Flu hits the elderly the hardest

As flu infection begins to intensify across the country, its propensity to hit the elderly may be a big concern. This is because when infected, they have a greater risk of developing severe and sometimes, deadly complications such as pneumonia.

While flu infection could occur at any time of the year, cases start to peak around the rainy season in the country.

“When people get older, especially upon reaching the age of 60, it is more likely that they may already be suffering from a host of health problems such as diabetes, kidney disease as well as arthritis, conditions that predispose them to infections. Also, as people age, their immune system doesn’t function as well or as vigorously as before, making them also more prone to infections,” explained Office of Senior Citizens Affairs-Parañaque City chief Dante Pacheco.

Last year, Parañaque City started providing its senior citizens free annual flu shots. “This year, we were able to immunize against the flu 1,700 elderly individuals from 16 barangays. The flu mass vaccination program for the seniors is timely considering that the rainy season has already started,” said Pacheco.

In San Fernando City, Pampanga, health physician Cindy Canlas also led the anti-flu immunization campaign for its senior citizens along with the mayor and the rest of the city’s employees. She believes more and more cities and municipalities all over the country should initiate a similar program as the elderly make up a significant portion of the population.

Increasing rapidly

In the country, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority, the number of elderly individuals is increasing rapidly, much faster than growth in the total population. In 2000, the agency reported there were 4.6 million senior citizens, representing about 6 percent of the total population. Ten years after, this grew to 6.5 million or about 6.9 percent of the total population. By 2030, senior citizens are projected to make up around 11.5 percent of the country’s total population.

Flu complications in the elderly tend to be severe. Complications include bronchitis, pneumonia, as well as the worsening of chronic medical conditions, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart disease. All of these may warrant the individual to be admitted in the hospital for treatment.

This is why household members or caretakers of the elderly must immediately seek medical advice if these signs and symptoms are observed:

• troubled breathing;

• non-improvement or worsening of symptoms after three to four days; and

• sudden development of signs of a more serious problem such as nausea, vomiting, high fever, shaking, chills, chest pain or coughing with thick mucus.