Aging Parents, the Flu and a Higher-Dose Vaccine – What You Need To Know

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If you’ve been reading the Moms & Munchkins blog for a while now, you’ll know I have a weakness for desserts and all things party-related. I’ll never turn down a slice of cake, my mind is always busy thinking of unique & silly party ideas, and I enjoy celebrating all of life’s special events. Some random things about me you may not already know, I eat healthy 90% of the time (I know it doesn’t look that way on my Instagram feed), I exercise 6 days a week for an hour every day and I actually enjoy it, I have a tattoo of a chicken on my ankle because my dad’s nickname for me as a child was Chicken Lips, my fulltime job is writing so I’m self-employed and work from home, I’m divorced (have been separated since 2015) and I am a single mom with full custody of my 6 year old son.

As a business owner and single mom, my schedule can get quite hectic. Between work, errands, activities and school for my son, plus squeezing in time for a social life, it often feels like I don’t have enough hours in the day. My parents live in the same neighbourhood and I am so incredibly thankful for their support. My son often has sleepovers at my parent’s house, he loves going there to play after school and I know I can always count on my parents if I need someone to watch my son when I have tight work deadlines or an event to attend. Seeing the bond my son has with my parents is priceless. They adore each other and I am so thankful that my son is able to have that close relationship with his grandparents.

Higher Dose Flu Vaccine

Higher Dose Flu Vaccine

As my parents get older, I worry more about their health. Although they love having my son over at their house, I don’t want them to feel too worn out from keeping up with a very active and talkative 6 year old. We all want our parents to live long, happy, healthy lives so even though I don’t want to sound like the parent to my parents, I do give them information to consider regarding doctor checks and preventative health ideas.

Did you know that adults 65 and older are considered to be at high risk for influenza complications or hospitalization? The seasonal flu can worsen chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension, and trigger strokes and heart attacks. Scary, right? Due to a phenomenon called immunosenescence, our immune systems weaken as we age. And while the standard dose flu shot is still an important option for seniors, did you know that it’s approximately 50% less effective in those over 65 than in younger healthy adults? So what can we do about it? There is a higher dose flu vaccine for adults over 65 which is shown to be more effective in seniors than the standard dose flu shot. For more information on the flu in seniors, talk to your health care provider or visit CARP.ca/flu.

*Disclosure: This article has been sponsored by Sanofi Pasteur, but the opinions shared are my own

2 thoughts on “Aging Parents, the Flu and a Higher-Dose Vaccine – What You Need To Know”

  1. One issue with the higher dose flu vaccine is that it is not covered by the Ontario government.One would think that if they recommend it, they would at least cover the amount they do for the regular dose, leaving the remainder to be covered by the patient. And it it is THAT effective and keeps seniors out of hospital, surely the whole cost is worth covering….it’s a helluva lot cheaper than what they would shell out for hospital stays!

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