RyeCity REVIEW THE
April 9, 2021 | Vol. 9, Number 13 | www.ryecityreview.com
New York says 16 and older eligible for vaccine
Breaking Through
Junior Caden Whaling runs for positive yardage against Yorktown on April 3. The Garnets scored 13 straight points in the second half to top the Huskies 20-10. For story, see page 16. Photo/Mike Smith
County marks 12th year of ‘Caregiver Coaching’ program Are you looking for meaningful volunteer work? Do you want to contribute to an award-winning community support program? If so, consider becoming a volunteer with the Livable Communities Caregiver Coaching, L3C, Program, an initiative from the Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services, DSPS. A Caregiver Coach is a volunteer trained by professionals to provide one-on-one support to family caregivers and help them understand their options. As a result, caregivers are better prepared to make informed decisions to meet the challenges and responsibilities of caring for an older or disabled person. Caregiver Coaching falls under the big umbrella of the DSPS’ national award-winning Livable Communities initiative, which has been identified by AARP as one of the three model programs of its type in the
U.S. By recruiting and training Caregiver Coaches, the initiative aims to make Westchester communities as senior-friendly as possible so older adults can remain in their homes as they age with dignity, independence and civic involvement. Caregiver Coaching directly helps to meet that goal by supporting those who care for seniors. Westchester County Executive George Latimer said the success of the county’s Caregiver Coaching program is a testament to the growing need for caregiver support here in the County. “Our residents are living longer, and that is good news,” Latimer said. “However, that means that many of our seniors will be living with chronic illnesses that require the help of caregivers. The Caregiver Coaching program is designed to assist caregivers in Westchester in the role they play by providing much
needed support, as well as vital information about programs and services in the County. We need as many volunteers as possible to help make a difference in the quality of life for people in their communities.” Caregiver Coach candidates may have caregiver experience, but it is not required. Caregiver Coaches are stabilizing forces and sounding boards, so the prospective coach should be optimistic, empathetic and non-judgmental. They do not take the place of professionals in the field or do caregiver tasks themselves, nor do they offer medical or legal advice. Fordham University’s Ravazzin Center on Aging has developed the curriculum for this program which is taught by professionals, such as social workers, nurses and geriatric care managers. The training will provide volunteers with basic information such as “Understanding the
Aging Process” and “Challenges Caregivers Face.” Since its inception, the Caregiver Coaching program has had a strong advocate in DSPS Commissioner Mae Carpenter. “At one time families were larger and society was less mobile,” Carpenter said. “That meant there were always adult children and other relatives who could care for aging family members. But today not only are families smaller, but the adult children may live in another state. As a result, there’s a void that needs to be filled by caring neighbors and people.” In addition to DSPS, the L3C Caregiver Coaching program is sponsored by the Westchester Public/Private Partnership for Aging Services and Fordham University’s Ravazzin Center on Aging. For more information or to register, call DSPS at 8136441 or send an email to cap2@ westchestergov.com. (Submitted)
On April 5, Gov. Andrew Cuomo today announced the start of the statewide “Roll Up Your Sleeve” ad campaign to encourage all New Yorkers, especially those from neighborhoods where COVID was most devastating, to get vaccinated. The ads will be shown on television and online statewide beginning April 7. The ads were directed by “Contagion” screenplay writer Scott Burns, and shot at New York City’s Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. This effort comes as universal eligibility for the COVID-19 vaccine goes into effect and all New Yorkers 16-years-of-age and older are eligible to receive the vaccine starting April 6. This comes nearly a month earlier than President Biden’s May 1 deadline for states to enact universal eligibility. “The vaccine is the weapon that will win the war, but only if we all take it, and starting April 6, all New Yorkers age 16 and older will be able to get vaccinated,” Cuomo said. “Since the start of this critical phase of our fight against COVID, we have made it our top priority to bring the vaccine to the communities that were
hit the hardest by the virus, and with the ‘Roll Up Your Sleeve’ campaign, we are helping ensure that no community gets left behind in the vaccine distribution process. As universal eligibility goes into effect, we will continue to work with local leaders to make sure all New Yorkers have access to our vaccination sites. I also want to remind everyone that universal eligibility for the vaccine does not mean we are back to business as usual. The truth is millions of our neighbors still need to get their shot, and we are still in a footrace against the infection rate, so it is imperative that we do not let down our guard and we continue exercising safety protocols. New York’s vast distribution network and large population of eligible individuals still far exceed the supply coming from the federal government. Due to limited supply, New Yorkers are encouraged to remain patient and are advised not to show up at vaccination sites without an appointment. As of right now, people 16 and 17 years of age can only receive the Pfizer vaccine. (Submitted)