September 7, 2020

What Are the Recommended Vaccines for Caregivers?

About Brookdale Senior Living

Brookdale Senior Living offers multiple care levels for seniors in more than 600 communities nationwide. Brookdale helps you find the right care plan for yourself or your loved one. With amenities such as transportation services, salons and private dining rooms and activities such as gardening, fitness classes and trivia nights Brookdale caters to a wide range of interests and needs.

If you’ve accepted the role of caregiver, you probably have a lot of questions running through your mind: How can I do a good job? What do I need to learn? Who can I turn to for help?

How can I ensure my loved one’s health and safety?

That last one is a big one, especially if you don’t have a medical background. Fortunately, there are several actions you can take to help reduce health risks for the person you’re taking care of. One of the first is vaccinations for both you and the person in your care. In fact, a study conducted during the 2010-2011 flu season found that the flu vaccine reduced the risk of flu-associated hospitalizations among people 50 and older by half!

If you’ve accepted the role of caregiver, you probably have a lot of questions running through your mind: How can I do a good job? What do I need to learn? Who can I turn to for help?

How can I ensure my loved one’s health and safety?

CDC Vaccination Guidelines for Seniors

Influenza — When you’re caring for a senior, a flu shot should probably become an annual tradition. Unlike many vaccinations, the flu shot isn’t a one-and-done deal; each year the various strains of flu wax and wane, so every year the formulation of the vaccination is slightly different. The CDC recommends seniors receive this vaccine every single flu season. After all, like we said before, this vaccine significantly reduces the risk of hospitalization for seniors!

TDAP — “TDAP” stands for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (a.k.a. whooping cough). All three diseases can be incredibly painful or even deadly, which is why this vaccine made the CDC’s list of recommended vaccines for seniors. Unlike the flu shot, the TDAP vaccine is only needed once, but you’ll need a booster every 10 years or after an injury as it could result in exposure to the bacteria that causes these illnesses.

Shingles — Shingles is a painful skin condition caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. Approximately 99% of Americans born before 1980 have had chickenpox, so that means most of us may be at risk for shingles later in life. Your chances of getting shingles increase as you get older, which is why the CDC recommends that adults age 50 and older get vaccinated against shingles.

Pneumococcal Polysaccharide — This vaccine, also called PPSV23, is effective against 23 types of bacteria that can cause pneumococcal disease, which includes ear infections, sinus infections, meningitis, bacteremia (a bloodstream infection) and pneumonia. Most people need only one dose of this vaccine; however, a second dose and/or another type of pneumococcal vaccine called PCV13 are recommended for certain high-risk groups.

COVID-19 — At the time of this writing, two COVID-19 vaccines have been authorized for emergency use by the FDA. The CDC has advised that a vaccine is an important consideration to help stop the pandemic. Learn more about why you should get the COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available to you, as well as facts and fiction about the COVID-19 vaccine.

And don’t forget to get your flu shot!

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