Flu Prevention

• Two vaccine options are available, the flu shot and the nasal spray vaccine. Only the shot is advised for the elderly because it gives the most accurate and complete protection. The spray is recommended only for groups who are not at a high risk of getting the flu.
  
  An elderly person should get the flu vaccine shot in the early part of the fall. The vaccines usually become available in September or October, but if you are not available for a shot then, you can still get one at any time. It takes about two weeks to build up an immunity to influenza.
  
  The elderly should get a flu shot every year. The flu strains change each year, so the elderly need to continually protect themselves.
  
  Even if they do not consider themselves "elderly," all adults who are 50 or older should get a flu shot each year. Similarly, adults over the age of 50 who suffer from asthma, lung diseases, heart disease or diabetes should get a flu shot every year without exception. Likewise, all residents of nursing homes should get flu shots.
  
  The safety of the nasal spray vaccine has not been proved in the elderly and in people who have medical conditions like asthma.
  
  

Cold Prevention

• It is difficult to prevent a cold entirely, but there are steps the elderly can take to reduce their risks.
  
  Avoid close contact with a person who has a cold especially during the sufferer's first few days, when she is most likely to spread the infection. Washing your hands, regardless of whether you are around somebody who has a cold, decreases the risk of getting a cold. Keep waterless hand sanitizer with you.
  
  Avoid excessive drinking and smoking, which can weaken your immune system. On the other hand, a healthy diet can boost your immune system.
  
  Keeping warm becomes even more important as you get older. Wear hats and blankets when out in the cold, even if just for a moment.
  
  In all actuality, there is no easy way to prevent a cold. Common sense, good hygience and a healthy diet go a long way toward avoiding the germs the elderly are so susceptible to.