Page 10 - Mid Valley Times 2-6-20 E-edition

Thursday, February 6, 2020 | A10 | Mid Valley TiMes
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What family members of Seniors need to know
By Jim Dueck
e family of seniors are often the rst people to get involved when seniors need care. When preparing to help, you may want to
start with their legal docu- ments. It is helpful to have a will, an advanced health care directive and power
of attorney for health care and nances. Review these documents to make sure they are up to date.
In order for seniors to receive what they want and need, have a written plan that speci es who will take care of them if they cannot care for themselves, where care will be provided and how the care be paid for. Health Insurance bene ts can change from year to
year so it is a good idea to review this on an annual basis. As seniors age, they may need rehabilitation and physical therapy. is is an area where it is important to know what will be covered and for how long.
Have a list of all current medications, both prescrip- tion and over the counter, with instructions regarding how they are to be taken. Find a way to determine if medications are being taken correctly and if medication management by someone else is needed.
Family members can sud- denly nd themselves thrust into caring for seniors for
a variety of reasons. I have worked with families who have planned ahead and families who have not. I believe it is best to begin
to talk with your parents and get to know the details of their life before health changes.
Taking care of aging fam- ily members can be costly in more ways than one. Mil- lions of Americans today are caring for someone with
a serious health issue. ose caregivers often report poor health themselves and may shortchange their own nancial future. e aver- age caregiver, if he or she leaves the workforce, could lose hundreds of thousands of dollars or more in wages, Social Security and pension bene ts.
Being well informed, before health changes, can help to reduce stress for your family and the seniors who will likely need care in the future.
Newborn babies endure quite a bit in the rst few days and months of their lives. Routine immunizations help newborns overcome these ob- stacles, and as newborns get old they receive vaccines to prevent measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis, and chicken pox.
A common misconception suggests that vaccines are only for the young. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that the protection provided by some
childhood vaccines can wear o . In addition, some people may be at risk for certain vaccine-preventable dis- eases due to lifestyle, existing health conditions and age. As a result, it’s important for adults to make sure their vaccines are up-to-date.
ose who are unsure of their vac- cine status should discuss their health history with their doctors. In the meantime, adults should know that the following vaccines are recom- mended for people of various ages.
• In uenza: An annual u shot is highly recommended. Doctors and health o cials indicate that getting the u vaccine is the single most ef- fective way to prevent seasonal u or reduce the duration and severity of the illness should it be contracted.
• Tdap: is vaccine contains strains of tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough). All three are im- plicated in serious illnesses or death, according to WebMD. Just about ev- ery person, young and old, should re- ceive the Tdap vaccine. e CDC says that every adult should get the Tdap vaccine once if they did not receive it as an adolescent. en a Td booster shot every 10 years is su cient.
• Shingles: People who have been exposed to varicella (chicken pox) in their youth are at risk for shingles as they grow older. e CDC says nearly one out of three people in the United
States will develop shingles in their lifetime. A shingles vaccine can pro- tect against shingles and complica- tions from the disease. Adults who are 50 and older should get the vaccine, which is administered in two doses.
• Pneumococcal polysaccharide vac- cine (PPSV23): is vaccine protects against serious pneumococcal diseas- es, including meningitis and blood- stream infections. It is recommended for all adults age 65 and older.
• Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV 13): is protects against seri- ous pneumococcal disease and pneu- monia. Adults 65 years or older who have never received a dose of PCV13 should discuss PCV13 with their physicians.
Vaccines protect the very young from various diseases, but there are many vaccines that are still vital to health in adulthood.
Recommended vaccines for adults
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