We are headed into the time of year when those of us who work with seniors in Connecticut and New York City need to begin talking about flu shots and the importance of receiving the vaccine. For older adults, the flu shot is a must. Yet some seniors hesitate to get the vaccine because they mistakenly believe it will cause them to get the flu. Others are concerned about the cost.
We thought it would help if our health care partners had a few resources and facts on flu shots to be able to share easily with older patients and their adult children.
Why Seniors Need a Flu Shot
For those over the age of 65, flu season can be dangerous, and even deadly, for a variety of reasons. They include:
- Immune systems become weaker as we age. As a result, seniors are at a higher risk for the virus.
- 90% of flu-related deaths and more than half of flu-related hospitalizations are people over the age of 65.
- A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that receiving a flu vaccine before the start of a moderate or severe flu season can prevent up to 60,000 seniors from being hospitalized.
These are very sobering statistics to share with older adults who are resistant to receiving flu shots.
Myths and Misconceptions about Flu Shots
Being aware of unasked questions and the myths about flu season and flu shots can help you figure out the underlying concern a patient might have about getting a flu vaccine. Here are some of the most common:
- Unlike other vaccinations we receive throughout our lives, older adults need to be reminded that the flu shot is a yearly vaccine.
- A closely related question seniors often express is if they got their flu shot at the tail end of last year’s flu season, will they need it again this year? We know the answer is yes, but it is another issue of which to be mindful when talking with seniors about the vaccine.
- The idea that the flu shot causes the flu is still a widely held belief. Patients may not understand that the inactive virus used in the vaccine cannot cause them to get the flu.
- For older adults on limited incomes, especially those new to Medicare, how they will pay for the flu shot can be a concern. We try to remind them that Medicare and most insurance companies will pay for the flu shot.
A good resource to share with patients who want to learn more about flu season and how to protect themselves is a website from the Department of Health & Human Services. The Seniors page on Flu.gov has a variety of information on all things flu related.
Do you need help understanding the importance of the flu shot? Please contact us at Senior Living Options for more information on the flu shot and other healthcare issues for your aging loved one.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged adult children, care, flu, health care, immune systems, misconceptions, myths, seniors, shot. Bookmark the permalink.
Author: Ann Jamison
Ann Jamison is an experienced senior advisor who has successfully worked with hundreds of families to help them find the best care and home-like environment for themselves or their loved ones. Prior to launching Senior Living Options, Ann was an eldercare advisor for a national placement agency and served as sales director at a senior living community. Thanks to her 25-year career in advertising sales and marketing, Ann is able to discern between hype and reality for her clients. Ann recognizes that there are objective factors that need to be weighed when making a life-changing decision, but she can also assess the important softer attributes by getting to know her clients and by using the gut instincts that can only come through extended experience.
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