How Often Do Healthy Seniors Have to See a Doctor?
Current advice recommends people of all ages see their doctor regularly for check-ups, even if they feel great and don’t think anything is wrong. Prevention is key when it comes to illnesses and diseases, and scheduling regular check-ups with your doctor is the best way to ensure you remain healthy and to address any symptoms before they become worse. Here’s why:
Why Healthy Seniors Should See Doctors Regularly
Even if they are perfectly healthy, older adults are unfortunately more susceptible to certain health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, cancer, and more common ailments like cold and flu. Our immune systems often weaken we age, so extra care and attention is needed. Even if you’re a healthy senior who never saw your doctor on a regular basis when you were younger – it’s time to break that bad habit.
Visiting your doctor for regular check-ups is essential because:
- You can learn if you’re at risk for any diseases
- Your doctor can find and prevent any health problems early
- You can get up to date on all the screenings and tests recommended for healthy older adults
- You can better manage any chronic conditions you have
- It can save you money in the long run
- It further educates you about your own health and wellness, giving you more control over your lifestyle
Symptoms You Should Share With Your Doctor
We all know our own bodies, and most of us can tell when something feels off, even if it’s just a little bit. If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, please don’t hesitate to tell your doctor:
- Sleep problems
- Fatigue
- Memory loss
- Constipation
- Weight loss
When it comes to your health, it’s best to tell your doctor everything rather than assuming or hoping a certain symptom will eventually go away. It may be a side effect of medication you’re taking, it may accompany any big life changes you’ve recently gone through, or it may indicate a more serious health issue is present. There’s no such thing as too much information for your doctor!
The Benefits of Regular Doctor Visits
Some health conditions don’t present with symptoms that are immediately apparent. For example, high blood pressure often has no signs at all, and it’s a condition to which seniors, even healthy seniors, are particularly susceptible. High blood pressure and many other health conditions can be easily managed with the help of your doctor, but if you aren’t visiting your doctor regularly for check-ups you won’t even know something is wrong.
Regular doctor visits also empower healthy older people to become educated about their health and make any necessary lifestyle changes. The expression “knowledge is power” is certainly true when it comes to your own health. The more information you have, the more in control and empowered you will feel.
Lastly, preventing impending health problems, or catching them in the early stages, keeps them from progressing. If you’re pre-diabetic and at risk of becoming fully diabetic, it’s better to know that as early as possible so you can work with your doctor to manage it and hopefully prevent it from progressing further.
If you’re a healthy senior and would like more information about when you should see a doctor, or if you have any questions about our senior care services in NJ, please give us a call or visit us at: https://umcommunities.org
