Winter arrives with a familiar ritual for many Australians.
The first cold snap, then the cough that starts in someone else and somehow ends up in your lounge room. Grandchildren bringing home more than stories from school.
And, of course, the annual promise that this year you’ll take better care of yourself.
Country music star Troy Cassar-Daley knows the routine well.
Much of his life is spent moving between airports, tour buses, regional halls and concert venues. Thousands of handshakes, conversations, and plenty of opportunities to pick up whatever virus happens to be doing the rounds.
Yet when asked where his approach to winter health came from, he doesn’t point to a doctor or years on the road.
He points to his mother.
“If there is one thing my mother taught me, it was to look after yourself,” Cassar-Daley told Starts at 60.
His late mum worked as a teacher and, like many people who spend their days surrounded by others, she regularly found herself battling winter illnesses.
She became convinced over time that taking preventative measures helped her avoid some of the worst of it.
“She decided she would get her jabs for the flu shot every year,” he said.
“She said that getting vaccinated helped her survive the winter without getting too sick.”
These days, at 56, Cassar-Daley admits he thinks about his health differently than he did in his younger years.
There was a time when many Australians wore toughness almost as a badge of honour. You turned up to work, sucked it up and soldiered on, and you told yourself it was only a cold. Age has a way of changing that perspective.
“When I’m touring, I’m constantly around people, travelling, performing, meeting fans, and if I go down, everything stops,” he said.
“Shows get cancelled, people miss out, and it affects a lot more than just me.”
It’s a sentiment that reaches far beyond the music industry.
Many older Australians know exactly what he means, whether it’s caring for a partner, helping with grandchildren, volunteering in the community or simply maintaining an active retirement, being sidelined for weeks at a time can have a ripple effect far beyond a runny nose and a sore throat.
This year’s concern isn’t simply that flu numbers are rising, but more because it’s a particular strain behind many of those cases.
According to the latest influenza surveillance data, almost 80 per cent of flu samples analysed this season have been identified as H3N2, a subtype that has historically been associated with more severe illness among older adults. More than 6,400 confirmed cases have already been recorded in Australians aged 65 and over.
Associate Professor Michael Woodward, Director of Dementia Research and Senior Geriatrician at Austin Health in Melbourne, says flu is often underestimated.
Many people still use the word loosely. A heavy cold becomes “the flu” and a few days in bed earns the same label.
The reality can be very different.
“Flu is sometimes dismissed as a bad cold, but for older adults it can be much more serious,” Woodward said.
For some, influenza can trigger complications that extend well beyond the initial infection. Existing heart, lung and other chronic conditions can worsen, recovery can take weeks rather than days. In severe cases, hospitalisation becomes necessary.
The other challenge facing Australians this winter is that flu is no longer the only respiratory illness commanding attention.
COVID-19 continues to circulate and RSV, once largely associated with young children, is increasingly recognised as a significant threat to older adults and people with underlying health conditions.
For many families, winter now resembles a revolving door. One family member recovers, another falls ill. Grandparents visit grandchildren, school holidays arrive and gatherings move indoors.
It’s little surprise that healthcare professionals continue encouraging older Australians to think ahead rather than waiting until illness arrives at the front door.
None of this means wrapping yourself in cotton wool; Australians have never been particularly good at that.
What it does mean is recognising that the body at 65, 75 or 85 doesn’t always bounce back in the same way it once did.
Health authorities recommend discussing vaccinations with a GP or pharmacist, particularly for people in higher-risk groups. They also continue to emphasise the basics: washing hands regularly, covering coughs and sneezes, staying home when unwell and taking sensible precautions during periods of widespread illness.
None of those measures are especially glamorous.
Then again, neither was the advice Troy learned from his mother. Simple, practical, and easy to ignore until one winter reminds you why it mattered.
IMPORTANT LEGAL INFO This article is of a general nature and FYI only, because it doesn’t take into account your personal health requirements or existing medical conditions. That means it’s not personalised health advice and shouldn’t be relied upon as if it is. Before making a health-related decision, you should work out if the info is appropriate for your situation and get professional medical advice.