Flu + You Lunch and Learn Event

ORLANDO, Fla., Sept. 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Orange County Office on Aging and the Senior Resource Alliance are hosting an educational event and flu clinic for 150 older adults in the Greater Orlando area.  Attendees will obtain information about the dangers of the flu and the importance of receiving an annual influenza vaccination as the best way to help protect themselves from influenza and the complications that may result if they contract the flu. These efforts are part of a new national campaign called Flu + You from the National Council on Aging (NCOA), which is designed to help educate older adults, their caregivers, and family members about influenza prevention and available vaccine options.

The immune system weakens with age, leaving adults 65 and older at highest risk for developing influenza and suffering its potentially deadly complications. Each year in the United States more than nine out of 10 flu-related deaths and more than six out of 10 flu-related hospitalizations occur in people over the age of 65.

"Despite the risks influenza poses to older adults, more than 34 percent of adults 65 and older in Florida did not get their flu shot during the 2010-2011 influenza season," said Mimi Reggentin, Program Manager at the Orange County Office on Aging. "Older adults are an important part of the Orlando community and we want to help keep them active and healthy. This is why understanding their risk and taking action to prevent influenza is so crucial for older adults."

As part of the Flu + You campaign in Orlando, the Orange County Office on Aging, Orange County Health Department and Senior Resource Alliance will host an educational event and flu clinic at the Marks Street Senior Center on September 21 at 10:00 a.m. Suyrea Reynolds, Orange County Commission on Aging chair; The Honorable Ted Edwards, Orange County Commissioner, District 5; The Honorable Scott Randolph, Florida House of Representatives, District 36; Dr. Kevin Sherin, Orange County Health Department director; and Dr. Michael Nicoula, Florida Hospital geriatric fellow will present to older adults about influenza and vaccination for their age group.

Vaccination is safe and effective and the best way to prevent influenza. In fact, annual influenza immunization is recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older including older adults. So while it is helpful to take other preventative measures, such as covering coughs, washing hands, and staying away from people who are sick, to prevent the spread of influenza virus, these cannot replace vaccination as the best method of protection.

"Even healthy older adults can suffer from serious flu-related complications like pneumonia, which can result in death," said Dr. Sherin. "Vaccination is the best defense against the flu, and I urge everyone to help protect themselves by getting an annual flu shot as soon as it is available each year and for older adults to understand how critically important this action can be."

Adults 65 and older have two vaccine options available – the traditional flu shot, as well as a higher dose flu vaccine designed to address the age-related decline of the immune system to trigger a stronger immune response following influenza immunization. Both options are among the vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for adults 65 years of age and older and are covered by Medicare Part B with no copay.

Older adults should talk to their health care providers about influenza and the vaccine options available to them. For more information on vaccination clinics in Orlando contact Mimi Reggentin at (407) 836-6563. For more information on the Flu + You campaign or to download educational materials, visit www.ncoa.org/Flu.

About Orange County Government
Orange County Government strives to serve its citizens and guests with integrity, honesty, fairness and professionalism. Located in Central Florida, Orange County includes 13 municipalities and is home to world famous theme parks, the nation's second largest convention center, and a thriving life science research park. Seven elected members make up the Board of County Commissioners including the Mayor who is elected countywide. For more information please visit www.OCFL.net or go to the Orange County facebook and twitter pages.

About Orange County Health Department
The Orange County Health Department strives for superior community health promotion, protection and preparedness. The agency places special emphasis on health education, maternal and child health, epidemiology, environmental health, school health, dental care services, and a variety of other programs. The health department's mission is to promote, protect and improve the health of all people in Orange County Florida. For more information, go to www.orchd.com. 

About Flu + You Initiative
NCOA, with the support of Sanofi Pasteur, has developed educational materials designed to reach older adults, caregivers, and health care providers with critical information regarding influenza and immunization options.

For more information on Flu + You, visit www.ncoa.org/Flu.

About NCOA  
The National Council on Aging is a nonprofit service and advocacy organization headquartered in Washington, DC. NCOA is a national voice for millions of older adults—especially those who are vulnerable and disadvantaged—and the community organizations that serve them. It brings together nonprofit organizations, businesses, and government to develop creative solutions that improve the lives of all older adults. NCOA works with thousands of organizations across the country to help seniors find jobs and benefits, improve their health, live independently, and remain active in their communities. For more information, please visit: www.NCOA.org | www.facebook.com/NCOAging | www.twitter.com/NCOAging

For more information, contact:

Mimi Reggentin
Orange County Office on Aging
(407) 836-6563
[email protected]

Eliza Schleifstein
National Council on Aging
(973) 361-1546
[email protected]

SOURCE Orange County Office of Aging