The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) began surveillance for seasonal influenza early this fall and is detecting laboratory confirmed cases of influenza among Oklahomans. In addition, there have been 14 influenza-associated hospitalizations since September 1, 2016, a total that is concerning at this point in the season. Cases of influenza illness have been geographically spread across the state and have occurred among people of all age groups.
Each week, a network of voluntary medical facilities and hospital laboratories report the number of patients that have been seen for influenza-like illness and the proportion of influenza tests that are positive for flu. Some positive samples are forwarded to the OSDH Public Health Laboratory for confirmation and for determining the type of infecting influenza virus strain. All hospitals and healthcare providers are required to report influenza-associated hospitalizations or deaths to the OSDH.
Symptoms of influenza usually consist of a sudden onset of fever, body aches, headache, sore throat, cough, and fatigue. Most persons affected by the flu require bed rest for 4-7 days to recover fully. Others may be at risk of serious complications of the flu, such as pneumonia, secondary bloodstream infections, or heart problems leading to hospitalization or even death.
To protect against the flu, an annual flu shot is recommended for everyone 6 months and older. Vaccination is especially important for persons at high-risk for severe complications from influenza infection including children less than five years of age, persons age 65 years and older, pregnant women, and persons with underlying medical conditions. Flu vaccination not only protects pregnant women, but also protects their babies for up to 6 months before they are old enough to be vaccinated. Influenza vaccination is safe during pregnancy, after delivery, and for breastfeeding women.
The importance of protecting yourself and those close to you by getting immunized cannot be overstated.
“If you haven’t done so already, now is the time to get your flu shot before influenza activity is elevated,” said OSDH State Epidemiologist Dr. Kristy Bradley. “While the flu shot does not completely prevent all cases of influenza illness, many studies have shown that it greatly reduces the risk of developing severe complications from influenza infection such as hospitalization and death, as well as shortening the duration of illness among people who got the flu vaccine compared to those who did not.”
In addition to getting your flu shot, the OSDH reminds you to follow these respiratory virus illness prevention tips:
Practice frequent hand hygiene using soap and water, or alcohol-based hand gels or wipes when hands are not visibly soiled
Make “respiratory hygiene” a habit, including use of tissues to cover coughs and sneezes, then disposing of them and performing hand hygiene right away. When tissues are not readily available, sneeze or cough into your sleeve — never your hands
Stay home from work, school, and other public places if you are sick with the flu.
Visit flu.health.ok.gov for the Flu View updates posted every Thursday at 10:00 a.m.

Dear Savvy Senior, What can you tell me about incentive trusts? I have two adult children that are financial disasters. Before I die, I want to put some type of requirements in place that they will need to follow in order to receive their portion of my estate. Otherwise, they’ll blow it all in the first year.
Troubled Parent
Dear Parent,
If you want to influence your family members even after you’re gone, an incentive trust is definitely an option to consider. Here’s how it works, along with some tips to help you create one.
Incentive Trust?
An incentive trust is an estate-planning tool designed to help prod your heirs in a direction you desire when you’re no longer around.
With an incentive trust, some or all of your assets are passed to your trust when you die rather than directly to your heirs. Your trustee is empowered to distribute funds from the trust only if and when your beneficiaries do whatever it is you have specified in the trust.
For example, an incentive trust might encourage a beneficiary to graduate from college, enter a particular profession, get married or even have children. They could also reward beneficiaries who do charitable work, or supplement the incomes of those who choose low-paying, yet meaningful careers like teaching or social work. Or, they could penalize beneficiaries who don’t work by cutting off or decreasing distributions, or placing restrictions on heirs with addictions by requiring that payments go directly to rehab centers.
But be aware that these types of trusts can also have drawbacks. A poorly constructed incentive trust can have a high risk of unintended consequences. For example, if your trust provides a financial incentive for your children to be employed full-time, but one of them gets sick or seriously injured in a car accident and can’t work, they would be punished unfairly.
You also need to know that incentive trusts aren’t cheap. You can expect to pay an attorney $2,500 to $5,000 to draft one.
There are also legal limits on what you can do with an incentive trust. While state laws vary, incentive trusts that encourage a beneficiary to join or leave a particular religion, or leave a spouse or not marry at all, can be challenged in court and possibly struck down.
How To Make One
To create a solid incentive trust that accomplishes what you envision, tell your estate-planning attorney that you want to include precise instructions that clearly spells out your wishes, but you also want to include language granting your trustee the right to use his or her discretion and that the trustee’s decisions should be final and binding.
This allows your trustee to make common sense rulings, which will reduce or eliminate the chances of unintended and unfair consequences. It also makes it very difficult for beneficiaries to successfully challenge the trust or trustee in court. When a trust grants final decision-making authority to its trustee, it becomes almost impossible for beneficiaries to successfully argue that this trustee is not correctly implementing the trust’s terms.
The key is to select a trustee who’s smart enough to interpret your intent and has sufficient backbone to stand up to beneficiaries when necessary. You also need to select a successor trustee too if your first choice can no longer serve. Fees paid to a trustee vary widely depending on the state’s fee schedules, the size and complexity of the trust, and conditions laid out in the trust.

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.