HOW to OVERCOME the FRUSTRATIONS with SCHEDULING an APPOINTMENT for COVID 19 VACCINATIONS
HOW to OVERCOME the FRUSTRATIONS with SCHEDULING an APPOINTMENT for COVID 19 VACCINATIONS
In attempting to schedule an appointment for a COVID 19 vaccine, have you:
- Navigated through a maze of web pages to find eventually the actual page for scheduling appointments;
- Entered personal identification information repeatedly each time, only to find there are no appointments available anywhere in the county;
- And, as you are making an appointment it seems, the page simply froze or vanished?
If so, you’re not alone in these first several weeks of vaccines being made available, mostly to seniors over 65. Most of us in that age category, lack more than the most basic computer skills, making us all the more handicapped in this effort. (https://mail.google.com/mail/u/2/?tab=km#label/IPN+Blog/FMfcgxwLsmclTpDGxGMtmqdPqtBsjlrL).
Some strategies to counteract these challenges are included in this link. There are five steps in all to consider, all doable according to the Wall Street Journal reporter (though this person’s job is to review computer related material for the newspaper). Rather than repeat them here, please go to the link.
Or, find someone more tech savvy to help. Kris Slevens is one such volunteer: a 34-year-old IT specialist who has helped more than 350 seniors in New Jersey schedule appointments. More help is available if you follow this link: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-score-a-vaccine-appointment-recruit-a-college-kid-with-tech-skills-and-patience-11613749662?mod=article_inline .
I found our adult son, very tech savvy, who scheduled my first appointment in a mere 20 minutes of trying, after several hours had been spent in failure and frustration the previous few days when mental health care workers were made eligible in Los Angeles County. He did the same for his Mother the next week when she became eligible, in about the same amount of time.
Meanwhile, the therapists of IPN stand ready to provide support and encouragement through this one year of pandemic living with all its challenges.
Dr. Alan M. Solomon is a clinical psychologist in private practice in Torrance, CA. A member of the Independent Psychotherapy Network, he can be reached at 310 539-2772 or dralanms@gmail.com Telehealth sessions are available.
Copyright 2021 by Alan M. Solomon, Ph.D.
