{"id":68458,"date":"2016-08-23T14:26:38","date_gmt":"2016-08-23T14:26:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.comfortkeepers.ca\/toronto\/recommended-immunizations-toronto-seniors\/"},"modified":"2026-08-20T19:08:43","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T19:08:43","slug":"recommended-immunizations-toronto-seniors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.comfortkeepers.ca\/toronto\/recommended-immunizations-toronto-seniors\/","title":{"rendered":"Recommended Immunizations for Toronto Seniors"},"content":{"rendered":"

Across Canada and the U.S. it is estimated that 45,000 adults die annually from complications due to vaccine-preventable diseases.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The cold and flu season is just around the corner. The air gets colder, making it easier for the flu virus to spread. Cold, dry air thins out the mucus lining in your nasal cavities and irritates your lungs. School is in session and people are gathered together indoors more often, increasing the chances of germs spreading. It is no wonder why the cold and flu season is in the colder months. The good thing is there are preventative measures you and your senior loved one can take to reduce the number of cold and flu symptoms you experience.<\/p>\n

Vaccinations Reduce Death Rates in Seniors<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Several preventable diseases can cause serious illness and even death
\nin unvaccinated seniors. Many adults believe that they do not need vaccinations, or worry about their side effects, but people age 65 and older are at higher risk of complications from the actual diseases.<\/p>\n

There are many reasons why seniors should keep up on their vaccinations. They may not have been vaccinated when they were children, new vaccinations may have been developed and are now available, or their immunity may have expired over time. Even more important, seniors are particularly susceptible to serious and life-threatening infections.<\/p>\n

The more crucial vaccinations seniors should discuss with their doctors include the flu vaccine, pneumococcal vaccine to prevent pneumonia, the shingles vaccine, and a tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis vaccine (Tdap).<\/p>\n

How Immunizations Work On The Senior Body<\/strong><\/h2>\n

A vaccine provides immunity from a disease, and can be administered through needle injections, by mouth, or by aerosol. A vaccine will contain the same germs or a part of the germ that causes a certain disease. A good example is the measles vaccine contains measles virus. But the virus is either killed or weakened to the point that it doesn\u2019t make you sick.<\/p>\n

A vaccine stimulates your immune system to produce antibodies, exactly like it would if you were exposed to the disease. After getting vaccinated, you develop immunity to that disease without having to get the disease first. So, unlike medicine, instead of treating or curing diseases \u2013 it actually prevents them.<\/p>\n

Recommended Vaccinations for Toronto’s<\/strong> Seniors<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Influenza Vaccine for Seniors<\/h3>\n

Over 60 percent of seasonal flu-related hospitalizations occur in people 65 years and older. That\u2019s why it is recommended that most adults get an annual flu vaccination. Getting an annual flu vaccine is necessary because immunity is short-lived, and manufacturers update the vaccine annually to ensure that it is as effective as possible against the most current virus. The vaccine is usually available September through April each year, but it depends on supply.<\/p>\n

Speak to your doctor before getting the flu shot if you are allergic to eggs, latex, have had a severe reaction to the flu vaccine previously, or have had Guillain-Barre syndrome. Patients with fevers should wait to be vaccinated until the illness subsides.<\/p>\n

Pneumococcal Vaccine for Seniors<\/h3>\n

Pneumonia causes significant illness in seniors and is responsible for 60,000 deaths each year. People 65 years or older need a series of two different vaccines for pneumococcal disease. Talk with your health care team about how to schedule them, and let them know if you have had a pneumococcal vaccine before.<\/p>\n

There are currently two types of pneumococcal vaccines available for seniors:<\/h4>\n