50+ Lifestyles

Flu and Older Adults

From Milestones Agency on Aging

The best way to protect against the flu and its potentially serious complications is with an annual flu vaccine. Flu vaccination has many benefits. It has been shown to reduce the risk of getting sick with the flu and to lessen the likelihood of severe outcomes, which can lead to hospitalization or even death.

Although immune responses to vaccination may be lower in older adults, studies have consistently found that flu vaccination is effective in reducing the risk of medical visits and hospitalizations in this population. Higher-dose and adjuvanted flu vaccines are potentially more effective than standard-dose, unadjuvanted flu vaccines for people in this age group and are preferred over a regular-dose flu vaccine.

• Flu vaccination is especially important for people 65 years and older because they are at higher risk of developing serious flu complications.
• While flu seasons vary in severity, most seasons show that people 65 years and older bear the greatest burden of severe flu disease.
• The CDC and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) preferentially recommend higher-dose flu vaccines (including high-dose inactivated and recombinant vaccines) or adjuvanted inactivated flu vaccines over standard-dose unadjuvanted vaccines for people 65 years and older.
• The CDC recommends prompt antiviral treatment for people who have the flu or suspected flu and are at higher risk of serious complications, such as those 65 years and older.

People 65 years and older are at higher risk of developing serious flu complications compared with younger, healthy adults. This increased risk is due, in part, to changes in immune defenses that come with age. While flu seasons vary in severity, most seasons show that people 65 years and older experience the most severe flu disease. For example, in recent years, an estimated 70% to 85% of seasonal flu-related deaths have occurred in people 65 years and older, and between 50% and 70% of seasonal flu-related hospitalizations have been among people in this age group.

People 65 years and older should not receive a nasal spray vaccine. Talk to your healthcare professional to determine the best vaccination approach, especially if you have heart or kidney disease, asthma, or diabetes. Call your healthcare provider right away if you experience flu symptoms. The CDC recommends prompt antiviral treatment for people who have the flu or suspected flu and who are at higher risk of serious complications, such as people 65 years and older.

Milestones Agency on Aging is offering $10 gift cards at the Main at Locust Pharmacy to those receiving COVID vaccinations. While supplies last. For more information, visit MilestonesAAA.org.

Source: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/highrisk/65over.

Milestones Area Agency on Aging can connect caregivers to valuable community programs, educational opportunities, respite care options, and guidance on access to local services. For more information on how we can assist caregivers, visit MilestonesAAA.org.