My mother lived to the age of 97 and had a fairly good life—not easy—but good. However, there was a period she suffered greatly for many weeks for something at that time I knew little about—shingles. Since then, I have learned a great deal and have taken the necessary step myself to avoid getting this disease. What worries me is that many seniors I have talked to daily do not have any information regarding Shingles. To keep our growing population safe and as healthy as possible, and to educate ourselves and others on the things that can debilitate, knowing about shingles is vital!
Half of older adults that live to age 85 will have shingles. What is this disease? Shingles is a disease that causes pain and blisters and is from the chickenpox virus that affects children. Anyone that has this virus in their body can be at risk and the risk increases as we age.
Shingles can be prevented by ensuring that everyone over the age 60 gets the approved vaccine. Check with a physician and learn more about why older adults need to take the necessary precaution to avoid getting shingles.
Visit the National Institute of Health website for more detail on this disease and other aged related health information.