HCAOA Invited to National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit

HCAOA CEO Vicki Hoak participated in last week’s NAIIS Workshop held in Washington, DC to discuss the country’s plan on promoting three vaccines that older Americans should receive this fall:  Flu, COVID, and RSV, or the Big 3 Vs. This was an invitation-only event that drew representatives from health systems, health plans, pharmaceutical companies, pharmacists, state health officials, nursing homes, and the Veterans Administration.

​CDC officials including Dr. Melinda Wharton, Chief Medical Officer Manisha Patel, and Sara Young, CDC Medical Officer for Immunizations focused on education for each vaccine and urged Summit participants to “operationalize” adult immunizations for the 2023 fall season. While most home care members of HCAOA cannot provide vaccines, agencies are valuable conduits for disseminating information and assistance with obtaining the vaccines.

Hoak spoke about this during the Summit meeting. “Home care aides are in people’s homes anywhere from 2-10 hours a day and develop strong and trusting relationships with their clients,” she said. “Home care organizations are valuable resources to clients and their families. Whether it is suggesting appropriate equipment to help the client with walking or showering, or providing critical wellness information, such as the importance of these three vaccines, HCAOA members are in a great position to be the trusted messenger of the importance of getting the vaccines.”

HCAOA will continue to meet with the CDC and the National Adult and Influenza organization and will provide members with helpful informational tools to share with their clients. Stay tuned!