Thanks to a new collaboration between the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) and Fayette Senior Services, a bundle of preventive health services, including flu and pneumonia vaccinations, will be widely available throughout Fayette County this fall.

The SPARC (Sickness Prevention Achieved through Regional Collaboration), initiative brings together the Atlanta Regional Commission Area Agency on Aging and Fayette Community partners. The goal is to improve access to preventive services and increase the number of individuals, particularly older adults, who obtain flu shots, pneumonia vaccinations mammograms and other screenings each year.

SPARC Fayette Community Partners include: Digestive Healthcare of Georgia, Fayette Care Clinic, Fayette County Health Department, Fayette Senior Services, Piedmont/Fayette Hospital and Piedmont Physicians.

This fall Fayette Senior Services will host flu shot clinics at the following locations:

• Nov. 2, 2006 9-1 Fayette Senior Services Health Fair (Located at New Hope Baptist Church 551 New Hope Road, Fayetteville)

• Nov. 7, 2006 Vote and Vax (10 polling locations throughout the County) Brooks United Methodist Church; Fayette County Library; Fayetteville First Baptist Church; The Gathering Place; Harps Crossing Baptist Church; Heritage Christian Church; Holy Trinity Catholic Church; Hopewell United Methodist Church; Liberty Baptist Church; Peachtree City Library. Times will vary at each location. Call Fayette Senior Services at 770-461-0813 for more information.
A Flu Shot Hotline has been established at 770-719-5699.

Nationally, some 20,000 people die from flu each year – more than from any other vaccine-preventable disease – and another 114,000 are hospitalized.

A flu shot takes about 15 seconds and usually costs less than $25. Flu and pneumonia shots are particularly important for older adults, individuals with long-term health problems or those with weakened immune systems.
SPARC seeks to prevent disease or diagnose it at an early and more treatable stage by offering a bundle of services where people gather – health fairs, senior centers, health departments, voting precincts and more. Thus, more individuals can take advantage of services that save lives.

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