COVID-19: Research Project Finds Older People Struggled With BC Vaccination Card

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Confusion among some older people about the implementation of the BC vaccination card could have been addressed through consultations prior to implementation, according to the findings from a community study .

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Researchers are describing the experience of older people with the vaccination card as an example of the digital divide: the gap between a society where information is increasingly digital and the inability of some people to access what they need.

For older people, for example, the COVID-19 pandemic has moved many government functions online, such as applying for the monthly Old Age Security.

“It would be a good idea for decision makers to involve older people and community organizations and invite them to the table when decisions are being made,” said Hannah Shin, a community researcher.

“We need to make sure that everyone has accessible information in multiple modes of communication strategies. We simply assume that everyone receives your news through social media. That is not the case “.

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the rapid assessment project was conducted by Simon Fraser University Research Institute of Science and Technology for Aging (STAR) and 411 Seniors Care Center Society .

Program staff and 411 volunteers connected with 514 older adults to find out if they had received their immunization passport. If they had a smartphone, for example, they helped make sure it had the correct QR code.

Another collection of information included focus group discussions and an anonymous survey.

Shin said that while the study sample was small, she believes it is representative of the challenges older people face with vaccination records.

She said they heard many of the same stories repeatedly, such as older people asking a friend or family member for help and referring people to 411.

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“There are some older adults who are very tech savvy and want to get involved with technology,” he said. “There is also another group that may not have the means to get involved with digital technology. Sometimes they don’t want to participate. “

Shin said that some older people wondered why the provincial government did not communicate the vaccination passport by regular mail. Also, older people felt that the information on the documents should have been clearer and with less jargon.

Those who did not have smartphones wondered why the province did not issue a laminated card similar to the CareCard.

“There is definitely a lack of digital literacy among older adults,” Shin said. “COVID has exacerbated that.”

Most of the seniors who use and go to 411 are low-income. Of the 948,062 older adults in BC as of 2019, according to the Defender of the elderly, 274,000 are low-income and receive the Guaranteed Income Supplement.

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Andrew Sixsmith, a professor at SFU and director of the STAR Institute, said that confusion and anxiety among some older people about the vaccination passport is part of a larger problem of what it means to live in a digital age.

“We really need to understand that and its implications,” he said. “The big picture is this whole thing about living in a digital world where technology is so important to us. We need to understand how that works in society and collaborate with organizations that care for the most vulnerable people. “

Organizations that older people can turn to for help navigating the digital world include:

411 Senior Center : # 330 – 333 Terminal Avenue, Vancouver, 604-684-8171.

West End Senior Network : Barclay Manor, 1447 Barclay, Vancouver, 604-669-5051.

South Granville Senior Center : 420 West 12th Ave., Vancouver, 604-732-0812

SUCCESS : 28 West Pender St., Vancouver, 604-408-7274 Ext 1083

Older people come to share society : 15008 26th Ave., Surrey, 604-531-9400

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