Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Gwinnett Medical Center - (Page 49)

PrimeTime HealtH You and the Flu This serious disease is dangerous for older adults. Protect yourself! F or most people, coming down with the flu means a week or two of misery and a few missed days of work or school. But for older adults and those who have chronic health conditions, it can be deadly. As you age, your immune system weakens. This weakening makes seniors—adults ages 65 and older— more susceptible to the flu. For seniors, the seasonal flu can be very serious, even deadly. Ninety percent of flu-related deaths and more than half of flu-related hospitalizations occur in people ages 65 and older. Each year, about 114,000 Americans are hospitalized and some 36,000 die because of the flu. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that everyone age 6 months and older get an annual flu shot. It is especially important to get the Call Become a member of PrimeTime Health, a comprehensive network of valuable services exclusively designed for adults ages 50 and older. To learn more, call 678-312-2676 or visit gwinnettmedicalcenter.org/ primetimehealth. Join PrimeTime Health More than half of flu-related hospitalizations occur in people ages 65 and older. vaccine if you, someone you live with or someone you care for is at high risk of complications from the flu, as is the case in older adults and those who have chronic health conditions. October through mid-November is the best time to be vaccinated. Medicare and many private health insurance plans may cover the cost of a flu shot. If you worry that getting flu shots might be harmful, here are a few flu facts: • The vaccine is made from killed viruses and cannot give you the flu. • Flu shots must be given annually because new vaccines are developed each year to fight changing viruses. Although October and November are optimal, January is not too late to get protected. • It takes about two weeks after receiving the shot to develop immunity. There is still a slight chance of coming down with the flu, because the vaccine isn’t 100 percent effective, but you won’t get as sick. • The shot is only effective against influenza, not cold and gastrointestinal viruses that can sometimes feel like the flu. • The vaccine is safe for most people. The risk of an allergic reaction to the vaccine is much less than the risk of dangerous complications, including pneumonia. But don’t get a shot if you’re allergic to eggs, have a history of Guillain-Barré syndrome or have had reactions to flu shots in the past. • Always check with your doctor before getting any medical treatment, even a flu shot. You can also ask your doctor whether it’s advisable for you to get a vaccine that helps fight pneumonia, one of the leading causes of death among older adults. Vim & Vigor • FAL L 2012 49 http://www.gwinnettmedicalcenter.org/primetimehealth http://www.gwinnettmedicalcenter.org/primetimehealth

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Gwinnett Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Gwinnett Medical Center
Contents
Phil’s Feature
Good Times for a Good Cause
Warm Fuzzies
30 Days to Better Sleep
I Can’t Ask My Doctor That!
He Said, She Said
Hold On to Your Health
Still A Screening Star
Your Joints: An Owner’s Manual
Weighing Your Options
No Greater Gift
Weather Alert
Virtual Health
PrimeTime Health
From the Heart
Putting Everything in Place
Out of the White Coat
Transforming Healthcare

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2012 - Gwinnett Medical Center