Carmela Facchini, the director of senior citizen services in Weehawken, knows the importance of getting flu shots for her constituents. For years, Facchini set up a program with the North Hudson Community Action Corporation, who came to the Weehawken senior citizen complexes to provide free shots for the seniors.
However, the NHCAC no longer provides an outreach program for the flu shots. If seniors want to receive them, they have to go to the NHCAC headquarters in West New York – which is hard for Weehawken seniors who cannot travel.
"If it’s not convenient, then the seniors won’t go and get it," Facchini said.
Last year, Pathmark provided the flu shots, but the seniors had to be bused to the Tower Plaza Shopping Mall and it took hours to fill out the consent and medical forms. Plus, there weren’t adequate seating arrangements for the seniors to wait before receiving the shots.
Facchini was left this year with a major dilemma in finding an organization that would provide the flu shots free of charge, in a year where flu shots are in high demand thanks to fears involving the national anthrax scare.
Enter Mary Conte, the director of community health for Palisades General Hospital.
"I knew that Mary did free blood pressure screenings and had come to us before to provide the screenings," Facchini said. "So I called Mary and asked if she provided flu shots. It’s so important for the seniors to get the flu shots. The older they get, the more important it becomes."
Conte does organize a free flu shot program that provides seniors with the shots, through their Medicare insurance. However, because of the anthrax scare, Palisades has been in high demand, offering flu shots all over Hudson County.
"We’ve already given 433 shots," Conte said. "Last year at this time, we gave perhaps 75. We’ve never had the demand like this. The need in the community is phenomenal. We’re more than likely going to give 700. Ever since the anthrax scare, when it was recommended that everyone receive shots if they were in contact with the anthrax virus, we’ve had more requests than ever."
However, Conte made sure that there were enough vaccinations for the seniors of Weehawken. Last week, Conte went to the senior citizen complexes in Weehawken, both the residence at 525 Gregory Ave. and the Senior Nutritional Center on Highwood Avenue, to provide more than 200 flu vaccinations to the seniors.
"I wasn’t surprised with the turnout," Conte said. "I knew that they had quite a number of seniors that were interested in getting the shots. It’s a great service and we try to make it as simple as possible for the patients."
Conte sent Facchini the medical and consent forms ahead of time.
Conte was also able to provide pneumonia vaccinations, and those shots are good for 10 years. The flu shot has to be renewed annually.
"Without a doubt, we get a great amount of satisfaction in providing this service, knowing we’re able to help so many people," Conte said. "Basically, since Sept. 11 and the anthrax scare, we’ve received a phenomenal amount of calls and we will eventually have a shortage and not be able to offer the shots. I know that Weehawken has a large senior population, and keeping people healthy is what we’re all about."
Facchini said that she was very grateful to Conte and Palisades General’s outreach efforts.
"Without them, I don’t know what we were going to do," Facchini said. "It would have been very tough to find, especially in a year of high demand. Mary was very obliging in coming to help us. We were very lucky to have this work out this way."
Facchini said that if any Weehawken senior citizen had missed the flu shots, she would try to work out an arrangement to have those seniors serviced.
"We know that the shots are going to be very scarce shortly," Facchini said. "It was important that our seniors receive the shots."
With the help of Palisades General, it was mission accomplished.