More help for Manatee County seniors to register for vaccine

Manatee County Public Safety Director Jacob Saur said registration for the COVID-19 vaccine has become a smoother process with the introduction of Manatee County’s standby pool and 311 call center.

Many seniors, however, have struggled to register because they struggle with technology. Manatee County is using its libraries and the Elder Helpline, which is operated by Manatee County Aging and Eligibility Services, to tackle the issue.

The county's librarians suggested to the county's staff that seniors are frequent visitors to libraries and could be reached through those venues, according to Saur. In addition to the technology at the sites, such as computer workstations and printers, having librarians available to help convinced the county to pursue libraries as one of the main avenues of senior outreach.

Manatee County Library Services Manager Elizabeth Partridge said each library has copies of the county’s vaccine screening and consent form, which must be brought to the appointment to receive a vaccination.

Librarians can direct seniors through the registration website and can answer questions about the screening and consent form.

The librarians also direct seniors who need additional help to the Elder Helpline at 742-5818.

Tracie Adams, who manages the county’s Aging and Eligibility Services, said the Elder Helpline is a 24/7 phone number for people aged 60 or older can call when they don’t know where else to go for help. It is set up to receive a voicemail from everyone who calls. Operators monitor the line from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and call back within an hour.

The Elder Helpline wasn’t originally planned for use as a lifeline to seniors struggling to register, according to Adams. 

“I said, ‘Look, let's just help these people ourselves, anyone who calls us through our Elder Helpline,’” Adams said. “Rather than refer them to another number to call and frustrate them more.”

Elder Helpline operators have answered seniors’ registration questions, walked many of them through the registration process and emailed people links to get them to the registration website. Adams said they’ve also mailed the screening and consent forms to people who don’t have printers and therefore can’t obtain it themselves.

Adams registered one man who is 99 years old. His daughter reached out to Adams to say her father needed help because of his hearing limitations.

“We figure out a way,” Adams said of anyone who might be in a similar situation. “It's limited information that we need to register someone. So if there's a concern that someone can't communicate, we're so used to that just in our regular day to day, that we figure it out.”

If all else fails, Adams said someone could show up in the Aging and Eligibility Services lobby on the third floor of the Manatee County Administration Building, located at 1112 Manatee Ave. W., in Bradenton, and a staff member will be happy to help.