Manhattan-New Lenox TRIAD Announces January Meeting - The Three Recommended Vaccines for Senior Citizens

The Manhattan-New Lenox TRIAD for Seniors would like to invite senior citizens (age fifty and up) from the area to attend their monthly meeting on Thursday, January 24, 2013 at 1:30pm, at the Village of New Lenox Village Hall Community Room located at:  One Veterans Parkway (located in the Village Commons) in New Lenox. 

No registration or membership is required to attend TRIAD meetings. These meetings are for all senior citizens in and around our community area. If you have any questions, please call New Lenox Township at 815-485-6431.     

For the month of January we will be hosting a presentation on “The Influenza Virus, ShingleVirus, and Pneumococcal Diseases - Education and Adult Vaccinations”. Representatives from Will County Health Department and Walgreens will be discussing the influenza, shingles virus and pneumococcal diseases such as, identifying what the disease/virus is, common symptoms, diagnosis, complications and prevention methods, as well as vaccinations available to the senior community. 

Recommended vaccine shots for Senior Citizens: 

• Herpes zoster, or shingles, is a disease caused by the virus that is responsible for chicken pox. The virus causes nerve pain as well as rashes of watery blisters on the skin. The CDC recommends immunization against shingles for people 60 and older. Immunization cuts the likelihood of developing shingles in half. It also helps to reduce nerve pain in people who become infected despite immunization. The pain-reduction factor is significant, as shingles outbreaks can last for months to years.
• The pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination, or PPSV, is recommended for adults 65 and older. The PPSV is particularly important for those living in a nursing home or other long-term care facility. This vaccination protects against pneumococcal diseases, which are caused by the Streptococcus pneumonia bacterium. Meningitis, bacteremia and pneumonia are all pneumococcal diseases, and all can prove fatal in the elderly. The PPSV is effective at preventing these diseases 60 to 80 percent of the time. The PPSV is usually administered two times, five years apart. Individuals who are unsure whether or not they have been vaccinated should be immunized.
• The CDC recommends an annual influenza (flu) immunization for people 50 and older. The flu vaccine is especially important for those 65 and older, and most people in this age bracket can receive a free flu shot. Like the PPSV, the flu vaccine is particularly important for seniors residing in a nursing home or other long-term care facility. Because flu immunity is not fully developed until about two weeks after immunization, seniors should receive a flu shot before flu season begins in November.

The Will County TRIAD for Senior Citizens is run by Sheriff Paul Kaupas and the Will County Sheriff’s Police. TRIAD means a three-way commitment among local and county law enforcement and senior citizens.  They agree to work together to reduce the criminal victimization of the elderly and enhance the delivery of law enforcement services to older persons. A major purpose of TRIAD is to develop, expand and implement effective crime prevention and education programs for senior citizens in our community. 

What and who is TRIAD of Will County and TRIAD of Manhattan-New Lenox? 

• TRIAD is cooperation between law enforcement agencies and senior citizens.
• TRIAD strives to reduce criminal victimization of older persons
• TRIAD assesses the needs and concerns of older citizens.
• TRIAD leads to a broad dialogue on safety and security issues
• TRIAD is the link with elderly members of the community

The Manhattan-New Lenox TRIAD has also added representatives from the New Lenox Fire District, the Manhattan Police and Manhattan Fire Department, the Illinois State Police Medicaid and Fraud Control Bureau, the New Lenox Park District, New Lenox Public Library,  New Lenox Community Television Channel, New Lenox Township Offices as well as senior citizens from our area who come together to inform and empower the senior citizens of our community by providing information regarding their health and safety.

The Manhattan-New Lenox TRIAD is also excited to announce that New Lenox Community Television will be there to video-tape and air the presentation on Channel Six our New Lenox Community Television channel.   So please check out the television listings for date and time of the program on Channel Six.   

If you have any questions regarding this month’s presentation or about the TRIAD or joining TRIAD, please call Kathie Johnson at New Lenox Township, phone number  815-485-6431. The Manhattan-New Lenox TRIAD meetings monthly on the fourth Thursday of each month at 1:30pm at the New Lenox Village Hall Community Room located at: One Veterans Parkway in New Lenox.