099 – Flu Shots for Older Adults: What to Know (2019 Update)
Better Health While Aging
English - November 14, 2019 20:00 - ★★★★★ - 109 ratingsMedicine Health & Fitness Science Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Dr. K explains what all older adults and family caregivers should know about the annual flu shot, with updates for 2019. She covers the basics of falling ill from influenza, how the vaccines work, which flu shots are specifically designed for older adults, which one she thinks is best for most aging adults, what to do if your older relative is refusing the flu shot, and much more.
In This Episode:
Dr. K explains what all older adults and family caregivers should know about annual vaccination against influenza. She also reports on the statistics from last year’s flu season. This episode covers:
What is influenza, and how many people are affected every year
Why older adults are at higher risk of harm from the flu
How the vaccine works
The two key ways you can protect yourself from the flu
How pneumococcal vaccination helps protect against flu complications
What to know about flu shots designed for older adults
Which influenza vaccine she thinks is best for most older adults
What to do if your older relative is unable or unwilling to get vaccinated
Related Resources:
Flu Shots for Older Adults: What to Know & Do for 2019-2020
CDC: U.S. Influenza Vaccines for the 2019-20 Season
Adults: Protect Yourself with Pneumococcal Vaccines
How to boost your immune system (Harvard Health Review)
2018-2019 U.S. Flu Season: Preliminary Burden Estimates
To find a place to get your annual influenza vaccination: VaccineFinder.org
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