Covid-19 News for Seniors

How to get your vaccine if you’re still searchingA friend recently gave me an insight into how to better your chances of getting a shot soon. A greater supply of vaccine seems to be becoming available so hopefully more people are being notified by their provider that they can schedule their shots. In addition to signing up with your regular provider, you might consider signing up with several drugstores who offer vaccine shots. After signing up, you’ll likely find “no apppointments available” when you go to the site unless you search for them soon after midnight when they make more appointments available. (Hint, hint…)If you know of a senior who isn’t online and having trouble getting their shots, they can call a State Vaccine Hotline at 833/422-4255.If you need further assistance, I’ll try to help: Bill at 415/450-5339 or bblackburn@thespahrcenter.org How to Master Vaccine Appointment Confusions The Washington Post has created a guide to navigating the many ways the vaccine rollout can be approached. Five strategies to increase the chances of getting a free shot for yourself or someone you care about, click here. Sign up now to be informed of when you can be vaccinated. Marin County has a form online where you can sign up to be notified when vaccine is available for you. Since supplies of vaccine are limited, people 75 and over as well as healthcare workers and those in residential facilities are prioritized. As more becomes available, additional populations will become prioritized. Sign up for notification here.  The best place to get Coronavirus updates and vaccine updates for Marin here and here, respectively.  California Covid Vaccine Update. The latest California-wide information on the vaccine rollout, safety and more:here. Free, pop-up Covid testing sites in seven cities around the county: Bolinas, Larkspur, Novato, San Anselmo, San Geronimo, San Rafael, and Sausalito. You can see a schedule for each site and read more here. A new allotment of Rental Assistance comes to Marin for those economically impacted by the pandemic. Read about it here and the new Eviction Moratorium here.

To join the Spahr Senior GroupMondays, 7 to 8 pm, &Thursdays, 12:30 t0 2 pm,click the purple button below the Butterfly Heart or here: 

Join Group

New participants are warmly welcomed!

March 4Nancy Facilitates! What have you learned this past year?Particularly about yourself, but also about other people, about our LGBT community, about life, about the world?  March 11People who influenced your life Who were your mentors and models? Who provided the space to become yourself? Who lifted you up when you were down? Sometimes it was our parents, sometimes a teacher or counselor, an aunt or uncle, a great friend. Possibly a professional in a career you followed, or a writer or simply someone who saw you for who you could be. Who helped make you you?  Coming soon: Beyond the Binary: Gender and Pronouns II Check-in Mondays7 to 8 pm We catch up with each other on how we’re doing and have unstructured conversations focused on listening and deepening community.

Thank you Wing, Debbie, Terry, Beth and Lolma for the Red Envelope Campaign! We’re deeply grateful to Wing and the Social Committee for this generous support of our senior program! And to all our donors! They – and you, the community – have raised over two thousand dollars to ensure the Spahr Senior Program and our new Friendly Visitor Program are sustained. The Social Committee has been consistently offering fun events to offset the boredom of the pandemic. They want to celebrate your birthday if you’ll let them know when it is. They offer a women’s coffee plus a number of times to gather on zoom over games and conversation. To sign up for their emails, click here. There’s a Birthday Celebration for everyone born in March on March 9, Scattegories on March 16, How the Zoom Are You One Year Later? on March 17 (St. Patrick’s!), and much more in the Social Committee’s March Calendar here.

Watch the Short Trailer

You are invited to join with your community in watching people (and an animal!) offer their gifts to entertain you. By showtime, click the button below:

Watch the Show

More information, contact:Jerry Schmitz at jschm117@aol.com

California Department of AgingThe CDA has a website that is packed with information and resources relevant to the lives of seniors in our state. From Covid-19 updates to more general care for age-related health issues, access to legal assistance to getting home-delivered meals to help with housing, you may well find answers to your questions by clicking: here.

Also in this email (below):Spahr has skilled therapists ready to work with seniors on a sliding-scale basis.Nutrition ResourcesBisexual Support zoom group forming through The Spahr Center.

Building Community in the Midst of Sheltering-in-PlaceSee old friends and make new ones! Join us!The Spahr Center’s LGBT Senior Discussion Groupscontinue everyMonday, 7 to 8 pm& Thursday, 12:30 to 2 pm on zoom

To Join Group by Video using Computer, Smart Phone or TabletJust click this button at the start time, 6:55 pm Mondays / 12:25 pm Thursdays:Join GroupAlways the same link! Try it, it’s easy!

To Join Group by Phone CallIf you don’t have internet connections or prefer joining by phone,call the following number at the start time,6:55 pm Mondays / 12:25 pm Thursdays:1-669-900-6833The Meeting id is 820 7368 6606#(no participant id required)The password, if requested, is 135296# If you want to be called into the group by phone, notify Bill Blackburn at 415/450-5339

Spahr’s skilled therapists are available to work with seniors on a sliding-scale basis. Write toinfo@thespahrcenter.org. A Bisexual Support Group is forming with The Spahr Center, facilitated by a therapist. Let Bill Blackburn know if you are interested. Whistlestop, renamed Vivalon, provides access to resources including rides for older adults. Please note: there is a 3-week registration process for the ride program so register now if you think you may need rides in the future. They also offer free classes on zoom including zumba, yoga, chair exercises, & ukulele! Click here. Adult and Aging Service’s Information and Assistance Line, providing information and referrals to the full range of services available to older adults, adults with disabilities and their family caregivers, has a new phone number and email address: 415/473-INFO (4636) 8:30 am to 4:30 pm weekdays473INFO@marincounty.org

The Spahr Center has opened its Food Pantry to seniors who need support in meeting their nutrition needs. We want to help! Items such as fresh meats, eggs and dairy, prepared meals, pasta, sauces, and canned goods are delivered weekly to people who sign up. Contact The Spahr Center for more information: info@thespahrcenter.org or 415/457.2487

Marin Center for Independent Living is offering various kinds of support to people with disabilities as well as older adults to prepare them for possible Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS).Click here: MarinCIL Has your employment or business been impacted by COVID-19? Check out these local resources…click here: WorkForce Alliance Questions? Assistance?  We have resources and volunteers for:grocery deliveryfood assistancehelp with technology issues such as using zoomproviding weekly comfort calls to check in on youtherapy with Spahr therapists on a sliding scale basisplus more! Bill BlackburnSenior Program Coordinatorbblackburn@thespahrcenter.org415/450-5339