Memorial Hermann’s University Place, a set of independent senior apartments located adjacent to Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital, has taken the steps to vaccinate 96 percent of residents through a series of vaccination clinics at the facility.
“By having such a high percentage of our campus residents vaccinated, the primary benefit is that the residents are more protected against COVID-19 and its debilitating symptoms,” said Paul Friesen, Vice President of Operations at University Place. “We now see residents much more confident in socializing and engaging in activities. Most were hesitant over the past year because they didn’t feel comfortable. Even with following CDC and state guidelines, we see more and more residents leaving their apartments and enjoying what our community provides.”
As Houston’s only senior living community owned by a health system, University Place is designed to encourage active lifestyles and free residents from some of the daily routines that would otherwise limit their choices. Activities and resources include special interest clubs, a library, woodworking shop, private garden, volunteer programs and more.
With University Place’s emphasis on freeing residents from worries and limitations, it was imperative that the vaccination process be accessible and seamless.
“Our goal was to vaccinate as many of our campus residents as possible,” Friesen explained. “In order to do this, we needed to find a user-friendly approach to vaccinations. We spoke to CVS Pharmacy and were able to develop a plan to provide on-site vaccination clinics to not only our nursing home residents, but all of our independent living residents.”
Friesen says to eliminate long wait times, all residents filled out the appropriate CVS forms and the staff uploaded these to CVS prior to the clinic start times. This provided residents with a very quick, efficient vaccination experience.
In addition to the residents, vaccinating the staff was a top priority for University Place.
“Since our staff has such close contact with residents, it is imperative that they be vaccinated,” Friesen said. “This not only protects our staff, but also our residents. By increasing our staff vaccination rate, we have a better chance of maintaining a safe environment for all.”
To-date, University Place has hosted three on-site vaccination clinics. While vaccinations were optional for all residents and staff, most made the decision to receive the vaccine. University Place will continue to address vaccination needs as new residents or employees join the community in the future.
Memorial Hermann University Place
713-541-2900