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Our Best Shot: The Importance of Vaccines for Older Adults

Adult vaccination rates in the U.S. continue to be dangerously low, falling far short of national targets, despite the devastating effects vaccine-preventable diseases can have on older adults. The Our Best Shot campaign grew out of recommendations highlighted in the Our Best Shot: Expanding Prevention through Vaccination whitepaper. The campaign aims to increase understanding of the importance of vaccination, dismiss common misinformation and disinformation, and arm older adults with the facts about vaccines. Resources include educational videos, fact sheets, vaccine schedules, and more.

Workshop Kit

A workshop kit consolidates many of the campaign resource for community leaders hosting educational workshops for older adults and their caregivers on the basics of vaccination. The “soup-to-nuts” kit covers how vaccines work, common vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccine safety and efficacy, the vaccine schedule for adults 60-64 and 65+, and where and how to get vaccinated.  Materials in the kit include:

Watch the presentation from the workshop kit launch, where two leaders from Area Agencies on Aging talk about their experience piloting the workshop kit, and share their tips on best practices.

All of the materials are free and we encourage you to download them, save them to your computer, print out copies, and get started on hosting this important workshop!  For questions, e-mail Lindsay Clarke at [email protected].

Videos

Watch video

Real Stories of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases: Allison’s Experience with Influenza (“Flu”)

While most of us have had the flu or know someone who has had it, we often do not realize…

more.
Watch video

Real Stories of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases: Kristine’s Experience with Shingles

Shingles is caused by the varicella-zoster virus, or VZV, which is the same virus that causes chickenpox. The virus…

more.
Watch video

Real Stories of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases: Jill’s Experience with Pertussis

Pertussis, also known as whooping cough, is a severe infection of the upper respiratory system caused by bacteria. It can…

more.

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