Vaccines tend to be thought of as kids’ stuff. A baby’s first needle or crying toddlers with superman Band-Aids on its arm after a booster shot are the images that are typically conjured when one thinks of vaccinations. But to seniors in America, vaccinations are an essential part of aging successfully.  

Vaccinations are not a once in a lifetime occurrence. As we age, our bodies become susceptible to more diseases and proper medical intervention can be the difference between a long and painful illness and a carefree winter.  

Though there are many vaccines that can help seniors, three are of the utmost importance: Influenza, Pneumonia, and Shingles.  

Available at pharmacies and even grocery stores, the flu vaccine is probably the most widely available of the three. It offers seniors the chance to get some protection from a strain of the flu. This is important because, while never a walk in the park, the flu can become a serious illness for seniors who contract it.  

Another disease that can easily weaken seniors, pneumonia, can also be prevented with a vaccine. Each year, seven percent of the people who contract pneumonia die, and these numbers go up in the senior population. It is an illness that can easily weaken an aging person and can lead to hospital stays and a whole host of medical problems. Talk to your doctor about scheduling a pneumonia vaccine, as the full vaccine requires two precisely timed shots.  

Finally, shingles is a vaccine that everyone over 50 should consider. A recurrence of the chicken pox virus in your body, shingles leads to pain, rashes, and in some cases hospitalization. Pain from the shingles can last even after the disease has gone, sometimes for years. Help yourself and other seniors from a painful outbreak with a simple shot.  At Capital City Nurses, we believe that preventive measures like getting vaccines is a worthwhile consideration. It might make sense to inquire about these three vaccines, make an appointment with your doctor.