America’s seniors are living longer than ever, with many remaining employed and active well past age 65. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 10,000 Americans reach their 65th birthday each day, and with many healthy seniors choosing to live independently, ongoing wellness care is a must.

So, how often should independent seniors see a doctor? And how can an in-home caregiver help? Let’s take a look.

How Often Should Healthy Seniors See a Doctor?

According to a 2011 study by the CDC, fewer than 30% of people between 50 and 64 years of age were up-to-date with their clinical preventive services—such as immunizations, screening tests, and counseling to prevent the onset or progression of disease.

These numbers don’t bode well for those entering their senior years. Insufficient wellness care can result in missed or misdiagnosed health conditions, reduced or absent immunity to specific illnesses, and poor lifestyle choices (such as poor diet or lack of compliance with medication schedules).

An annual wellness checkup is recommended for all adults over 55 and especially for independently living seniors (65+).

Why Are Wellness Checks Important?

Our bodies change as we age, and long-term health depends on understanding and addressing those changes. Annual wellness checks can:

• Help clinicians get a baseline of each patient’s condition.
• Provide an opportunity to perform important screening tests (such as those for hypertension, hearing loss, visual acuity, and certain types of cancer).
• Measure disease progression for any chronic conditions.
• Offer needed immunizations.
• Reassess medications and dosages to ensure effectiveness
• Offer lifestyle advice for healthier diet and exercise schedules

Signs You Need More than a Wellness Check Sometimes our bodies change in ways we barely notice—a slight loss in appetite, a small discomfort when climbing stairs—but these small changes may be indicative of larger, underlying health problems. Warning signs may include:

• Sudden or unexpected weight loss
• Changes in eating, toileting, or sleep routines
• Blood in stool or urine
• Persistent pain
• Persistent or recurring fever
• Mobility issues
• Breathing problems
• Vision or hearing problems
• Cognitive problems (like memory loss) that worsen over time
• And any condition that affects your activities of daily living

If you or a loved one experience any of these symptoms, a visit to the doctor is recommended, both to pinpoint a diagnosis and to rule out potentially life- threatening causes.

How An In-Home Caregiver Can Help

An in-home caregiver can be an indispensable help in arranging and facilitating doctor’s appointments. A caregiver can…

• Plan and schedule doctor visits to suit a client’s needs.
• Provide transportation to and from each appointment.
• Make a list of all medications each client is taking.
• Write down any questions the client may have for the clinician
• Explain any medication changes to the client
• Help clients with cognitive challenges adhere to medication dosing schedules

If you or a loved one is an independently living senior, 5 Star Home Care can help. Our trained, professional caregivers are ready to provide compassionate care in the comfort of each client’s own home. A lifesaver for independently living seniors, a 5 Star in-home caregiver can assist with daily activities such as shopping, meal prep, dressing, and light housekeeping, as well as with transportation to and from medical appointments.

Don’t leave your health, or the health of someone you love, to chance. Contact us today and discover what peace of mind feels like!

5 Star Home Care serves the Philadelphia metro area, including Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery Counties. Contact us today, and discover what peace of mind feels like. Contact us today.

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