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As part of National Immunization Awareness Month, the CDC is encouraging communities to plan local health screenings or fairs as well as media events and other related efforts at immunization outreach.

Immunization is one of the most significant public health advances of the modern age. With vaccines, we have managed to eradicate smallpox. Wild polio virus was a significant threat back when today’s elderly were children and it has now been eliminated in the USA. The incidence of other diseases such as measles, diphtheria, rubella, pertussis and other diseases has been drastically reduced.

Despite the best efforts of modern medicine, there are still people in the U.S. who succumb to vaccine-preventable diseases.

Today’s vaccines represent safe and effective protection from infectious diseases. Individuals should keep up-to-date on the recommended vaccines so that they can protect themselves, their loved ones and their communities from serious and life-threatening diseases.

Shingles is a disease that can be life threatening to elderly patients. A vaccine for this disease is now available to those over 60, but relatively few people are getting this vaccine. This is partly because of its recent approval and partly because many people are unaware of the potential severity of the disease.

Information about the shingles vaccine (pdf)

For more information on home health care contact Oxford Healthcare.

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The elderly are at greater risk of becoming seriously ill from West Nile Virus than the rest of us.  The West Nile Virus was first identified as having arrived in the USA in 1999.  Many elderly people are relatively unfamiliar with this disease because it wasn’t around when they were younger.  Over the past decade, this disease has spread over much of the country.  318 confirmed human cases have occurred in Oklahoma and of those cases 20 people have died.

The disease is carried by mosquitoes.  It is fatal to several bird species.  A sudden increase in dead birds in an area is an indication that the disease may be present in the local mosquito population.

July to October is the period when the mosquitoes that carry West Nile Virus are most active in Oklahoma.   The disease can strike people at any age but those over 50 are at greater risk of developing severe symptoms.

The obvious way to prevent this disease is to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes.   To do this, apply an effective insect repellent when you go outdoors for activities such as gardening, yard work, camping, or other leisure activities.  Mosquitoes tend to feed during the evening or early in the morning.  Staying inside during these times of day is a precaution worth considering.

Care should also be taken to minimize any standing water around the outside of the home. If standing water cannot be drained, it can be treated with an appropriate larvacide.

For more information on home health care contact Oxford Healthcare.

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Flu vaccines save lives. The majority of people who get flu shots are elderly. Ironically, the flu shot is less effective with older patients because of their weakened immune response. That means that it is even more important for everyone else to get flu shots. If caregivers, neighbors and grandchildren all get vaccinated against influenza, this helps to create a herd immunity.

A great example of how herd immunity can benefit the health of a population is chicken pox. This disease was accepted as a fact of life for generations and people were a bit dubious at first when a vaccine was approved and promoted. Before widespread vaccination, the cost of chicken pox to the health care system was $160 Million. After less than a decade of widespread vaccination that cost has dropped to about $60 million. Hospital stays related to chicken pox dropped by 75%.

The progress related to the flu vaccine is more complicated because flu strains change from year to year. Many elderly patients will actually receive a new type of vaccine this fall that is essentially double the dose that is given to people who are under 65. This is to compensate for the reduced response in elderly patients.

For more information on home health care contact Oxford Healthcare.

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The medical term for low blood sodium is hyponatremia. This is a serious condition that commonly occurs in the elderly as the result of other health conditions and sometimes as a side effect of medication. Signs and symptoms of hyponatremia may include:

• Nausea
• Headache
• Confusion
• Restlessness
• Drowsiness
• Loss of consciousness or coma

The concentration of salt in the blood is precisely controlled in normal healthy people. Various factors related to aging contribute to a higher rate of low blood sodium among the elderly. One study saw a prevalence of 2.5% in an acute care facility.

Low blood sodium can only be diagnosed with a blood test and it is very important that patients suffering from this condition receive timely hospital treatment.

For more information on home health care contact Oxford Healthcare.

Sources: Mayo Clinic, eMedicine