Adult children helping aging parents get vaccinated against COVID-19 say process is frustrating

DeJuan Hoggard Image
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
Adult children helping parents get vaccinated say process is frustrating
"This is so frustrating and unorganized:" A view shared by many adult children who are trying to help elderly parents navigate the COVID-19 vaccination process.

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (WTVD) -- Elliot Lochansky of Wake Forest lost his mother to COVID-19 just two weeks ago. She was living in a nursing home and he said he found out "after the fact" that she likely had the coronavirus. "That was more of a nursing home issue," he said.

Nonetheless, Lochansky has taken on the task of getting his 78-year-old father registered to receive the vaccine as his dad lacks the computer literacy to navigate the appropriate websites.

"I could give him the phone number, and he could make that phone call over and over again," Elliot said, as opposed to using the internet. "I do feel like it could be easier for seniors to be able to do that."

Many other adult children are experiencing frustration with getting their parents registered for vaccines.

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"Definitely having difficulty getting my 67-year-old parents the COVID vaccine," said a woman in Durham.

Another woman told ABC11, "This is so frustrating and unorganized. I don't see why primary care physicians couldn't administer the test to their patients."

She said her aunt is 72 years old and suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure.

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Lochansky said the only thing his father knows how to do is view his banking account and visit the NC Lottery website.

"Those are the two things he can do without help," Lochansky said. "After that, he logs off.

"For a lot of people whose parents are out of state and there's no family close ... I can't imagine how hard it is to get them scheduled," Lochansky added.