Immunizations Later in Life: A Guide

        As a child, immunizations make up a large part of early doctor visits. But as we age, the importance of immunizations doesn’t necessarily decrease. There are quite a few vaccinations that are recommended for adults, as well. 
The CDC has developed an easy to read chart that helps you to outline which vaccinations may be needed, and when the proper time to get them is. In today’s healthcare system, important things such as the topic of vaccinations or other preventive measures are often overlooked because the concentration is on the disease already at hand. The vaccines recommended for those over 60 include an annual flu vaccine, Td booster every 10 years, varicella, zoster (shingles), and pneumococcal (pneumonia). There are also four other vaccinations that are recommended for individuals that already have other health conditions. This chart can be accessed by going to the following website: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/downloads/adult/adult-schedule-easy-read.pdf. This website also offers other great resources such as a quiz that can tell you which vaccinations are needed in your particular situation and for what reasons; it then gives you a list that you can print off and take to your doctor. 
As an adult, vaccinations become more of your responsibility because you are the one who must initiate the doctors appointment to discuss vaccinations with your healthcare provider. The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases began a campaign titled adultvaccination.org to help promote the importance of these vaccinations. This organization also came up with a list of 10 reasons to be vaccinated. 
10 Reasons To Be Vaccinated

• Vaccine-preventable diseases haven’t gone away
• Vaccines will help keep you healthy.
• Vaccines are as important to your overall health as diet and exercise.
• Vaccination can mean the difference between life and death.
• Vaccines are safe.
• Vaccines won’t give you the disease they are designed to prevent.
• Young and healthy people can get very sick, too.
• Vaccine-preventable diseases are expensive.
• When you get sick, your children, grandchildren and parents are at risk, too.
• Your family and coworkers need you. 

For more information about these 10 reasons, please visit: http://www.adultvaccination.org/10-reasons-to-be-vaccinated. 
It has been found that vaccine-preventable diseases kill more US adults annually than either breast cancer, HIV/AIDS, or motor vehicle traffic accidents. These diseases are preventable, but yet many adults do not know this. Healthcare costs from treating these diseases are very high. The cost of treating just two vaccine-preventable diseases --- influenza and pneumonia --- in the US, is estimated to cost over $35 billion per year. Our efforts need to focus on educating the adult population on the importance of vaccinations and how to obtain them. Our country’s economy has been suffering for quite some time, by encouraging vaccinations the cost of treating diseases will fall significantly and has the potential to impact our overall economic state by decreasing healthcare costs. 
When it comes to promoting vaccinations for adults, education is the key. Adults must understand the importance of each vaccination and make an educated decision on which are right for them. Healthcare today must aim at preventing diseases, and not solely treating them. By making this change to preventive medicine people may have the potential to live healthier and longer lives. 
Imagine yourself at the age of 65 becoming infected with shingles. When asked if you received the herpes zoster (shingles) vaccine, you are clueless and did not know that there was such a thing. Apparently anyone who previously had chicken pox is at risk for contracting shingles. You develop post-herpatic neuralgia (PHN), which affects one in five people infected with shingles. You are no longer able to live the social life you did before. No more card games on Wednesday nights, no more being active with your grandchildren, and getting to church on Sunday is almost unbearable. Doctors say that this may last months or even years. You realize that all of this could have been prevented if you had just KNOWN about the vaccine. 
This scenario unfortunately is not uncommon. Each year many lives are affected by Shingles and other preventable diseases. 
By getting your recommended vaccinations you are giving yourself the potential to live a healthier, happier, and longer life. Take a shot at life....get immunized!

Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d). Recommended Immunizations for        Adults. Retrieved September 20, 2012, from    http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/downloads/adult/adult- schedule-easy-      read.pdf.

National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. (n.d). Adult Vaccination. Retrieved    September 22, 2012, from www.adultvaccination.org