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 >.

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