NORWICH – The 365 seniors who got flu shots Wednesday at the Norwich YMCA also had the opportunity to test their blood sugar, learn more about preventative health measures and gather information on health care coverage.

The annual clinic, organized by the county Public Health Department and the Area Agency on Aging, also featured a blood pressure station, cancer screening literature, confidential HIV testing and nursing home and housing information.

Organizers say the event is designed to serve two purposes: Lessen the impact of seasonal influenza on local seniors – who are at the highest risk, along with small children, of being hospitalized by the virus – and educate them about healthy living. Several smaller clinics are scheduled throughout October across the county.

Siiri Fernandez says getting a flu shot every year is a good habit, one of many health-conscious practices the Oxford resident believes are important as people get older.

“I’m fairly healthy for a 75-year-old woman. I’m on no medications, I have no chronic conditions, no heart problems or high cholesterol,” Fernandez said Wednesday, just after receiving her vaccine. “I am most concerned about brittle bones.”

Fernandez fell in a meadow two years ago and broke her leg. The bone healed quickly, she believes, as a result of taking vitamins, educating herself and taking preventative health measures prior to the fall. And, luckily, she wasn’t by herself when it happened.