By Lauren Wendl
As our bodies age, we become more vulnerable to infection and it becomes even more important to ensure that we are taking all precautions to maintain a high quality of life. The first vaccination was performed over 200 years ago, and vaccines still play a pivotal role in current preventative medical care. For more information on which vaccines are right for you, as well as answers to other basic medical questions, please follow the links below.
The following link from Vaccines.Gov provides a comprehensive list of all vaccines that the elder population should receive. The site provides links to determine a personalized list of vaccines based on each individual’s medical history.
https://www.vaccines.gov/who_and_when/seniors/index.html
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention answers common questions regarding vaccines for people of various ages and medical conditions.
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/common-faqs.htm
The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases provides a fact sheet about common questions and misconceptions regarding vaccines and the adult population. The sheet discusses who should get vaccinated, the role of insurance in paying for vaccinations, and the impact that different preventable diseases have on various demographic populations.
http://www.nfid.org/publications/factsheets/facts.html
Texas Medical Association provides a fact sheet in both Spanish and English which discusses the importance of staying vaccinated as we age, as well as tips on how to stay up-to-date on immunization records.
https://www.texmed.org/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=23245
The CDC’s National Vaccine Program Office presented a 2017 webinar on aging, the immune system, and vaccinations. The presentation covered the immune systems of older adults and how new research is changing the design of vaccines for seniors. A recording of the webinar is available through their website.
https://www2.cdc.gov/vaccines/ed/nvpo/archives/9_26_2017.asp