As people age, it becomes increasingly important to visit the doctor on a regular basis. Recognizing and treating health conditions early can help aging adults stay healthy so they can better enjoy life. Here are five reasons seniors should go to the doctor regularly.
1. Monitor Prescription Drugs
Prescription medications can cause side effects or adverse reactions. Many seniors take cardiovascular, antihypertensive, and pain medications. These drugs can cause dizziness, confusion, weakness, blurred vision, and gastrointestinal issues such as stomach pain, diarrhea, and constipation. Your senior loved one should attend medical appointments regularly so the doctor can evaluate potential drug side effects. If your loved one is experiencing side effects from the medications, the physician can either prescribe a lower dosage or discontinue the medication altogether and recommend a different one.
Seniors who need help with medication management can benefit greatly from having a professional caregiver in the home. If your aging loved one needs help managing everyday tasks or encouragement to adopt healthier lifestyle choices, turn to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of home care. Roseville Home Care Assistance provides professional in-home caregivers around the clock to help seniors live longer, happier, and healthier lives.
2. Monitor Glucose
Advancing age, obesity, preexisting medical conditions, family history, and medication side effects can cause elevated blood sugar levels or diabetes. To prevent diabetes and other serious health issues, seniors need to visit the doctor on a regular basis for glucose monitoring. The sooner high blood sugar levels are recognized and treated, the less likely your loved one is to develop diabetes-related complications such as poor circulation, stasis ulcers, vision impairment, renal disorders, strokes, and heart attacks. For seniors who already have diabetes, frequent doctor visits can ensure they comply with their medical protocol and maintain a healthy weight.
3. Get Routine Blood Tests
It’s important for seniors to get routinely checked for high cholesterol levels, vitamin and mineral deficiencies, and anemia. In addition to checking total cholesterol levels, the physician may also want to check your loved one’s level of high-density lipoproteins, or “good cholesterol,” as well as low-density lipoproteins, or “bad cholesterol.” If low-density lipoproteins are high, the doctor can counsel your loved one on ways to bring them down. Elevated levels of low-density lipoproteins can raise the risk for heart attacks and strokes, so it’s important that these blood lipids are monitored on a regular basis.
If your loved one needs transportation assistance to attend medical appointments, a professional caregiver is a wonderful solution. When researching agencies that provide elderly home care, families are usually looking for flexible care plans, compassionate and highly trained caregivers, and 24/7 availability. Whether you need respite care to take a break from your caregiving duties or your senior loved one needs around-the-clock assistance at home, you can rely on Home Care Assistance.
4. Engage in Talk Therapy
Seniors sometimes become anxious about their health status or getting older. Discussing their fears with the doctor can ease anxiety and better prepare them to face the future with hope and enthusiasm. If it’s determined your loved one has anxiety or depression, the physician can develop a plan of care that may include prescription medications, dietary interventions, exercise advice, and—if needed—a referral to a mental health professional.
5. Check the Skin
Skin problems become common as people age. For example, medications such as diuretics, or “water pills,” can lead to frequent urination, which can cause extremely dry and itchy skin. Other skin issues include basal cell carcinoma, collagen loss, thin skin that’s susceptible to tearing, and rashes. Visiting the doctor regularly ensures skin problems are diagnosed and treated as soon as possible. The doctor may also advise your loved one on strategies to keep the skin healthy, which may include drinking plenty of water throughout the day, moisturizing the skin with a high-quality lotion, using sunscreen, and eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids. These interventions can keep the skin supple and soft while lowering the risk for dryness, irritation, and skin breakdown.
Seeing the doctor regularly can help seniors better manage their health and maintain their independence. Living independently is important for seniors who want to maintain a high quality of life. For some, this simply means receiving help with tasks that have become more challenging to manage over time. Even when families have the best intentions, they may not have the time to provide the care their elderly loved ones need and deserve. If your loved one needs help for a few hours a day or a few days a week, reach out to Home Care Assistance, a trusted provider of respite care Roseville seniors can depend on. To schedule a no-obligation consultation, please give us a call today at (916) 226-3737.