Jamaica Plain’s Mount Pleasant Home was among the first residential care homes in the state to vaccinate its residents and staff at a clinic on January 13.
The facility was founded in 1901 as “an independent nonprofit residential care home serving seniors age 62 and older,” according to Mount Pleasant Home, and has a capacity of 60 units.
Mount Pleasant Home Executive Director Kathy Seaman wrote that the facility has “taken extraordinary steps since the beginning of the pandemic to prevent the spread of infection, including limiting visits, halting community dining and group activities, sanitizing surfaces frequently, and screening staff and residents for symptoms of COVID-19.”
Mount Pleasant Home worked with CVS Health to administer the vaccine to more than 80 staff and residents, and those folks will be receiving their second vaccination on February 3, with an additional clinic scheduled for February 24.
Seaman told the Gazette that a “dry run” was done ahead of last week’s clinic to ensure it would be a smooth process.
“Residents were very excited to be able to be some of the first in rest homes in Massachusetts to receive the vaccine,” she said. “We made it a very celebratory experience.”
She said that there was a balloon arch and a selfie banner so residents could take photos after receiving their shots. Residents were also given pins and a gift bag containing a small bottle of champagne, she added.
Overall, the clinic went very well, Seaman said. “No one had any adverse reactions.”
The upcoming clinic will also provide a first dose to new residents and staff, she added.
“We see the vaccine as a hopeful turning point in the public health crisis and look forward to a time when the pandemic is under control and we can return to normalcy,” Seaman said.
Goddard House, an assisted living facility in Brookline, held its first COVID-19 vaccine clinic on Saturday, January 16, where 121 residents and staff were vaccinated, according to Candace Cramer, Goddard House president and CEO. Two more clinics are scheduled for February through the CVS Health/Omnicare program.
“With this vaccine, seniors and their families can rest more easily knowing our community offers a safe place to live for the foreseeable future,” Goddard House said in a recent email newsletter. “We will continue to follow all public health directives concerning social distancing and mask wearing, as well as our own robust safety protocols, including screening, testing, deep cleaning and sanitizing to keep everyone safe (residents, staff and visitors).
Throughout this pandemic, we have focused not just on safety but on maintaining the vibrancy of communal life for our residents with opportunities for meaningful social engagement, exercise and a full dining program.”