As individuals reach the age of 65, maintaining regular health checkups becomes increasingly important. This age marks a period where the risk of various health issues rises, making preventive healthcare a crucial aspect of maintaining quality of life. Regular checkups can help in early detection and management of age-related health conditions, ensuring a healthier and more active lifestyle during the senior years.
Essential Health Checkups at Age 65
Each individual’s health needs can vary significantly at the age of 65. Factors such as family history, pre-existing health conditions, lifestyle choices, and genetic predispositions play a critical role in determining the frequency and type of checkups needed.
Therefore, it’s important for seniors to have personalized healthcare plans developed in consultation with their healthcare providers. These plans should focus not only on addressing current health issues but also on preventive measures to maintain and improve health and wellbeing as they age.
With that in mind, the following are some examples of what should be expected either before or by the time a person turns 65:
- Comprehensive Physical Exam – Annually
Your annual physical exam will be critical to assess overall health status, including vital signs, heart, lung, abdominal, and neurological examinations. This exam often serves as a baseline for monitoring health changes over time and can affect all other checkups on this list.
- Blood Pressure Screening – At Least Once Annually
Blood pressure screenings can help monitor for hypertension, a common condition in seniors that increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
- Cholesterol Level Check – Typically Every 4-6 Years
Cholesterol tests assess the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Frequency may increase if there are risk factors like diabetes or a family history of heart disease. Some medical professionals do recommend this more often.
- Diabetes Screening – Annually
Diabetes is dangerous, and becomes worse as we are older. Annual screenings can identify not only diabetes, but also “pre-diabetes,” which in turn can help with earlier care.
- Bone Density Test (DEXA Scan) – At Least Once
Bone density tests are designed to check for signs of osteoporosis, which is common in older adults, especially women. Frequency of these tests can vary considerably. Some people only need it once, while others need it often.
- Cancer Screenings – Rate Varies
Therea are many different cancer screenings, including colonoscopies, mammograms, prostate cancer screenings, and more. Skin cancer checks are often – typically annually. Colonoscopies can be only once per decade. Each cancer screening has a different rate recommended, with risk factors like smoking or family history affecting this rate.
Other Screenings – Mental Health, Oral Health, and More
These represent only a few of the screenings you can expect after 65. However, these screenings are not only due to age, but also due to helping you maintain your health so that you can enjoy your senior years as healthy and comfortable as possible.
Always remember to maintain regular communication with healthcare providers and adherence to recommended checkup schedules are key to effective health management in the senior years. For more information about healthcare at home, learn more about American River Visiting Providers.