The importance of preventive care for older adults

Doctors can do so much more than treat you when you’re sick — they can spot problems before you even know you have them. The goal? To keep you healthy for a lifetime.

This type of care is particularly valuable as you get older and grow more susceptible to a variety of health conditions. Preventive care can help you maintain your overall health, independence and quality of life.

How can one care model do all of that? Keep reading for answers to frequently asked questions about preventive care for older adults.

What Is Preventive Care?

Preventive care is routine healthcare that’s designed to help maintain wellness, prevent diseases and improve your quality of life. It falls into these three categories:

• Screenings: These test for conditions like dementia, depression, diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension and various cancers. Preventive screenings for older adults also include assessments to identify and reduce risk factors for falls.
• Vaccinations: These provide immunity to diseases that can become serious if you’re not protected. Vaccines for older adults offer protection against COVID, the flu, pneumonia, RSV, shingles, tetanus and more.
• Wellness visits: Primary care appointments may include counseling on healthy habits, recommendations for lifestyle changes and ways to manage chronic conditions. Providers can also review your medications and supplements to help prevent drug interactions and streamline care.

Why Does Preventive Care Matter?

Preventive care gives healthcare providers the chance to catch small problems before they become bigger problems. By detecting health changes earlier and managing emerging conditions proactively, preventive care supports long-term independence and quality of life.

Identifying health risks before they become health challenges has another perk: it allows you to make informed decisions at every stage and stay in control of your health. Regular wellness visits, screenings and vaccinations can provide a sense of assurance for you and your loved ones too — helping address and alleviate any concerns that may come up about your health and well-being.

How Can Preventive Care Help Identify Health Conditions?

Preventive care can help detect health conditions by proactively screening for them. At regular wellness visits, your provider will review your personal and family history of risk factors to determine which tests are needed and when.

For example, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends a diabetes screening every three years for adults who are overweight. Your provider may recommend more frequent screenings if you have additional risk factors. A simple blood test (called an A1C test) measures your average blood sugar levels from the past three months to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes. By catching prediabetes sooner, you can make dietary and exercise changes to reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by up to 58%.

Why Do I Need Preventive Care If I Feel Healthy?

If you feel healthy today, preventive care is a great way to maintain that health over the years to come. Regular wellness visits give your primary care provider an opportunity to establish a baseline for your health (in other words, what your “normal” looks like) and monitor changes over time.

Not only that, but several common conditions — like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and prediabetes — can develop with no symptoms at all. The only way to know you’re affected is through regular screenings.

Preventive care offers an ongoing approach to protecting your health, helping you stay ahead of potential concerns instead of waiting until symptoms appear.

What Should I Ask My Provider About Preventive Care?

To get the most out of your wellness visits, ask your provider two key questions:

• What screenings do you recommend based on my age, health history, family history and risk factors?

Screenings are not one-size-fits-all — your provider will consider various factors before recommending a screening schedule that’s tailored to you. For example, the decision to have a mammogram after age 74 should take your overall health, life expectancy and values into account.

• Will you help me create a personalized prevention plan?

If you have risk factors for certain conditions, your healthcare team can recommend specific lifestyle changes to help delay or prevent disease and support your long-term health. For example, they may design an individualized diet and exercise plan that’s safe and appropriate for your needs — and connect you to fitness and nutrition education classes to help you get started.

Preventive Care Supports Healthy Aging

Preventive care for older adults focuses not only on detecting disease, but on supporting cognitive health, medication safety, mobility and overall independence. Become an ArchWell Health member today and discover how our proactive approach to senior primary care can help you lead a longer, healthier and happier life.