Brittany Mulligan – HOMETOWN NEWS
BREVARD COUNTY — Seniors feeling frustrated with the online registration process for the Covid-19 vaccine can breathe a sigh of relief – One Senior Place is here to help.
Senior Partner Care Services, a program at One Senior Place, has assistants who can help residents either by phone at (321) 253-6336, or in person between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 8085 Spyglass Hill Road, Viera [or 715 Douglas Avenue, Altamonte Springs].
Lisa Conway, RN, VP Care Services, Senior Partner Care Services
“Some seniors do not have access to computers or the internet,” said Lisa Conway, registered nurse and certified care manager with One Senior Place. “Primarily what we find is that navigating the site is frustrating or confusing for seniors, so they have been very grateful for the help we are providing.”
Although additional pharmacies such as Publix, Winn-Dixie, Walmart and Sam’s Club also offer vaccine administrations, Senior Partner Care Services is focused on pre-registering seniors through the Department of Health.
Nurse Conway said that outside of the DOH-Brevard, these other pharmacy registrations can be “hit or miss” based on availability. Seniors who register with the DOH have a secure place in line, and they will be called when appointments become available.
An already confusing process can feel even worse if you have to constantly check local pharmacies if more appointments are available.
Another suggestion the Department of Health has made is by having a trusted friend or relative help with the pre-registration process.
Suntree resident Cheryl Echevarria said her daughter Alexis helped her get registered after she spent a long time on the phone with the DOH. Last week, she received her second vaccination to complete the series.
“I’m so happy to have them,” Ms. Echevarria said. “I have a friend who had a terrible time getting through on the phone. Her son was able to get through after several weeks, and she was able to get her shot.
“I went to the Viera Health Department,” she continued. “They were very, very organized. It was a little long waiting in the line but it moved relatively fast.”
Janina Kulzer, a Rockledge resident had an easier experience by signing up for text alert messages to find when available vaccine appointments would become available.
“The first time I saw you can sign up was on the news,” Ms. Kulzer said. “I tried the number but it kept ringing. The next morning, it went through but all of the appointments had been taken.”
A few days later, a text messaging alert system on the news gave Ms. Kulzer hope, so she signed up. When she received her first alert, she said all the appointments had been filled within 10 minutes.
The second time was luckier, and she was able to get online and book her appointment.
In Brevard County, the DOH county report from Feb. 18 states that 75,041 people have been vaccinated. At least 57,162 seniors aged 65 years and older have received their vaccinations. Only 17,871 seniors have completed both doses.
Seniors can register for text alerts, but it will not create the appointment for them. To receive text alerts, create a new text message on your mobile phone to 888777. In the text message body write “Brevardeoc”, then hit send.
For more information on how Senior Partner Care Services can help, visit – www.oneseniorplace.com.
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About Senior Partner Care Services – In Brevard County, Florida since 1998, Senior Partner Care Services helps elderly clients continue to live safely and independently at home by providing them with a reliable and affordable source of high quality non-medical home care. Senior Partner Care Services offers extra assistance including meal preparation, light housekeeping, laundry, transportation, errands, incontinence care, medication monitoring and reminders, bathing, dressing, personal care assistance, socialization and communication and extra supervision for safety. No long term commitment is required. Licensed/Bonded/Insured, License#NR30211049.
Professional Care Managers advocate on behalf of patients/clients through a professional and collaborative process that assesses, plans, implements, coordinates, monitors and evaluates the options and services to meet an individual’s health needs. Care Managers provide support for client and family to improve patient care and reduce the need for medical services by helping clients effectively manage health conditions. To contact Senior Partner Care Services directly, call 321-253-6336, monitored 24 hours a day.
About One Senior Place– Now in its 14th year, One Senior Place, The Experts in Aging, is a marketplace of resources and provider of information, advice, care and on-site services for seniors and their family caregivers in Central and East Central Florida. Completely unique, One Senior Place at 8085 Spyglass Hill Road in Viera is a one-stop information hub and mini-mall “revolutionizing the way America shops for elder care and services.” One Senior Place is home to a wide variety of senior-focused businesses, a resource library and is the site of educational seminars and presentations for seniors. In 2008, One Senior Place was named Florida’s Small Business of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. In Brevard, they were honored as Business of the Year by the Melbourne Regional Chamber of Commerce. A second location, One Senior Place Orlando, opened in Altamonte Springs in December of 2011. More information about One Senior Place and One Senior Place Orlando can be found on the company website at OneSeniorPlace.com or by calling 321-751-6771. View their video at https://youtu.be/RxFCCL0wnRY.
