🗣️Reminder, we'll be starting our conversation on the impact of the #Omicron surge on family #caregivers in 10 mins! Follow us @EthnicMediaSvc to join the discussion. @CalAging @blackvoicenews 
Welcome to this important conversation about the impact of the #Omicron surge on family caregivers and the importance of #vaccinations. We open with a prayer and to give thanks for those who bring us together to hear these stories.
#Vaccines are a key weapon against the worst ravages of the #COVID19 virus, helping to mitigate the sense of isolation and fatigue, says Moderator Cheryl Brown.
There are 4.5 million family caregivers just here in CA, says @donnabentonphd. The availability of vaccines has meant they can continue to provide care without fear of harming family members they are caring for.
For #caregivers there is an increase in social isolation, stress levels… and while some things have improved, challenges remain in terms of accessing medical care, adds @donnabentonphd
Cheryl Brown notes that St. Paul AME Church in San Bernardino is giving out #testkits today, a critical need, especially for family caregivers.
@WhiteHouse announced today they are buying 500 mil testing kits. How do we ensure caregivers have access? State needs to recognize priority needs among caregivers, adds @donnabentonphd
Very difficult to access #vaccinations and #boosters for homebound patients with dementia, Parkinson's, etc. We need to find ways to bring these services to the home, says @donnabentonphd
Ruth Rembret cares for her husband who was recently diagnosed with the same illness that claimed the life of Colin Powell. "I could not imagine not having the #vaccine."
"People don't realize the danger they put you in when they don't get #vaccinated or when they are not masked," Rembret notes.
California's statewide #Caregiver Resource Centers provides support to family caregivers. To find your local center go to caregivercalifornia.org
"We are seeing loved ones die, and they are the ones who have not taken the #vaccine," notes Noella Buchanan.
Good questions from @SandyClose about response from congregation. "In the African American community, a lot of our older residents are concerned about the #vaccine," says Noella Buchanan, because of the history of mistrust. "It is our job to let them know we will walk with them."
@EthnicMediaSvc's Khalil Abdullah is a family caregiver who lives in a multigenerational home. "You can't distance the 3-year-old from the elders," he says. "It is very challenging."
"The heart of the issue is sitting down and having conversations to address the issues case by case. Otherwise you have gaps in care," says Khalil.
Putting the message into music is a way to reach young people with the message about getting #vaccinations, says 22-year-old Kennedy King. But a lot of musicians are afraid of losing audiences so they refrain from talking about the vaccine.
Today the @Scotus just denied Biden's #vaccinemandate. "This needs to be a concern among caregivers," says Cheryl Brown.
Important point raised by @sunita37. "In California, people are eligible for up to six weeks of unemployment benefits if they are caring for a family member. You have to apply through the EDD. short-term, yes, but it's something...." #Omicron #Caregivers
Another moving comment: "My father is disabled and lives alone at home. His caregiver/nurse had covid a couple weeks ago and there was no one to back her up and come out and see my father."
A closing message from Kennedy King: "We have to get into young peoples heads that if you don't care about yourself, care about the elders around you." #Omicron
And from Reverend Shepard: "The church must be visible and viable in the community it serves. We must reach out to the least, lost, looked over and left out. We must make sure we care for the #caregiver and those who receive the care." #omicron #vaccines
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