Why I get a flu vaccination each year
Pulling my sleeve up
Resthaven former Chief Executive Officer, Richard Hearn, discusses why he has a flu vaccination each year.
Recently, the Minister for Ageing, Ken Wyatt AM MP announced that all aged care providers must offer an influenza immunisation program to their staff from now on.
Resthaven has operated a free Flu Vaccination Program for the workforce for the past few years, and I will be having my annual flu vaccination in the near future.
Why do I have a vaccine each year, and have done so for so many years?
I do this to protect the older individuals we support, many of whom are frail and more susceptible to the impact of the flu. I want to ensure that I support residents and clients, not give them a health burden.
If I contract or pass on the flu to either Resthaven customers or to my fellow staff upon whom they rely, then it defeats the purpose of why I work for Resthaven.
I work in a role that I see as supporting those who work directly with older individuals and their carers. I am really proud of the passion and commitment I see in my colleagues, and the stories I hear of how we go about doing this valuable work. I think we do a really great job.
I realise that I am privileged to be able to be vaccinated, as are the great majority of individuals. I know that a small number of people cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons, and I respect this.
For the rest, myself included, I hope that we can achieve a very high level of flu vaccination coverage at Resthaven this year and beyond.
I encourage and would very much appreciate everyone to seriously consider and agree to having a flu vaccination. Resthaven offers this for free to our employees and volunteers.
Most of our residents do take advantage of the free vaccinations offered by the Federal Government, and if the workforce also participates, rates of contraction may reduce.
Let’s all pull our sleeves up and build immunity in our community!