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Vaccine Survey Shows Education Is Working, But More Is Needed


Mark Woodka, CEO, OnShift T


he development, distribution and prioritization of the COVID-19 vaccine to senior care communities


provided hope at the end of an extremely difficult year. And more good news was on the horizon; the majority of residents opted to take the vaccine. This has contributed to the dramatic reduction in new COVID-19 cases in communities. However, we quickly learned senior living


employees were less willing to get vacci- nated. In partnership with our customers, OnShift surveyed senior care employees in December 2020, when the vaccine was first available to staff members. The initial re- sults showed that 40 percent of senior care employees planned to decline the vaccine, raising a red flag that the industry might not be out of the woods for quite some time. Equipped with a better understanding of


employee willingness to get vaccinated, pro- viders quickly focused on uncovering and addressing the root cause of their employ- ees’ concerns. Many providers discovered that much of the hesitancy stemmed from the newness of the vaccine and misinforma- tion on potential safety risks.


Communication gets results Across the industry, providers ramped up their efforts over the next several months to educate employees on the importance of getting vaccinated and address individual concerns. Organizations focused on con- sistently sharing reputable information to dispel rumors and many brought in medical experts to answer employees’ questions. These efforts are working: A follow-up


survey conducted in March 2021 showed that there has been a 94 percent increase in employee willingness to take the vaccine and a 41 percent decrease in plans to decline it.


The role the vaccine will play in stopping


the spread of the virus has clearly resonat- ed with employees: 53 percent say they are receiving the vaccine to prevent residents, family, friends, and/or themselves from getting infected. Additionally, respondents cite residents resuming normal visitation with family and friends as a top reason for getting vaccinated. This is a true testament to the commit-


ment and resourcefulness of this industry. As James Balda, president and CEO of Ar- gentum, noted, “We are extremely pleased to see this substantial increase in intent by senior care employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine. It’s been such a challenging year for them, and their dedication to caring for and protecting those they serve continues to shine through. We applaud them for their ongoing commitment.”


Advocacy must continue The increase in employee willingness to get vaccinated is also helping support the advo- cacy efforts of Argentum, ASHA, AHCA/ NCAL, and LeadingAge. Together, they have asked the administration to allocate between 50,000 and 75,000 vaccine doses per week to the industry. This would pro- vide vaccines for existing employees and residents who were initially hesitant, as well


as for newer staff members and residents. Although the employee vaccination rate


has significantly increased, there are still those refusing the vaccine. Those not plan- ning to get vaccinated cite reasons such as the vaccine being too new (26 percent), concerns about safety and side effects (23 percent), and opposition to vaccines in general (5 percent). It is clear education efforts must continue.


Providers should remain diligent in under- standing the concerns of their employees and address lingering questions in a com- passionate, meaningful way. In doing so, more employees are likely


to become vaccinated, ultimately helping the industry to achieve a safe, healthy, and prosperous future.


KEY FINDINGS FROM ONSHIFT RESEARCH


• From the initial survey in December 2020 to the second survey in March 2021, there was a 112 percent increase in willingness to take the vaccine.


• Respondents rated their satisfaction with education about the vaccine at 27 percent “very satisfied” and 31 percent “satisfied.”


• For 32 percent of respondents, helping prevent family and friends from infection was the top reason for taking the vaccine.


MAY/JUNE 2021 ARGENTUM.ORG 37


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