The Flu and Senior Citizens

It is the height of flu season, and many caregivers wonder whether their elderly patients should get a flu shot. There are many common misconceptions about the flu; the following will outline some of these concerns and possible solutions:



1. Getting a flu shot will NOT give the patient the flu, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Disease (NFID); the flu vaccine contains a dead virus, which cannot infect the patient; the patient may suffer side effects from the vaccine, which some caregivers misinterpret as the actual flu



2. While there is no "cure" for the flu, there are a few drugs such as Tamiflu or Relenza that can make the patient less contagious and also reduce the amount of time they suffer from the flu; antibiotics cannot fight the flu, since it is not a bacterial infection



3. If the patient does get the flu, that does not mean that they are immune for the rest of the flu season from getting it again; there are different strains of the flu virus and the flu is contagious



4. Even people who are young and healthy may benefit from the flu shot; the Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that everyone over the age of 6 months get the flu vaccine; for people over the age of 65, many doctors recommend that a flu shot is a good idea because of their aging immune systems



5. The flu is not caused by going outside in cold weather!



6. Getting a flu shot at any time during the flu season is beneficial, as the virus can sometimes peak as late as February or March.



Flu shots are relatively inexpensive, covered by Medicare and most private health insurances, and easy to get at your regular doctor’s office or even a local pharmacy. Many people will get the flu, suffer for a few days and then recover, but in extreme circumstances, the flu can be deadly, especially for those with diabetes, heart disease, or a compromised immune system. Caregivers should gather the facts and discuss the options with their patient when deciding whether to get a flu vaccine.



For more information, please visit http://www.trustedhandsnetwork.com