Benefits Of Periodic Health Checkups For Senior Citizens

Along with age comes wisdom. But, when you’ve hit the sixties or seventies, the chances of developing health-related problems also increase multi-fold. 

Worst case scenario

Most of these health complications do not exhibit symptoms until they have gotten terribly bad. Routine health checkups are a crucial way of holding off diseases of the elderly. 

Although it is advised that annual checkups are a must, considering the present scenario – monthly health checks especially for the senior folks have become a necessity. This can buy you the time to treat these ailments and even cure them! 

This way, you can determine even if there’s the smallest chance of developing an ailment. Hence, the necessary medical attention can be provided and the risk thwarted. Availing home care daily services from senior care agencies like Rising Care is always a positive move. 

Now, coming to the benefits, there are many. Let’s have a look at some of the compelling reasons so far…

Determine if you’ve contracted any disease 

If you get a checkup done, the doctors can identify symptoms that most likely get you sick in the future. On the chances of appointing a home physician, he will have a detailed case study of your family health history. So, if there is any family history of health complications like diabetes or cancer, it could be flagged as red flags. 

Get a more detailed analysis of your condition

Once your health history, food habits, and pre-existing medical conditions are put under scrutiny – you can have the most precise treatment. As every improvement or deterioration will be carefully monitored, expect to witness positive results in the days to come. 

This proves especially true in today’s pandemic scenario where Covid-like symptoms are often misunderstood as bouts of cold, flu, or case of bronchitis. Hence, an expert pair of eyes and knowledge can come in handy! 

Learn about health issues beforehand  

Let’s be honest about it – 

Your level of diagnosis can never match up to the level a healthcare professional does! 

This is why; routine check-ups must be performed at specialized clinics. If the elderly patient is suffering from restricted mobility or simply unable to drop down at a clinic – it should be arranged at home as well. 

Leading healthcare agencies in Kolkata offering senior citizen care can provide the needful. From ICU setup to supplying oxygen concentrators and supplying life-saving drugs at the doorstep – you can get in touch with Rising Care for 360-degree senior care services. 

Achieve firmer grip over chronic conditions 

Long-term or chronic ailments require day-to-day care. Those include –

These conditions need constant monitoring to keep them under good control. If not, the medical practitioner can make the necessary changes to your medication and diet. Now, let’s take a look at some of the most common medical check-ups for geriatric patients. 

A: Bone density scan 

Bone density tests can promote confidence among the aged to stay active without the fear of falling and breaking a bone or two!  

B: Blood lipid test 

Signs of cardiac diseases only increase with age. And, when it comes to heart ailments, can cholesterol & triglycerides be far behind? Blood lipid tests are vital to know if their level is within safe limits. If the situation is alarming, then the diet chart and lifestyle need to be altered to maintain a safe heart – always!  

C: Colorectal test  

It is extremely important and must be performed at least every 5-6 years once an individual hits 50. As colon cancer is quite prevalent among senior citizens, it can be detected early on in conducting colorectal tests.   

D: Blood pressure monitoring 

Needless to say, this is one of the most essential check-ups for everyone including the aged. A sudden spike or drop in blood pressure can amount to life-threatening conditions. For a patient with blood pressure issues, routine monitoring is mandatory. But, under normal circumstances, a monthly checkup is good enough!   

E: Cervical and breast cancer screening 

Targeted towards elderly women, a Pap smear and mammogram test is a must who are over 55-60 years of age. 

F: Prostate screening 

Meant exclusively for the aged males, men above the age of 50 must undergo routine prostate cancer tests. 

All of these tests are pretty common. But, for more specialized cases, doctors can suggest MRI, X-ray, CT scan, etc. depending on the patient’s conditions. Issues with mobility can also make the aged people feel invalid. Hence, physiotherapy services at home are always encouraged. 

Conclusion 

When our elders are free from ailments, the quality of life automatically improves. They can then, not only stay fit & healthy but also, stay emotionally happy & age gracefully. 

You can also hire a trained nurse for home to manage their daily chores and provide them with emotional companionship. Most importantly, encourage the elderly to sign up for routine health check-ups!