New Guide Helps Grandparents, Parents and Children Talk Together About Getting Life-Saving Vaccinations

WASHINGTON, June 2, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Valuing Vaccines Across the Generations, a campaign led by Generations United, today released a new downloadable discussion guide designed to spark conversations among generations about the importance of getting timely and life-saving vaccinations at all ages.

History confirms that immunizations are critical to individual health as well as family and community health. The new guide provides a timeline of vaccine development since the early 1900s as well as statistics about their use and effectiveness. It also offers conversation starters, questions, ideas, activities, "Vax Facts" and resources for all ages so that family members — from great-grandparents to children to grandfriends who are part of the larger family circle — can talk and learn together, across the generations, about this important topic.

Generations United launched the Valuing Vaccines Across the Generations campaign in February 2016, with support from Pfizer and in partnership with The Gerontological Society of America (GSA). The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently joined as the third major campaign partner.

The campaign promotes vaccinations through a lifespan approach by providing tools and resources to encourage intergenerational conversations. Beginning in the United States, the campaign currently is expanding into Japan, in partnership with the Japan NGO Council on Ageing (JANCO) and others.

"Vaccines prevent and even eliminate diseases over time and help create healthy intergenerational communities," said Generations United Executive Director Donna Butts. "We should be talking within our families and among our friends about why and how vaccinations can protect people at every age."

GSA Executive Director and CEO James Appleby, BSPharm, MPH, agreed. "Vaccines are a life-saving intervention for people of all ages. We don't want another polio pandemic, and we don't want current and future vaccine-preventable diseases to get a foothold in our communities. We are proud to be a part of a campaign that promotes the value of immunizations throughout the life course."

"There is no better way to prevent diseases in children than immunization. Vaccines have reduced infections from vaccine-preventable diseases by more than 90 percent," explained Benard P. Dreyer, MD, FAAP President, American Academy of Pediatrics. "Children and families can benefit from the wisdom of grandparents and even great-grandparents who can remember a time when measles, polio and other infectious diseases were common. These conversations can help prevent disease and ultimately save lives."

Download the "Valuing Vaccines Across Generations Discussion Guide" at https://goo.gl/zLCYE5.

Additional content includes an infographic depicting the value of vaccinations across the ages, memes and video testimonials from people who lived through epidemics, blogs, and a social media toolkit using the hashtag #bandAGEofhonor.

About Generations United: For three decades, Generations United www.gu.org has been the catalyst for policies and practices stimulating cooperation and collaboration among generations, evoking the vibrancy, energy and sheer productivity that result when people of all ages come together.

About The Gerontological Society of America: The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is the nation's oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to research, education and practice in the field of aging. The principal mission of the Society – and its 5,500+ members – is to advance the study of aging and disseminate information among scientists, decision makers and the general public.

About the American Academy of Pediatrics: The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 64,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. For more information, visit www.aap.org.

SOURCE Generations United

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