Stay Healthy -- Practice Prevention
Working with your doctor to stay healthy is as important as getting the right treatment when you're sick.
Preventive care, or care to prevent illness and disease, includes health tests/screenings, vaccines, and health counseling. Regular preventive care can help you stay healthy and live longer.
Like exercise, eating right, and other things you do to keep healthy, preventive care is up to you. Talk to your doctor about which tests and vaccines you need and how often. Keep a record of all the tests you have and when, as well as the results. Mark the dates you need to get tested again on your calendar.
Health Tests
Some tests can help find problems or diseases before you start to have symptoms. Treating a health problem sooner rather than later improves your chances of getting better - it even can save your life.
Your doctor will recommend tests — and how often you should have them — based on your:
- age and gender
- current health
- medical history
- family history
Your doctor might want you to get some tests sooner or more often than other people if you're at risk for a certain illness based on your family or medical history. If you're a woman age 50 or older, talk to your doctor about testing for:
- breast cancer (mammogram, self-breast and clinical breast examinations)
- colorectal cancer (digital rectal examination, fecal occult blood test, sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, barium enema)
- skin, ovarian, cervical, and other types of cancer
- diabetes
- high blood pressure
- high cholesterol
- osteoporosis (bone density test)
- vision and hearing
- tuberculosis
If you're a man age 50 or older, ask your doctor about:
- colorectal cancer
- prostate cancer
- skin and other types of cancer
- diabetes
- high blood pressure
- high cholesterol
- vision and hearing
- tuberculosis
Vaccines
If you're past age 50, you should get a flu shot every year. Once you reach age 65, you should get a pneumonia vaccine. You also need a tetanus/diptheria shot every 10 years. In addition, ask your doctor about vaccines for hepatitis B and chickenpox (varicella).
Counseling
Unfortunately, many doctors just don't have the time to talk with patients about behaviors and lifestyle habits that could hurt their health. Here are some of the things your doctor should ask you about. If any of them cause you problems or concern, ask about them on your own if your doctor doesn't bring them up:
- alcohol use
- quitting smoking
- feeling anxious or depressed
- diet/eating right
- staying a healthy weight
- physical activity
- hormone replacement therapy
- sleep problems
- vision or hearing problems
- sexual problems or sexually transmitted diseases
- prescriptions and any over-the-counter medicines, including supplements and herbs you are taking
It's a good idea to make a list of all your medicines, the doses, and how often you take them so you don't forget. Bring the list with you to the doctor's office.
Dental Care
Finally, don't forget about your teeth and mouth. Your preventive care plan should include regular visits — once or twice a year — to the dentist. Problems with your teeth, gums, and mouth could cause pain, infection, trouble eating and sleeping, and other health problems.
Medical advances and technology have greatly improved our ability to catch illnesses and diseases earlier — and to save lives. Make preventive care part of your healthy lifestyle plan. To promote health, practice prevention!
AARP Resources
How To Talk To Your Doctor
Speaking up, asking the right questions, and understanding what
your doctor tells you will help you get better care.
Foods To Fight Disease
A healthy diet can help protect you against obesity, diabetes,
heart disease, and some kinds of cancer.
Additional Resources
National Immunization
Program
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has
an adult immunization schedule, information on the flu and
other illnesses, and answers to frequently asked questions.
Vision
Loss
Find out if you have risk factors for eye diseases that could
cause blindness.
Hearing
Loss
Take a quiz to see if you have a hearing problem and find out
what you should do.
