Get Shots to Protect Your Health (for Older Adults)

Older adults need to get shots (vaccines) to prevent serious diseases. Protect your health by getting all your shots on schedule.

If you are age 60 or older:

• Get a shot to prevent shingles. Shingles causes a rash and can lead to pain that lasts for months. Learn about the shingles vaccine.

If you are age 65 or older:

• Get shots to prevent pneumococcal ("noo-muh-KOK-uhl") disease. Pneumococcal disease can include pneumonia (“noo-MOHN-yah”), meningitis, and blood infections. Learn about pneumococcal shots.

It’s also important for all adults to:

• Get a flu vaccine every year. The seasonal flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and others from the flu.
• Get the Tdap shot to protect against tetanus (“TET-nes”), diphtheria (“dif-THEER-ee-ah”), and whooping cough (pertussis). Everyone needs to get the Tdap shot once. Learn about the Tdap shot.
• After you get a Tdap shot, get a Td shot every 10 years to keep you protected against tetanus and diphtheria. Learn about Td shots.

Why do I need to get these shots?

Shots help protect you against diseases that can be serious and sometimes deadly. Many of these diseases are common.

Even if you have always gotten your shots on schedule, you still need to get some shots as an older adult. This is because:

• Older adults are more likely to get certain diseases.
• Older adults are more at risk for serious complications from infections.
• The protection from some shots can wear off over time.

Getting your shots also protects other people.

When you get shots, you don’t just protect yourself – you also protect others. This is especially important if you spend time around anyone with a long-term health problem or a weak immune system (the system in the body that fights infections).

Protect yourself and those around you by staying up to date on your shots.

Do I need any other shots to help me stay healthy?

You may need other shots if you:

• Didn’t get all of your shots as a child
• Have a health condition that weakens your immune system (like cancer or HIV)
• Have a chronic (long-term) health problem like diabetes or heart, lung, or liver disease
• Are a man who has sex with men
• Smoke
• Spend time with infants or young children
• Work or spend time in a school, hospital, prison, or health clinic
• Travel outside the United States

Ask your doctor or nurse if you need any other shots. You can also take this quiz to find out which shots you may need.

Talk with a doctor, nurse, or pharmacist about getting up to date on your shots.

Make a plan to get your shots.

Schedule an appointment with your doctor or nurse to get the shots you need. You may also be able to get shots at your local pharmacy.

Use this vaccine clinic locator to find out where you can get shots.

Get a seasonal flu shot every year.

Remember, everyone age 6 months and older needs to get the seasonal flu vaccine every year.

What about cost?

Under the Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010, most private insurance plans must cover recommended shots for adults. Depending on your insurance plan, you may be able to get your shots at no cost to you.

Medicare also covers most recommended shots for older adults, depending on your plan. Use this tool to see what Medicare covers.

If you don’t have insurance, you still may be able to get free shots.

• Call your state health department to find a free or low-cost vaccination program.
• Find a health center near you and ask about affordable vaccine services.

Keep a copy of your vaccination record.

Ask your doctor to print out a record of all the shots you've had. Keep this record in a safe place. You may need it for certain jobs or if you travel outside the United States.

If you aren’t sure which shots you’ve had, try these tips for finding old vaccination records. If you still can’t find a record of your shots, talk with your doctor about getting some shots again.