Caregiver’s Guide to Vaccination for Seniors

If you think vaccination stops at the childhood stage, think again. 

The Ministry of Health has made a great effort to provide free vaccination against 13 diseases for babies under the Malaysian National Immunisation Programme (NIP), which sets up a vaccination schedule for long-term immunisation. 

However, we fail to realise these childhood vaccinations gradually become less effective due to ageing which naturally weakens one’s immune system.   

Why is vaccination important for seniors?

Which vaccines do seniors need?

The following vaccines are recommended for older adults aged 60 years old and above:

Covid-19 vaccine

The latest additional vaccination necessary for seniors is the Covid-19 vaccine. It aims to fight against the deadly and highly contagious coronavirus, which was declared a global pandemic in December 2019. 

In fact, the elderly aged 60 and above as a high-risk group were prioritised in Phase 2 of the National Covid-19 Immunisation Programme, following front liners and healthcare staff in Phase 1. 

With the AstraZeneca brand being the most effective, research found that the Covid-19 vaccines managed to cut down the number of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission by 83 per cent, as well as the death rate by 88 per cent. 

Currently, your loved one can get free Covid-19 vaccinations at public and private health facilities. 

Influenza vaccine

Influenza is not a brand-new disease. It was just recently on the rise after Malaysia began transitioning to an endemic phase, imposing a much looser standard of procedures (SOP). 

Flu (short for influenza) is often mistaken for a common cold, as both share similar symptoms such as fever, sore throat, and cough.

Unlike the common cold, influenza can be deadly—especially for high-risk groups including seniors and those suffering from comorbidities like diabetes and heart diseases. For these individuals, health professionals advise making flu vaccines an annual routine as early prevention, for these reasons: 

• Influenza viruses get stronger over time as they mutate easily.
• Not every patient experiences fever as a flu symptom, which makes it difficult to detect. 

Flu vaccination can reduce the chance of your loved one getting hospitalised by 41 per cent and being admitted into the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) by 82 per cent. 

Influenza vaccines are available at both public and private hospitals or clinics at a cost range between RM60 and RM150.  As of now, the government is still working on providing free influenza vaccines for senior citizens. 

Pneumococcal vaccine

The Pneumococcal vaccine aims to protect against Pneumococcal disease, which is caused by a bacterial infection that can lead to other worrying health conditions including pneumonia, the second leading cause of death in Malaysia as of 2019 after ischaemic heart diseases. 

There are two types of pneumococcal vaccines:

1. Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PVC13 protects against 13 variants of pneumococcal bacteria)
2. Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine (PPV23 protects against 23 variants of pneumococcal bacteria)

The type of pneumococcal vaccine given depends on the doctor’s medical assessment. 

Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap) vaccine

Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap) vaccine are commonly given as one combined vaccine to combat three separate diseases:

Tetanus: Known as ‘lockjaw’ or ‘kancing gigi’, tetanus is caused by bacteria found in our environment, particularly in soil, dust, dirt, rust, and animal faeces. Infection occurs when your wound is contaminated with bacteria, which releases toxins that result in muscle spasms usually in the jaw and neck area. 

Diphtheria: A contagious disease caused by bacterial infection affecting the nose, throat, and sometimes skin.  It can lead to breathing and swallowing difficulty, as well as skin inflammation. 

Pertussis: Known as whooping cough, it causes severe coughing and can worsen existing chronic respiratory illnesses such as asthma.

Severe cases of these diseases usually lead to breathing problems or suffocation and thus can be life-threatening. 

Zoster vaccine 

This vaccine is administered to prevent shingles (or ‘kayap’), a disease characterised as painful rashes caused by the same virus that develops chickenpox. If you previously had chickenpox, the virus stays within your body and remains dormant for years, until it reactivates as shingles. This means you are more likely to get shingles more than once, if not vaccinated. 

In Malaysia, the Zoster vaccine is only available for adults of 50 years old and above. This is because shingles rarely occur during childhood and adolescents as they would experience chickenpox first, which requires a different vaccine (Varicella vaccine). 

Shingles may not lead to death but the long-term symptoms can be distressing to endure, especially for the elderly and those suffering from chronic illnesses. 

What happens if vaccination is missed?

Most of these vaccines are available all year round, but some require certain conditions to fulfil. Let us take a look at the dose requirement of each vaccine and what you can do with a missed vaccination. 

Covid-19 vaccination

Dose requirement

A complete vaccination of Covid-19 must include two compulsory doses and one recommended booster, for a lifetime.  Certain countries like Malaysia and Singapore require all three doses to be considered fully vaccinated. A second booster is advised for the elderly and patients with comorbidities, four to six months after the first booster shot. 

If missed

As of now, only 71.2 per cent of older adults aged 60 years and above have achieved fully vaccinated status. If your loved one is yet to obtain the second or third dose, there is no need to start over. Just immediately get the procedure at nearby health facilities that offer Covid-19 vaccination. 

Influenza vaccination

Dose requirement

One dose annually

If missed

Influenza vaccines are constantly improved to keep up with the ever-changing virus. Your loved one should get their first dose with the most updated vaccine formulation, and continue consistently for the following years. 

Pneumococcal vaccination

Dose requirement

One or two doses for a lifetime. The additional second dose is recommended if you have previously been vaccinated before the age of 60, or if there has been a minimum of a 5-year gap since your first vaccination.

If missed

For seniors who have not been vaccinated or are unable to remember their record of previous vaccination, they should promptly get their one dose.  

Tdap vaccination

Dose requirement 

For elderly and chronic illness patients, a primary series of vaccination requires 3 doses:

• 1st dose: Tdap vaccine
• 2nd dose: Tetanus and diphtheria (Td) vaccine after three to four weeks from the first dose
• 3rd dose: Td vaccine after six to 12 months from the second dose

Once completed, booster shots are then administered every 10 years.

If missed

Your loved one needs to fulfil the 3-dose primary vaccination, together with the subsequent boosters. 

Zoster vaccination

Dose requirement

One dose for a lifetime. 

If missed

As the Zoster vaccine in Malaysia is specifically meant for the elderly, you can get your loved one vaccinated anytime, even if they have no history of shingles. 

How to prepare your loved one for vaccination

Assisting your loved ones when getting ready for vaccination starts way before the appointment day. Here are several steps to ease the process :

Do your research

Some health facilities only operate on appointment-based vaccinations, and not all vaccines are readily available for walk-ins. Sometimes, patients are put on the waiting list as vaccines can be out of stock. 

Hence, it is important to find out whether your preferred health facility offers the specific vaccine. Most private hospitals and clinics offer wider options for vaccines, but you can always check from time to time if your loved one is eligible for subsidised vaccinations. 

Seek medical advice

Before proceeding with vaccination, consult with the doctor to ensure that your loved one is allowed to get vaccinated upon assessing their medical history and health conditions. Discuss the potential risks and better alternatives so that both of you can help decide what is best for your elderly. 

Other essential information that is worth declaring includes having severe egg allergy, or sensitivity to vaccine ingredients such as gelatin and antibiotics. 

For ill and hospitalised patients, the doctor may postpone the vaccination appointment at least until the symptoms have calmed down to avoid intense side effects. 

Educate the old

It is common for seniors to have anxiety or fear over any medical treatments and procedures, including vaccine needles. The reason for fear usually comes from being unfamiliar with the whole process of vaccination, as there was no such advanced healthcare during their old days. 

What we can do is try to have an informative conversation with our loved ones to explain, in a simpler way, the importance of getting vaccinated and the need for multiple doses, if any. The more questions asked, the less their doubts get. Hopefully, this can build up their confidence to go for vaccination. 

If they still refuse, you may consider involving a qualified healthcare professional in the circle. Most of the time, seniors tend to be more convinced by an authority’s words than a family member’s.    

Take over the digital work

The rise of Covid-19 has pushed the medical world to digitalise healthcare systems as a way of enhancing efficiency and encouraging social distancing. The initiative adopts heavy use of technology such as smartphones and computers, which the elderly have little understanding of. 

For example, the government imposes every Malaysian to register for Covid-19 vaccination digitally through the MySejahtera application. It enables caregivers to sign up older family members as dependents so that we can keep their vaccination records on behalf of our loved ones.  

This is where we need to take over and settle all the nitty-gritty like filling in registration details, keeping up with the vaccination schedule, arranging for appointments, and preparing required documents. In a way, such convenience helps to lift most of their worries.

Prioritise their comfort

Keeping our loved ones as comfortable as possible on the day of vaccination can tone down their nervousness, which helps minimise injection pain. 

You can ensure that they are well-fed before the vaccination and never leave their side in the waiting room. Request for a wheelchair from the health facility instead of walking them from the car. If possible, encourage them to strike up a conversation with another elderly patient to kill time.

Another great option is to consider home vaccination so that the hassle of travelling to healthcare facilities can be avoided. Find out here how you can register your loved one to receive Covid-19 vaccination via hotline, online registration, or MySejahtera. For private hospitals and clinics, you may check out the details on respective websites. 

Getting a Medical Companion for Your Loved One’s Vaccination Appointment

Sometimes, vaccination appointments fixed by the health facility may overlap with your working days (we need to remember that caregivers also have professional duties!). Other times, your weekends are occupied with household chores, or reserved for resting and social hangouts. If only there is a substitute person who can take over your caregiving duty for a day, right?

At Homage, we have well-trained medical escorts to arrange transportation and accompany your loved one throughout their vaccination appointments. They will also take care of toileting, as well as collecting prescriptions and health reports on your behalf.

Interested to provide only the best care for your loved ones? Just fill in the form below and our Care Advisory will get back to you at the soonest!