • News & Events News & Events
    Overview
    Coronavirus and Vaccine Information
    News
    Newsletters
    • Join our Mailing List
    Events
    • Forum on Aging
    Public Meetings
  • Contact Contact
    Overview
    Make a Referral
    Contact Form
    Service Excellence Awards
    Communication & Media
    Outreach Bureau
    Title VI
Council on Aging
DONATE
(513) 721-1025
Thanks for visiting, but before you go...

Sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date on what’s happening at COA and in the fields of aging and disability services:

Sign Up
  • Home
  • Programs & Services
    • Overview
    • Home & Community-based Care Options
      • Elderly Services Program
      • AddnAide
      • PASSPORT
      • Assisted Living Waiver
      • MyCare Ohio
      • Specialized Recovery Services Program
    • Transitional Care
      • FastTrack Home
    • Duke Energy Bill Credit Program
    • Hamilton County Senior Utility and Home Repair Assistance Program
    • Aging and Disability Resource Center
    • Caregiver Support Program
      • EVRTalk virtual reality caregiver training
      • Working Caregivers
    • Health & Wellness Programs
      • Connecting the Dots
      • Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program
    • Nursing Home Pre-Admission Review
    • Other Services
  • Find Resources
    • Search for Resources
    • Document Library
      • Annual Reports
  • Service Providers
    • Working with Council on Aging
      • Requests for Proposals (RFPs)
    • Overview
    • PASSPORT & Assisted Living
      • Prospective Provider Information
      • Current PASSPORT Provider Information
    • Elderly Services Program
      • Current ESP Provider Information
      • Clinton County Senior Services Grant
    • Title III, Senior Community Services & Alzheimer State Funds
      • Information for Current Title III Providers
    • Care Management & Billing
  • About
    • Overview
    • Working at COA
      • Open Positions
      • Employee Thoughts
    • Senior Leadership Team
      • Board & Advisory Councils
    • Advocacy
    • Funding
      • Tax Levies
    • How to Help
      • Donate
      • Volunteers Needed
  • News & Events
    • Overview
    • Coronavirus and Vaccine Information
    • News
    • Newsletters
      • Join our Mailing List
    • Events
      • Forum on Aging
    • Public Meetings
  • Contact
    • Overview
    • Make a Referral
    • Contact Form
    • Service Excellence Awards
    • Communication & Media
    • Outreach Bureau
    • Title VI
Home > News > COA receives community champion award for vaccinating homebound older adults

COA receives community champion award for vaccinating homebound older adults

September 21, 2021

C4 award logoFor the second year in a row, Council on Aging (COA) is the recipient of a Clinton County Community Champions (C4) Award. COA received the award for its leadership in developing a program to bring COVID-19 vaccinations to homebound old adults. 

The 2021 Clinton County Community Champions Awards are presented by the Wilmington-Clinton County Chamber of Commerce — along with 2021 Premium Sponsor the Clinton County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) — to highlight the stories of the Clinton County citizens, employers and employees, and organizations who are making an impact in the community.  The awards will be presented at the Wilmington-Clinton County Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting and C4 Awards Ceremony on Sept. 22 at the Roberts Centre. 

Over 50 nominations were submitted for six categories: Business, Citizen, Education, Healthcare, Non-profit, and Youth.

Nominees exemplified one or more of the following, during the course of the current year:

  • Exceptional commitment to our community by helping with a special project and/or ongoing activities
  • Unselfish leadership, creativity, cooperation, and hard work in the service to others
  • Inspiration to others as a role model

COA was recognized in the award program’s healthcare category.

Since January 2021, Council on Aging (COA), the Area Agency on Aging (AAA) for Clinton County and four other counites in southwestern Ohio, has been helping older adults get vaccinated against COVID-19. COA staff have helped older adults find and schedule vaccine appointments, and when necessary, provided transportation to those appointments.

As COA staff helped older adults navigate this process, another need quickly emerged: vaccinating individuals who could not leave their homes. The need was especially great in the more rural parts of COA’s service area, including Clinton County where more than 900 individuals receive in-home care through programs administered by COA.

“We’ve been helping older adults get vaccinated from day one,” said Ken Wilson, COA’s vice president of programs and business operations. “Right away, we started working to find a way to vaccinate older adults who could not leave their homes. Because COA provides in-home care services to homebound older adults, we were in a good position to identify who in the community needed this service.”

COA raised concerns at the state level about vaccinating homebound individuals, but it was clear there was no statewide plan to meet this urgent need. Many questioned whether homebound individuals needed to be vaccinated at all. In fact, homebound older adults and people with disabilities are just as vulnerable – if not more – than other older adults in the community.

  • For many older individuals, leaving their home to get vaccinated could result in serious physical hardship or present a danger to their health.
  • Many homebound individuals have multiple care providers coming and going from their homes on a daily basis, increasing their risk of exposure.
  • Many homebound individuals have multiple chronic health conditions which put them at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 and of developing severe complications from the virus.

As the need grew, AAAs like Council on Aging were directed to work with local providers to identify ways to vaccinate the homebound population.

The challenge, Wilson said, was identifying a partner and developing the procedures to get the shots into arms. “In Clinton County, we found a willing and enthusiastic partner in Pam Bauer and her team at the Clinton County Health District.” Wilson added.

COA conducted research to determine how other states were tackling this issue and discovered that in neighboring Indiana, local Fire/EMS teams were conducting in-home vaccinations for homebound individuals in their respective jurisdictions. 

COA modified this approach, leveraging the strong relationships it had built with local health departments during the pandemic, including the Clinton County Health District.

COA developed protocols and procedures to identify and track individuals who required in-home vaccinations. Eligible individuals were added to a tracking database that was shared weekly with the Clinton County Health District and other local health departments. The health departments then reached out to individuals on the list to schedule vaccination appointments. In many cases, unvaccinated caregivers and family members residing in the same home were also offered vaccinations.

“We have always addressed the homebound population for other vaccinations,” said Pamela Walker-Bauer, health commissioner for the Clinton County Health District. “It was helpful for COA to help us identify additional individuals beyond our more regular clients for the COVID vaccine. We appreciated the administrative support, and the [continued] weekly emails are great.”

For Clinton County resident and COA client, Susan, being able to get vaccinated in her home was a relief. The rural Martinsville resident has had several strokes and is paralyzed on the right side of her body, making it nearly impossible to leave her home.

“I’d been trying to get vaccinated since day one,” Susan said. “When they called me to schedule my appointment, I was so relieved.”

Susan’s Council on Aging care manager, Carla McCauley, ensured she was added to the homebound vaccination list. Then, staff at the Clinton County Health District followed up to schedule the vaccination.

Susan was nervous about getting a shot – and about having a stranger in her home. “The nurse did a beautiful job,” she said. “I felt comfortable. She talked to me for a few minutes before the shot which made me feel better.”

Another Clinton County resident and COA client, Shirley, had a similar experience. Shirley’s daughter, Lynn, had been looking into how to get her mom vaccinated when she had a stroke. While Shirley was recovering at home, COA care manager Carla McCauley contacted Lynn to let her know that Shirley had been placed on the homebound vaccination list.

“It was a great experience,” Lynn said. “My mom is in a wheelchair. She had just had a stroke and couldn’t go out.  Coming to her was everything.”

COA continues to work with the Clinton County Health District, and other local health departments, to coordinate in-home vaccinations for those who need them. To date, more than 1,000 individuals have been referred to or identified by COA as needing an in-home vaccination, including 25 in Clinton County.

Primary Sidebar

MOST RECENT

You are invited to join us and learn about COA's support for caregivers

Federal government ends SNAP emergency payments

COA joins Hamilton County 513Relief Bus program

Council on Aging Board Member Profile: Kay Bolden

PASSPORT program provides support to keep Mt. Healthy resident in his home

Archives

  • Council on Aging and home52 Terms of Use
  • Links Policy
  • HIPAA
  • Site Map
  • Home52
(513) 721-1025

Copyright © 2023 · Council on Aging of Southwestern Ohio. 4601 Malsbary Road | Blue Ash, OH 45242 | Log in

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

  • Council on Aging and home52 Terms of Use
  • Links Policy
  • HIPAA
  • Site Map
  • Home52
This website uses cookies and other tracking technologies to assist with navigation, monitor site usage and web traffic, assist with our promotional and marketing efforts, and customize and improve our services and website. For more information about cookies and how we use them please see our Privacy Policy. Accept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Thanks for visiting, but before you go...

Sign up for our newsletter to stay up-to-date on what’s happening at COA and in the fields of aging and disability services:

Sign Up