Give it your best shot: Vaccines Recommended for Older Adults

The purpose of this course is to discuss the required vaccinations for adults 50 years and older. As patients get older, their immune systems tend to weaken over time, putting them at higher risk of various diseases. Pharmacists play a key role in ensuring that the appropriate vaccines are used safely and effectively to help patients ensure proper immunization status based on current practice/literature. We will be discussing the evidence that leads to current recommendations of immunizations for older adults. This includes a discussion of the recommended vaccine products, formulations, dosage forms, and evolving clinical guidelines. After completion of this course, pharmacists will be able to utilize this information to help identify gaps in knowledge, emphasize the need for pharmacist education, and improve decision-making regarding immunization recommendations for older adults.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this activity, the participant should be able to:

Describe the biological impact of aging on immunity.

Identify the current immunization recommendations for specific vaccinations for adults 50 years and older.

Discuss an appropriate vaccine recommendation using a patient case.