Some seniors might believe that vaccines are only for babies and children, that they don’t need them as adults. However, our immune systems tend to weaken as we get older, putting us at a higher risk of serious illness.

Did you know? An estimated 1 million Americans get shingles every year, and about half of them are 60 years old or older. About 3,000 to 49,000 people in the US die of flu and related illnesses. An estimated 90% of these deaths are in adults 65 years old or older. –Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Vaccinations can prevent dangerous and often deadly infectious disease. Vaccines help individuals develop immunity to a disease by imitating an infection. This imitation of an infection does not cause illness, but causes the immune system to produce T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes which are helpful to the body’s defense of the disease (CDC, 2013). After immunization, there is a memory bank of the T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes specific to the disease that allows the body to remember how to fight the disease if needed in the future.

The most common reasons seniors don’t vaccinate are related to cost, convenience, and transportation issues, and also the misconception that a disease will be contracted because of a vaccination.

Side effects can occur with vaccinations, just as they can occur with any medication. Common side effects — which are usually minimal and depend on the specific vaccination — are rash, slight fever, and soreness at the site of injection. These symptoms are usually self-limiting and are considered normal. The risks of having a severe reaction to a vaccination are far less serious than the risk of getting the disease from not vaccinating.

If an individual has had a severe reaction to a vaccination in the past they should consult their family physician prior to receiving vaccinations. If you have the disease at the time of vaccination or shortly after, you may get the disease because the immune system has not had time to provide adequate protection.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the following vaccines for adults:

• Influenza vaccine, which protects against seasonal flu (for all adults)
• Tdap vaccine, which protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (also known as whooping cough) (for all adults)
• Pneumococcal vaccine, which protects against pneumococcal diseases that cause infections in the lungs, blood, brain and ear (for all adults over 65 years old, and for adults younger than 65 years who have certain chronic health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, or who smoke)
• Zoster vaccine, which protects against shingles (for adults 60 years or older)

For those individuals with an egg allergy who have not been able to receive the flu vaccine, there is a flu vaccine which has less egg protein in it than previous flu vaccines which may be an acceptable option to have at the discretion of the primary care provider. Each year’s flu vaccination is designed to protect against the three or four anticipated strains of flu that are expected to be common in the upcoming flu season.

The tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis vaccine should have a booster every 10 years.

Two doses of the varicella or chickenpox vaccine should have been received as a child, or talk to your primary healthcare provider about getting this vaccination. One dose of the zoster or shingles vaccine should be given after the age of 60. Shingles which is also known as herpes zoster, is caused by a reactivation of the chickenpox virus. Shingles can be debilitating and can cause a severe and painful skin rash.

One dose of the pneumococcal vaccine should be given on or after the age of 65. The pneumococcal vaccine helps prevent serious diseases such as pneumonia.

Some vaccines require more than one dose to allow the body to build up adequate immunity to the disease. In certain individuals at higher risk related to a health condition, occupation or lifestyle, it is suggested that three doses of the pneumococcal vaccine be given prior to age 65.

Adults at higher risk may also be advised to receive one or more doses of the meningococcal vaccine, two doses of the hepatitis A vaccine and three doses of the hepatitis B vaccine (CDC, 2013).

It is important to have a yearly physical with a primary healthcare provider, who keeps current with recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (CDC, 2013). As society becomes more mobile with international travel, common diligence in following recommended immunization guidelines is critical.

If adults stop getting recommended vaccinations, there is a risk of preventable disease epidemics to occur.  We should get vaccinations not only to protect ourselves, but to protect our children, grandchildren, friends, and neighbors by not contracting and spreading preventable diseases or illness.

The value of vaccination does not go away with aging. Keep a record of all vaccinations and stay informed about vaccinations. As a general practice, always consult your primary healthcare provider prior to obtaining vaccinations.

 Pam Thomas, RN, MSN, CCRN, is an instructor in the undergraduate nursing program at the University of Southern Indiana (USI).