NORWICH – The 365 seniors who got flu shots Wednesday at the Norwich YMCA also had the opportunity to test their blood sugar, learn more about preventative health measures and gather information on health care coverage.
The annual clinic, organized by the county Public Health Department and the Area Agency on Aging, also featured a blood pressure station, cancer screening literature, confidential HIV testing and nursing home and housing information.
Organizers say the event is designed to serve two purposes: Lessen the impact of seasonal influenza on local seniors – who are at the highest risk, along with small children, of being hospitalized by the virus – and educate them about healthy living. Several smaller clinics are scheduled throughout October across the county.
Siiri Fernandez says getting a flu shot every year is a good habit, one of many health-conscious practices the Oxford resident believes are important as people get older.
“I’m fairly healthy for a 75-year-old woman. I’m on no medications, I have no chronic conditions, no heart problems or high cholesterol,” Fernandez said Wednesday, just after receiving her vaccine. “I am most concerned about brittle bones.”
Fernandez fell in a meadow two years ago and broke her leg. The bone healed quickly, she believes, as a result of taking vitamins, educating herself and taking preventative health measures prior to the fall. And, luckily, she wasn’t by herself when it happened.
“Fortunately, I wasn’t alone, there were people there to help me,” Fernandez said. “I think it’s important, if you don’t have someone close by, that you’re able to line up people, develop a contact list, and create a list of resources in case something does happen, before it happens.”
The theme of this year’s clinic was “Aloha for Good Health.” Approximately 25 volunteers helped run the event along with nurses from public health – most wearing Hawaiian shirts and leis.
Jay Brown, 55, Norwich, had triple bypass surgery earlier this year, and his doctor recommended he get a flu shot this year. He’s also had to keep a stricter diet and exercise more.
“Mainly I have to watch my diet, the portions, and stay away from fatty foods,” said Brown, who also has low-level diabetes. “I’ve found that breads, more than anything else, take my sugar way up.”
Brown said adjusting what he eats and working out are keys to leading a healthy lifestyle moving forward.
Health officials also warned seniors about the importance of securing personal information, such as medical insurance account numbers, to avoid being victimized in scams.
Ten nursing students from Binghamton University were on hand to take blood pressure and administer shots.
As for the flu, secondary pneumonia is the biggest threat to seniors and what can be potentially fatal. It can lead to lung, blood and brain infections, and is a greater threat to those with diabetes, heart and lung disease.
About 15 percent of the county’s population is 65 and over, according to census figures. That’s roughly 7,650 people.
According to CDC figures:
• The vaccine prevents the flu in 70 to 90 percent of healthy people below the age of 65.
• For those 65 and above that have chronic illnesses and aren’t in nursing homes, the shot keeps 30 to 70 percent from being hospitalized.
• For nursing home residents 65 and above, the vaccine is 50 to 60 percent effective in preventing hospitalization or pneumonia and 80 percent effective in preventing death from the flu.
Side effects of the flu vaccine can include fever, aches, redness, soreness and swelling around the shot, and can occur for one to two days after vaccination.
According to the center for disease control, five to twenty percent of the population gets the flu and more than 200,000 people are hospitalized from flu-related complications on average. About 36,000 of those cases are fatal.