NEW HAVEN, Conn. — A new program is helping seniors get signed up for the COVID-19 vaccine appointments as they deal with challenges like navigating online portals, a lack of internet, or not having a ride to their vaccine site.
The "Vaccine Buddy Program" is a partnership between the Interfaith Volunteer Care Givers of Greater New Haven and the Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut.
The program links up a volunteer with those who needs help getting signed up for a vaccine appointment.
"We decided to recruit volunteers who would be interested to help seniors onboard into the process to make sure that they could get their appointments to get their vaccines, to make the calls, to go onto the internet, to do the things that were needed to be done, to get that senior into the vaccine process to make sure she got her ride, and then to do it all over again for the second vaccine," said Jane Ferrall, Executive Director of the Interfaith Volunteer Care Givers of Greater New Haven.
The program is designed to help relieve any stress seniors may feel surrounding getting a vaccine appointment.
"Our folks, our volunteers are actually getting to know the individual, calling, reassuring, calling back, making sure it all worked out. And that is helping to reduce the general anxiety level," said Beverly Kidder, Vice President of the Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut.
"Of the clients we serve, only about 20 percent of them can go on the internet at all, which I know for a millennial that may seem completely unbelievable, but when you don't have any internet access at all, it's very difficult for you to understand what's going on out there, for you to access resources," said Ferrall.
The effort is driven by volunteers, who are always welcome.
"I think it's a sigh of relief. We've been dealing with this for over a year now and that light is at the end of the tunnel, and when they know they have that schedule and they first get the vaccine, you can let out a deep breath," said volunteer Christian Tallo.
The services offered by the buddy program are free to seniors in the Greater New Haven area.
Anyone interested in using the program or volunteering can call the Interfaith Volunteer Care Givers of Greater New Haven at 203-230-8994, or you can visit carenewhaven.org.
You can also call the Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut at 203-785-8533.