Yes!! That’s a picture of me trying out an Iron Lung at the Nampa Senior fair a few years ago.  It was a little claustrophobic. I can’t imagine what life was like for those whose lives were dependent on an Iron Lung.   What a blessing that they aren’t a common site anymore.  For numerous individuals in the 20th century, an Iron Lung represented state-of-the-art lifesaving technology, essential for those experiencing respiratory paralysis because of polio complications. The Iron Lung created negative pressure that would force air into the lungs and keep the patient alive. Polio is a devastating virus and often attacks without warning.  While some individuals recover from polio with minimal lasting effects, others, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt, experienced permanent disability from the virus. In the 21^st century Polio it is an uncommon disease that affects only few people worldwide all because of a VACCINE.

The polio vaccine was crucial to ending the 20th-century epidemic and is now globally distributed. I remember as a child in the early 70s drinking a small cup of liquid that was the polio vaccine at school.  It was an activity that was viewed as positive and vital for all children’s welfare at that time.

Fortunately, polio is no longer a pressing threat for most of the world, but other illnesses such as shingles, RSV, Pneumonia and Hepatitis B can have a devastating effect on people at any age, but especially those of us approaching our Golden Years. 

Did you know that people on Medicare have access to a wide variety of Immunizations either through Original Medicare, Part D or Medicare Advantage Plans at no additional cost to them?  Please follow this link to see how immunizations are covered under the different parts of Medicare.

https://www.uhc.com/news-articles/medicare-articles/which-vaccines-does-medicare-cover

Staying Healthy and living a long active life could be enhanced by getting some vital vaccines.  I’m turning 60 this year and that nagging voice keeps telling me to get a shingles shot. I had shingles as a child and thought I couldn’t get it again, but evidently as I age my risk of having shingles twice increases.  It wasn’t fun the first time.  So, I need to listen to that little voice and get it done.

I know there is a lot of controversy regarding certain vaccines right now.   But, if you have a nagging voice, trust yourself and look for good sources of information. Remember Benjamin Franklin’s famous quote “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure”.  Don’t put vital things off.

Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage Plans (known as Part C) also cover a wide variety of preventative screenings and tests. 

Be kind to yourself and take care of yourself.  This includes wellness and prevention activities.  Here’s to everyone being as well as they can be!  So, take advantage of all your medical plan has to offer.

If you have any questions regarding how your Medicare plan or your individual health plan will cover immunizations, give me a call and we can discuss it.