Pneumonia Vaccines for Seniors in Marysville: What to Know

Marysville, CA, known for its history as a Gold Rush town and being "California's Oldest Little City" nowadays, is also getting "older" in terms of population. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, as of 2023, adults 65+ accounted for 12.8% of the city's population.

However, along with Marysville's aging population comes the increased risk of pneumonia. It's a respiratory infection that can cause life-threatening illnesses in older adults. Seniors are more susceptible to this disease, as advancing age often impairs the immune system.

Fortunately, pneumonia vaccines for seniors exist.

So, join us today at Marbella Marysville, our assisted living and memory care community in Marysville, CA, as we share essential pneumonia-related senior vaccine info in this comprehensive guide. 

Why Are Pneumonia Vaccines for Seniors Recommended?

Senior immunizations for pneumonia and pneumococcal disease are crucial to good respiratory health for aging adults, something that immunosenescence can impair.

Immunosenescence is the decline in the functions and performance of the immune system caused by age. Without vaccines, older adults, especially those with weakened or compromised immune systems, face a higher risk of infection, including those that affect the lungs, such as pneumonia.

Pneumonia vaccine recommendations are a multi-faceted approach aimed at: 

• Encouraging more seniors to get immunization shots
• Minimizing older adults' risk of getting ill due to bacteria and viruses that can cause pneumonia and pneumococcal disease
• Lowering the likelihood of seniors suffering from severe illnesses and complications
• Reducing the number of infected older adults who can spread the disease

Why Would Seniors Want to Avoid Pneumonia?

Older adults in Marysville, CA, should do their best to avoid pneumonia because it can cause highly unpleasant symptoms. In more severe cases, this respiratory illness can cause disabling complications, even death.

Symptoms of Pneumonia

Pneumonia occurs when the lungs' alveoli become infected. 

The alveoli are tiny sacs filled with air. They play many crucial roles, including gas exchange.

It's in the alveoli where oxygen (O2) inhaled through the lungs gets passed on to the bloodstream. It's also in these air sacs where carbon dioxide (CO2), as a byproduct of the body's processes, moves from the blood to the lungs. From there, the lungs expel CO2 through exhalation.

When a person has pneumonia, the alveoli swell and become clogged with fluids and pus. The blockage prevents oxygen from getting into the blood. When cells and tissues don't get oxygen, they can die.

Likewise, the lungs can't expel carbon dioxide. As a result, CO2 builds up in the system. It can ultimately lead to respiratory acidosis, even lung failure.

So, if someone has pneumonia, they may experience various symptoms, including:

• Coughing, often with mucus
• Fever
• Chills
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Fatigue
• Sweating
• Appetite loss

In severe cases, especially in seniors, rapid breathing and confusion may also occur. 

Complications of Pneumonia

Pneumonia can cause many different complications, including dry eye and vision loss. In some cases, the culprit behind the lung infection could be Staphylococcus aureus.

Staphylococcus aureus is a type of bacteria that can cause staphylococcal blepharitis. The latter is a condition that affects the eyes, causing them to become dry and lose their sight.

Pneumonia can also result in lung abscesses. They're cavities that form in a localized area where tissues die and pus collects. They're dangerous because they can cause even more complications like sepsis (a life-threatening infection of the blood) and respiratory failure.

Organ damage due to oxygen deprivation may also stem from pneumonia. The kidneys, liver, and heart can all sustain damage as the clogged alveoli fail to supply them with the O2 they need.

Given all the complications that pneumonia can cause, it's not surprising that it can ultimately lead to death. Indeed, the American Lung Association says that every year, this disease claims the lives of tens of thousands of people in the country. Many of those who succumb to this infection are adults 65 and older. 

What Vaccines Protect Against Pneumonia? 

Because many types of germs can cause pneumonia, there isn't a single vaccine that can help prevent it. Instead, seniors in Marysville, CA, should consider getting several immunization shots, including:

• Pneumococcal vaccines (to protect against Streptococcus pneumoniae)
• Influenza vaccines (to minimize the risk of getting the flu and flu-related pneumonia)
• COVID-19 vaccines (to safeguard against COVID-19 and the potential pneumonia it can result in)
• RSV vaccines (to boost protection against respiratory syncytial virus, which can cause lung infections, including pneumonia)

Flu and COVID-19 shots are annual vaccines, so seniors should stay up-to-date yearly to ensure they get the most protection. Pneumococcal and RSV vaccines, on the other hand, aren't annual, as their protection can last for over a year. However, as the U.S. CDC explains, it's usually safe to get all these vaccines together, as needed.  

Other Tips for Pneumonia and Poor Health Prevention for Aging Adults in Marysville

Seniors in Marysville, CA, can further lower their likelihood of getting pneumonia by practicing good personal and home hygiene. Frequent handwashing and showering, coupled with regular home cleaning and sanitization, for instance, can help prevent the spread of pneumonia-causing germs. For older adults who need a helping hand with these activities, rest assured that you can rely on the compassionate support offered by a reliable senior living community, such as Marbella Marysville.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including engaging in regular physical activity and prioritizing a well-balanced diet, can also help. Such healthy habits can support, even improve, immune system functions. The healthier and stronger the immune system is, the better it can fight germs that cause infections like pneumonia. 

Get the Recommended Pneumonia Vaccines

Pneumonia vaccines for seniors can be life-saving, given that this infectious disease not only causes highly unpleasant symptoms but can also result in deadly complications. 

Marbella Marysville, our assisted living and memory care community in Marysville, CA, encourages seniors to get inoculated against pneumonia and other vaccine-preventable diseases. We also help our residents age healthily by providing them with tailored personal care (including hygiene assistance), nutritious chef-prepared meals, and many opportunities to stay physically (and socially) active. 

If that sounds like your kind of retirement village, we invite you to contact us today and book a tour of our community!