2024 Wellness Calendar: Your Healthy Aging Checklist

New Year’s resolutions are hard to keep without a plan. If one of your goals is healthy aging, ArchWell Health is here to help. Take these monthly steps to a healthier, happier you in 2024.

January

Start the year right with your first regular wellness visit of 2024 at ArchWell Health. Your ArchWell Health doctor will review your medical history and prescriptions and help you make a wellness plan for the year. At ArchWell Health you can see your primary care provider as often as you need to! Our care team will make sure to get follow-up appointments on your calendar, too.

What to do:

• Schedule your regular wellness visits.

February

This month we mark American Heart Month (and Valentine’s Day, of course). A great way to protect your heart is to control your blood pressure. Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure — and many are unaware that they do.

What to do:

• Get your blood pressure checked.

March

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the second deadliest cancer in the U.S., but it’s largely preventable. Medicare covers screening colonoscopies at no cost to you. You can also talk with your doctor about alternative screenings, including stool-based tests that look at your DNA and blood to determine if you may have irregular colon or rectal growth.

What to do:

• Schedule a colorectal cancer screening.

April

April is National Minority Health Month. Members of racial and ethnic minorities face bigger disease burdens for a variety of reasons, including access to care. If you're a member of one of these groups, have conversations this month about your unique health challenges due to family history or other risk factors. If not, learn about the unique health challenges your neighbors may face at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health’s website.

What to do:

• Talk with your doctor about challenges that may affect your health.

May

May is Better Hearing and Speech Month, and a good time to think about how important hearing is. Hearing loss contributes to depression, isolation, falls and even car wrecks. And it affects 1 in 3 older adults.

What to do:

• Schedule a hearing test.

June

June is Men’s Health Month, so listen up, men. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men (after skin cancer). The good news: it grows slowly, so treatment may not be needed. But early detection is key.

What to do:

• Ask your doctor if you should have a prostate cancer screening.

Women, you’re not off the hook. Schedule your mammogram now, as calendar openings for this preventive screening fill up quickly. (See October for more information.)

July

Just in time for outdoor fun, it’s UV Safety Month. More people get skin cancer than any other form of cancer. You can lower your risk by practicing sun safety.

What to do:

• Stop by ArchWell Health to see your doctor for a skin check.

August

August is National Immunization Awareness Month, a great time to ensure you’re up to date on your shots. That includes newer vaccines that protect against COVID-19, shingles and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). RSV alone is responsible for the death of nearly 10,000 older adults each year.

What to do:

• Review your list of vaccinations and talk with your doctor about those you’ve missed.

September

School is back, and so is the flu. The flu can make anybody sick but can be deadly for older adults. Up to 85% of flu-related deaths occur among people 65 and older. The best way to prevent it is to get vaccinated.

What to do:

• Schedule a flu shot before the end of next month.

October

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Now’s the time for a mammogram. This simple test can spot breast cancer up to three years before you feel a lump. Since breast cancer affects more women than any non-skin-related cancer, regular screenings are critical.

What to do:

• Get a mammogram.

November

November is National Diabetes Month, a reminder to control your blood sugar. Diabetes affects 38 million American adults, but many of them don’t realize they have it. It’s the eighth leading cause of death in the U.S. and the leading cause of kidney failure.

What to do:

• Get your blood sugar tested.

December

The holiday season can be a time of joy, but it can also be a time of sadness, especially if you’re socially isolated. Find ways this month to stay active and engaged with other people. Your ArchWell Health center even has weekly activities for older adults in the community.

What to do:

• Ask your ArchWell Health doctor about mental health resources that could help you.