Senior citizens in Westmoreland County who don’t have access to technology to find and schedule coronavirus vaccine appointments are getting some help.

The United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania is partnering with Excela Health and others to coordinate and schedule appointments for Westmoreland County’s vulnerable residents 65 and older, said Alyssa Cholodofsky, the agency’s Westmoreland region director. The residents who currently qualify for the assistance already are enrolled in services through the county’s Area Agency on Aging, United Way’s Open Your Heart to a Senior and Laurel Area Faith in Action.

This week, the first 100 appointments were scheduled.

“We know this is the most vulnerable population, frail and oftentimes living on their own,” Cholodofsky said. “For our older adults, and people with disabilities in particular, this is really critical.”

Vaccine appointments in the region largely have been available for scheduling online only through pharmacies and health systems for months, leaving older residents without computers or internet access unable to get a time slot. They’ve had to seek help from tech-savvy relatives or friends or wait for telephone scheduling options to become available.

Excela Health Chief Medical Officer Dr. Carol Fox said the health system is setting aside appointments specifically for the United Way program.

“We are grateful to the United Way for their leadership in working with local community action groups in order to be able to identify and assist our most vulnerable seniors,” she said.

Amy McLendon, executive director of Laurel Area Faith in Action, said she already scheduled 49 people and had another 30 appointments to make Wednesday. Trying to navigate the online scheduling process can be frustrating as appointments are snapped up shortly after becoming available, she said.

“It allows us to assist the population that really needs this but yet does not have the capacity to do it,” she said.

Laurel Area Faith in Action is making appointments for senior citizen clients who don’t have technology and also taking requests for help from others in the community age 60 and older. Anyone between 60 and 64 must have a condition that would qualify them for the vaccine under the first phase of the state’s immunization plan.

The United Way also is working with volunteer drivers, Westmoreland Transit, Veterans Cab and others to make sure senior citizens have rides to and from their vaccination appointments. Members of Voice of Westmoreland are helping with scheduling and coordination, she said.

Cholodofsky said officials hope to expand the program to others who don’t have access to technology, including additional senior citizens and those with disabilities, after all the current clients are scheduled. The program is starting small, and the agencies are reaching out to their service recipients.

Excela Health has established a phone number for vaccine scheduling — 724-689-1690 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Registering online at excelahealth.org remains the quickest method for scheduling an appointment.

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