Maintaining physical and mental wellbeing as a senior can be achieved through several measures, such as spending time outdoors, engaging in light exercises, consuming nutritious meals, seeking companionship, and participating in mentally stimulating activities such as solving crosswords or Sudoku puzzles.
While some seniors might include a daily glass of whisky or wine, others swear by the healing power of hugs. Nonetheless, even if you follow a healthy lifestyle and appear in good health, regular checkups with your healthcare provider are crucial and irreplaceable.
At 3P4Care Avondale, we prioritise protecting and maintaining our patients’ good health and wellbeing. Preventative care and regular checkups are one of the most effective ways to do that.
This article discusses preventive care for older adults and what it entails.
How Can We Prevent Health Problems in Old Age?
Apart from living a healthy lifestyle, health problems in old age can be avoided by visiting a healthcare professional regularly.
Regular checkups can help:
● Reinforce healthy lifestyle choices with a good diet and regular exercise to help fend off frailty
● Update vaccinations
● Screen for possible indicators of disease
● Assess the risk of likely medical problems cropping up in the future
● Maintain relations with the healthcare provider
The health care provider will likely discuss matters such as:
● Diet
● Exercise, including those which might aid balance, reducing the risk of falls and whether the patient might have experienced any recent falls or near misses
● Anxiety and depression
● Alcohol and smoking
● Medications and risks for interactions
● The kind of support network the patient has at their disposal
Types of Preventive Care Services
Preventive care for seniors is all about keeping seniors as healthy as possible and maintaining their capacity to do as many of the everyday tasks they have always done as they can.
The concept of preventive care for seniors centres on accidental injuries, disease, frailty, illnesses or complications caused by medical examinations or treatments, and psychosocial issues. The actual implementation of preventative measures depends on whether the patient is considered healthy, chronically ill, or frail.
● Healthy seniors (with minor medical issues)
In the case of this group, primary and secondary prevention of disease and forestalling frailty is the main objective.
● Chronically ill seniors
This group usually has a few treatable diseases which cannot be cured. They may be minimally dependent or functionally independent and may be on several types of prescription medication. Once in a while, they might be admitted to the hospital for treatment for their chronic illnesses.
They and their caregivers should understand their diseases and treatment of such. Regular visits to the doctor and immediate reporting of noticeable changes can often reduce the chances of the illness worsening, hospitalisation, and a decline in the patient’s condition.
In the case of chronically ill patients, the priorities are secondary and tertiary prevention of disease, the staving off of frailty, and primary prevention of illness and accidents and issues resulting from examinations or treatments.
● Frail seniors
These patients may be affected by severe chronic diseases and are functionally dependent. They may be admitted to hospital and other institutions regularly. Prevention of accidents and treatment-related injuries and illnesses are the main focus.
A home safety checklist should be run through by caregivers so that potential problems can be sorted out timeously. Subtle changes in the function of these patients should be noted and reported to a healthcare professional. If required, a senior interdisciplinary team may be called in to assist in dealing with specific needs.
Screening Guidelines for the Elderly
Medicare covers a “Welcome to Medicare” preventive physical examination, which should occur within one year of Part B enrolment. Afterward, a wellness visit should be conducted annually. Women 65 and older should visit a doctor regularly for checkups to avoid problems in the future.
Blood Pressure and Blood Sugar
Blood pressure and blood sugar should be routinely checked as these may not have any symptoms in the initial stages.
Get your blood pressure checked more often if:
● You have heart disease, diabetes, or kidney problems and are obese or have other health issues
● When conducting a blood pressure check, your top number is 120 to 129 mm Hg, or the bottom is 70 to 79 mm Hg
● You have a close relative with high blood pressure
Breast Cancer Screening
A clinical breast exam should be carried out during your preventive exam, and women up to the age of 75 should have a mammogram every 1 to 2 years, depending on risk factors, to check for breast cancer. Some doctors do not recommend having mammograms after age 75. Others recommend it for healthy women in this age bracket.
Cervical Cancer Screening
Once a woman reaches age 65 and has not been diagnosed with cervical cancer or pre-cancer, it is generally no longer necessary to undergo cervical cancer screening tests. However, this is contingent on three consecutive negative Pap test results or two consecutive negative PAP and HPV test results within the past ten years. The most recent test should have been done within the last five years.
Cholesterol Screening
Have your cholesterol checked every four to six years. You will need to have more frequent checks if you:
● Experience lifestyle changes (including weight gain and diet)
● Have Familial hypercholesterolemia (a genetic disorder), heart disease, diabetes, kidney problems, or other health conditions
Colorectal Cancer Screening
Until age 75, regular colorectal cancer screenings are necessary. At age 76 or older, you should ask your doctor about screening for it.
Tests available for colorectal cancer screening include:
● A stool-based faecal occult blood (gFOBT) or faecal immunochemical test (FIT) every year
● A stool DNA-FIT test every 1 to 3 years
● CT colonography every 5 years
● Flexible sigmoidoscopy every 5 years or every 10 years with stool testing with FIT done every year
● Colonoscopy every 10 years
A colonoscopy may be required more often if you have risk factors for colon cancer, such as:
● Ulcerative colitis
● A family history of colorectal cancer
● History of adenomatous polyps in the colon
Diabetes Screening
A diabetes screening should take place every 3 years or more often if you:
● Have a close relative with diabetes
● Are overweight or have high blood pressure, a history of heart disease, or prediabetes
Eye Exam
● If you have vision problems or are at risk of developing glaucoma, you might need to have an eye exam more often than every 1 or 2 years
● If you have diabetes, an annual examination of the retina is necessary.
Hearing Test
If you notice symptoms of hearing loss, you should have your hearing tested.
Lung Cancer Screening
An annual lung cancer screening is necessary if:
● You are aged 50 to 80 years AND
● You smoke or have quit within the past 15 years
Skin Exam
Your healthcare provider may check your skin for signs of skin cancer if you have close relatives with skin cancer, had skin cancer before or if you have a weakened immune system.
Osteoporosis Screening
● All women aged 65 and over should have a bone density test (DEXA scan).
● Ask your doctor which exercises or other interventions can help prevent osteoporosis.
Infectious Disease Screening
● Screening for hepatitis C
Anyone in the 18 to 79 bracket should have a one-time test for hepatitis C
● Screening for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Anyone between 15 and 65 should get a one-time HIV test. (Depending on your lifestyle and medical history, syphilis, chlamydia, and other infections might also need to be screened.)
Commonly needed immunizations
These include:
● The annual flu shot
● Pneumococcal vaccines
● Tetanus-diphtheria and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine: if not received as an adolescent
● Tetanus-diphtheria booster (or Tdap) every 10 years
● COVID-19 vaccine
● Shingles vaccine
Annual Wellness Exams Available in Chicago
At 3P4Care Avondale, our highly efficient team wants to know you and is committed to giving you the care you deserve. We cover every base, from paediatric health services to annual wellness examinations, screening testing as per scientific guidelines to detect asymptomatic diseases, and women’s health and geriatric care (including home visits).