August is National Immunization Awareness Month

Right at Home, an international leader providing in-home companionship, personal care assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently, is continually monitoring issues that impact our clients and their families from an emotional, physical and financial perspective.

Immunization is widely regarded as one of the most significant medical advances of the past 100 years. The development of vaccines to combat illness has led to the near-eradication of devastating diseases such as Polio, helped millions of people fight off the Flu and provided our society with a bulwark against a number of other potentially dangerous conditions.

The Center for Disease Control notes:

"August is recognized as National Immunization Awareness Month (NIAM). The goal of NIAM is to increase awareness about immunizations across the life span, from infants to the elderly.

August is the perfect time to remind family, friends, co-workers, and those in the community to catch up on their vaccinations. Parents are enrolling their children in school, students are entering college, and healthcare workers are preparing for the upcoming flu season."

While immunization is an innovation that is nearly a century old, it can be argued that proper immunization is more important than ever. Globalization has shrunk the planet drastically; as international travel and trade increase, so do the number of disease vectors and pandemic risks. Staying current with immunizations is a vital component of staying healthy year-round, especially for children and the elderly. The CDC offers a helpful index of immunization schedules for people of all ages here.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently wrote a letter to the editor that was featured in the July 26th issue of USA Today. Click to read their take on the importance of immunization.

Right at Home strongly encourages you to check these schedules to make sure you and your loved ones are up to date on their immunizations!

Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home companion and personal care and assistance to seniors and disabled adults who want to continue to live independently. Right at Home directly employs all care-giving staff, each of whom are thoroughly screened, trained, bonded and insured prior to entering a client's home. All ongoing care is monitored and supervised by more than 185 local independent franchises. Right at Home's global office is based in Omaha, Nebraska, with franchise offices located in 40 states nationwide, as well as in the U.K.. For more information on Right at Home High Point, contact Greg Brewer or visit www.rightathome.net. To sign up for Right at Home's free adult caregiving eNewsletter, Caring Right at Home, please go to www.caringnews.com.