Good Preventive Measures for Seniors

For healthy people over the age of 65 who have no chronic diseases or conditions, the American Geriatrics Society recommends the following screening tests. The exact schedule depends on your health; your health care provider may recommend different tests or at different times.

• Risk assessment at least every year; review medications

• Height and weight yearly

• Blood pressure yearly

• Vision testing yearly

• Depression screening at least once and if symptoms appear

• Hearing tests yearly

• Mental status screening for dementia yearly

• Clinical breast exam yearly

• Bone density measurement at least once for women after the age of 65

• Thyroid function screening yearly for women

• Total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol every five years for both men and women to age 75

• Blood glucose screening yearly

• Pap test at least every three years; after age 65, a woman should talk to her health care provider

• Mammograms yearly until age 70; after age 70, a woman should talk to her health care provider

• Prostate cancer screening: Men should discuss with their health care provider their risk factors for prostate cancer and determine if they need a test

• Dental exams every six months

• Colon cancer screening: The frequency of screening depends on the screening test used;  talk to your health care provider to determine the type of test and how often you should have it

• Annual flu shot

Working with your doctor

You may need other vaccines or tests that help prevent or catch a disease early. But how do you know which shots and which tests?

The best answer is to have a good relationship with your health care provider. Although there are guidelines for the general population, the decision about what tests to have and what shots to get should always be based on your own individual situation. You and your doctor need to make these decisions together.