Flu shots voluntarily given to staff members of senior living communities may have a marketing advantage over competing assisted communities, a new study suggests.
Flu Shots: Study Results
The University of Michigan Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation polled 2,007 Americans aged 50 to 80 years old.
Seventy-three percent responded that medical staff members at assisted living and nursing homes should get the flu shots, and 71% said that non-medical staff should also be vaccinated.
Indeed, poll participants felt so strongly about flu shots that 70% said they would be less likely to choose the community for themselves or loved ones if staff members were not vaccinated.
Flu Shots: Current Assisted Living Statistics
Only 68% of long-term care workers were vaccinated against the flu compared with more than 92% of hospital workers, in 2017. In addition, the CDC recommends vaccination for all seniors 65+ years of age, as well as those suffering from chronic health issues.
Flu Shots: Current Vaccination Rates
Most respondents (93%) said that assisted living communities should offer flu shots to staff members at work, at no charge. In 2017, flu shots was highest among workers who were required to be vaccinated (97%). On the other hand, only 46% of workers were vaccinated in facilities where it was not required.
Fifty-five percent of survey-takers said that flu vaccination should be mandatory for staff members to keep their jobs.