August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and that means that in Los Feliz and elsewhere around the country, people will be prompting you to see if your current immunizations are up to snuff. Home healthcare professionals generally check on their clients to make sure they aren’t missing some vital immunization that could cause a serious health issue. It’s especially important for seniors to keep up with any recommended shots because seniors are often more vulnerable to catching diseases that are prevalent at the time. In this article, we’ll discuss the main immunizations that all seniors should have, so as to avoid potential health problems during their later years.
Influenza vaccine
While you might not think of the flu as a serious disease, it can be extremely dangerous for seniors, especially those who have a compromised immune system. It has been estimated that as many as 85% of all deaths attributed to influenza occur among seniors who are aged 65 and above. That makes it extremely important for any senior to get their annual flu shot, so as to have some level of protection against what might come. In fact, it might be a good idea to request a high-dose flu vaccine for your senior loved one, because this specific shot has four times as much antigen as the normal dosage. This quadruple-strength dosage can be instrumental in boosting the immune system, and warding off whatever variety of influenza is most prevalent during flu season. In addition, all influenza shots are covered under Medicare Part B coverage, so there won’t be any expense to you or your senior loved one.
Pneumococcal vaccine
Pneumococcal disease can result in some serious health issues, among them bacterial meningitis, pneumonia, middle-ear infection, and an infection of the blood. Past research has shown clearly that a single dose of pneumococcal vaccine will protect 3/4 of all adults aged 65 and above from pneumococcal disease, and at least 45% of adults in that same age group will also be protected against pneumococcal pneumonia. When considering a pneumococcal vaccine, you’ll have two choices, those being Prevnar13 and Pneumovax 23.
The best course of action for you to take would be to have your senior inoculated with both vaccines at different times, nearly a year apart. If you take the two vaccines 11 months apart, both shots will be covered under Medicare Part B, so you can get these vaccines without any financial obligation. For those seniors who have the Medicare Advantage plan, it may be necessary to select a doctor who is in your established network or a pharmacy that is approved for your network. Pneumococcal disease is a serious infection that can wreak havoc on the immune system of older adults, and it should be high on your list of things to do to protect your senior loved one.
Shingles vaccine
Shingles is a very painful skin rash that primarily affects adult seniors. It is recommended that people in this age group get the zoster vaccine (trade name Zostovax) to prevent getting the disease, or at least to lessen the symptoms. While it is still technically possible to get shingles after being vaccinated, the chances of contracting shingles are much lower after you’ve been vaccinated. Anyone who has ever had shingles before can tell you how painful and annoying it is to deal with, intruding on your everyday activities at all times.
Most Medicare Part D drug plans will provide coverage for the shingles vaccine and Medicare Advantage plans also provide for prescription drug coverage that handles shingles. There may be some minor out-of-pocket expenses for an individual, but it won’t be anything like what you’d have to pay if you were covering the whole amount yourself. It’s well worth the copay you have to invest for a shingles vaccine in order to avoid all the discomfort and grief that the shingles disease will cause for your senior loved one.
TDAP vaccine (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis)
Most people get the TDAP vaccine which includes protection against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (commonly known as whooping cough), during their teen or pre-teen years. This single combination vaccine provides protection against three bacterial diseases which can prove to be life-threatening in their most serious forms. It’s recommended that this shot be taken every 10 years, and to that purpose, booster shots are made available to provide the needed protection. Given that all three of these diseases are potentially life-threatening, it makes great sense to renew your booster shot every 10 years, so that you can have continued coverage in your adult life. Whatever hassle is involved in arranging the inoculation is well worth it, because you’ll know that you’re protected for a decade against all three of these potentially killer diseases.
