Flu and cold season are fast approaching and if you are an aging adult, 65 years or older, you are more susceptible to the flu[1]. As we age, our immune systems weaken, and for seniors flu season can be very serious, even deadly, as seen with 90% of flu related deaths and more than half of flu-related hospitalizations occur in people age 65 and older1. So why take the risk this season, when you can get protected with a simple flu shot?
The answer seems clear; get the flu shot, get protected,
but is the answer so clear when it comes to your protection at home? It is,
with Life Alert Protection! If you are an aging senior who is looking to
maintain your independent lifestyle, then you need Life Alert’s emergency
pendant. With one touch of a button, you can summon an emergency medical
response fast, 24/7! So no matter if you encounter a serious fall or you’re
feeling queasy from the flu, Life Alert Protection can ensure you have the best
in personal protection!
Being healthy inside and outside of your home is a
serious topic and so is Flu season, so much so, that the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention2 have
outlined below, actions you should seriously consider taking this flu season.
1.
Get your flu shot. The best way to prevent the
flu is with a flu vaccine. CDC recommends that everyone 6 months of age and
older get a seasonal flu vaccine each year soon after it becomes available, and
by October if possible. Vaccination is especially important for people 65 years
and older because they are at high risk for complications from flu.
Flu vaccines are often updated
to keep up with changing viruses and also immunity wanes over a year so annual
vaccination is needed to ensure the best possible protection against
influenza. A flu vaccine protects
against the flu viruses that research indicates will be most common during the
upcoming season. (See Vaccine Virus Selection for this season’s exact vaccine
composition.) The 2015-2016 vaccine has been updated from last season’s vaccine
to better match circulating viruses. Immunity from vaccination sets in after
about two weeks.
People 65 years and older have
two flu shots available to choose from - a regular dose flu vaccine and a newer
flu vaccine designed specifically for people 65 and older with a higher dose.
Note: The nasal spray vaccine is
not approved for use in people older than 49 years.
The “high dose vaccine” contains
4 times the amount of antigen as the regular flu shot and is associated with a
stronger immune response following vaccination (higher antibody production).
Preliminary studies suggest this may translate into greater protection against
flu disease. For example, one recent study published in The New England Journal
of Medicine indicated that the high-dose vaccine was 24.2% more effective in
preventing flu in adults 65 years and older relative to a standard-dose flu
vaccine. (The confidence interval for this result was 9.7% to 36.5%). At this
time, CDC and its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices have not
expressed a preference for either vaccine for people 65 and older, however,
there are ongoing studies looking into this issue and new findings will be
considered in ACIP's future policy deliberations.
2.
Another healthy action you can take during flu
season is to practice good health habits including covering coughs, washing
hands often, and avoiding people who are sick.
3.
Seek medical advice quickly if you develop flu
symptoms to see whether you might need medical evaluation or treatment with
antiviral drugs. It's very important that antiviral drugs be used early to
treat people who are very sick with flu.
If you develop flu-like symptoms, contact your doctor
immediately and seek medical attention. The flu is not something to put off or
push aside, proactive health care is necessary. Moreover, you should treat your
in-home personal protection with the same vigilance by getting Life Alert Protection!
Over hundreds of thousands of Life Alert seniors are living independently and
safely because of their medical alert. When wearing the emergency pendant
around your neck or wrist, you can summon an emergency medical response fast in
the event of any life threatening emergency, 24/7.
So let the doctor cure your flu blues and let Life Alert
Protection cure your home safety woes! To learn more about Life Alert’s
lifesaving services, call 1-800-513-2934 for a free brochure.
Works Cited:
“Seniors.” Flu.gov. <http://www.flu.gov/at-risk/seniors/
>.
“What You Should Know and Do this Flu Season if You Are
65 Years and Older?” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 17 August
2015. <http://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/disease/65over.htm
>.
