Our Mom always said no to the flu shot. Don't know why but She never did for years. She even had that horrible Hong Kong flu and was out for days. She still talks and walks and knows me. Who am I to decide? Darn D.P.O.A. I have signed a do not resuscitate order already. Why prolong this awful dementia? Thoughts? So conflicted.
Use your own good judgment. For me, I will be taking NO life saving techniques if/when I am diagnosed with dementia. Who the heck wants to live like that?? Not me.
Lealonnie, I am sorry for your mom. I lost a sister at 52 to pneumonia.
In this case, If the person has never had a flu or pneumonia vaccine before, why start now?
If the person voluntarily chose to obtain flu/pneumonia vaccine injections throughout their life, I would give them.
Why? Because if someone got ill with the flu and it spread to others, the flu can be fatal for an elderly person. To me, anything that decreases the symptoms/severity is worth it.
Good luck with your decision.
As far as vaccinations, they ARE effective to support the body’s immunity. I am aware of the “Anti-Vax” movement and I hope it’s only that.....a trend. I can’t understand how vaccines against mumps and measles, tetanus, whooping cough, etc are available and proven effective yet a parent overrides years of research and data about the effectiveness of vaccines and denies the child the vaccine.
Yes, everyone IS entitled to their opinion. It’s all good.
If the majority of people that come into the facility have had a Flu shot then she would be sort of protected by what is called "Herd Immunity". But if many people do not have a flu shot then her risk of getting the flu increases.
And she is in an environment that is loaded with bacteria of all types. So flu is just a minor player along with Norovirus and Shingles not to mention staph and MRSA.
As an older person her immune system is compromised to begin with and living in a community she is exposed to more.
I guess the answer would be how healthy is she at this point? and could she survive a nasty bout of flu?
I feel like I am on a see saw with this answer but you know her best and if you feel that she would decline the flu shot then decline it.
I had my Husband get the flu shot when he was going to Adult Day Care and I continued when I kept him at home because I did not want to have to deal with a person with dementia that was having all the nasty results of the flu.
other bit of advice...always make the best decision you can and don't regret that decision with 20/20 hindsight.
Seems to be the answer is no. No flu shot. She wouldn’t consent to it if she could. And it only covers certain strains anyway. So I wouldn’t give her a flu shot. FWIW I get a flu shot every year so I’m not anti flu shot/anti vaccine.