Vaccinations for the Elderly: What Do You Need to Know?
Are you worried that your elderly loved one hasn’t gotten all the vaccinations they need? If so, you should schedule them an appointment with their doctor. When you or a personal care at home provider takes your elderly loved one to the doctor, you can ask which vaccinations they recommend. Each doctor may have similar recommendations, however, it is important that your elderly loved one ask their doctor about this. The health conditions that your elderly loved one has may impact the recommendations.
Here are some common vaccinations that senior citizens often get.
Flu Shot
One of the most common vaccinations for the elderly is the flu shot. Most doctors will recommend that senior citizens get this vaccination. It helps to protect against the flu. While there is no 100% guarantee that your elderly loved one won’t get the flu if they receive this vaccination, it does reduce the symptoms they get if they do come down with the flu.
Do you want to know more about your elderly loved one getting this vaccination? Are you unable to make it to the appointment? If so, you can make a list of your questions. A home care provider can ask the doctor those questions when they take your elderly loved one to the doctor.
Tdap
The Tdap vaccination has been around for a long time. If your elderly loved one was exposed to the virus that this vaccination fights off, their doctor will likely recommend they get the Tdap vaccine once every 10 years after they were first exposed. If your elderly loved one didn’t have this vaccination yet or they haven’t gotten it in 10 years or more, make sure you discuss that with their primary care physician. They can give the proper recommendations on whether your elderly loved one should still be getting this vaccination.
Covid-19
Unfortunately, just like with many other viruses and illnesses, Covid-19 is still around and not going away anytime soon. If your elderly loved one hasn’t gotten the Covid-19 vaccination yet, you or a personal care at home provider should take them to see their doctor. Your elderly loved one’s doctor will make a recommendation on whether they should get the vaccine based on their health history and current health status.
Conclusion
These are some of the common vaccinations that elderly people often get. It is important that you or a senior care provider take your elderly loved one to see their doctor. The doctor can give more personalized recommendations on which vaccinations your elderly loved one should be getting.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Personal Care at Home in Colts Neck, NJ, please contact the caring staff at Lares Home Care 888-492-3538 or 732-566-1112.
Sources
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/adults/rec-vac/index.html
