Welcome to the Kern County Aging and Adult Services Department Web site. Our department is committed to providing community-based services to ensure seniors and disabled adults remain safely in their homes. We strive to preserve the dignity of older adults and persons with disabilities.

It is flu season and one of the best ways to combat the flu is to get your flu shot early. The best time to get a flu shot is October or November. Priority groups for getting a flu shot each year include:

• Those age 50 and over
• Those with certain chronic medical conditions
• People living in long-term care facilities
• Pregnant women
• Children aged 6 months to 5 years old
• Household contacts of anyone in the above categories

To prevent getting the flu or spreading the virus:

• Wash your hand frequently
• Avoid touching your mouth, eyes, and nose
• Stay at home if you are sick
• Stay healthy by drinking plenty of fluids, eating a nutritious diet, exercising and getting plenty of rest.

So make sure you and your grandchildren are vaccinated against the flu - to protect them and you - from complications of the flu.

Be sure and visit our Healthy Harvest Health Fair on Saturday, October 25 from 9 am to Noon in our parking lot at 5357 Truxtun Avenue in Bakersfield. There will be free flu shots for anyone 60 years of age and older and many other free health tests.

Thank you for visiting our Web site. We continue to work on improving and updating it as much as possible. Let me know what you think and email me at grastyk@co.kern.ca.us.