What Health Checks Is Your Dad Missing?
Your dad’s health is important, but it’s also easy to overlook what health checks he skipped. If your dad doesn’t talk to you or involve you in his doctor’s appointments, you wouldn’t know what has and hasn’t been taken care of.
Elder Care Thousand Oaks CA – What Health Checks Is Your Dad Missing?
Try to be involved if he’ll let you. Holding medical power of attorney is one way to stay involved. You should also ask if he’d sign the HIPAA paperwork to permit you to talk to his doctor about his health exams and recommendations.
Don’t put off these important permissions. If something happens and you don’t have the authority to talk about his health, you could end up with doctors or courts making decisions for him. Once you have the authority to act in his interests, ask him and his doctor if he’s had these health checks.
Blood Pressure
Your dad should have his blood pressure checked each year. It should be around 120/80. If it’s higher than that, he should talk to his doctor about ways to lower it. Diet, exercise, and weight loss are three ways to lower blood pressure readings. In some cases, medications may be required.
Cholesterol
Every few years, your dad’s cholesterol levels should be checked. If they’ve been normal, it’s recommended that he have them checked every five years. If he has other chronic conditions or has had high cholesterol readings in the past, he needs them checked more often than that.
Colorectal Cancer Screenings
Typically, colorectal cancer screenings start at the age of 50. It may include a yearly fecal blood test or some form of colonoscopy. The general rule on colonoscopy tests is that they are done every five years if he has them done via a CT (virtual) or sigmoidoscopy. A full colonoscopy done with a scope is done every 10 years.
Diabetes Screening
A simple blood test is all it takes for your dad to be checked for signs of prediabetes or diabetes. If there are concerns, diet and exercise plans are discussed. If he’s okay, he should be retested every three years.
Osteoporosis
Typically, women are focused on more carefully, but men can get osteoporosis. Many doctors are now urging men 70 or older to get a bone density screening completed. If the bones are thinning, there’s a greater risk of breaking a bone in a fall.
Those are some of the tests that men don’t always get. You should also talk to your dad’s doctor about prostate checks, lung cancer screenings, and abdominal aortic aneurysm screenings.
If your dad needs rides to and from medical offices or has a hard time keeping track of appointments, hire elder care services. An elder care provider can help him arrange appointments, get to the office on time, and pick up prescriptions. Call our elder care agency to discuss prices and schedules.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering Elder Care Services in Thousand Oaks CA, please contact the caring staff at Assisting Hearts Home Care today. Proudly Serving the Los Angeles & Ventura County. Call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! (805) 371-0033, (818) 593-0094, (310) 230-5601.
Our team is comprised of highly experienced and dedicated professionals who are focused on providing exceptional in-home care services to our clients and their families.We are proud to have served thousands of individuals and families since our inception.
Assisting Hearts Home Care was established in 2008 by two professionals a husband and wife team who started the company after personally experiencing the challenges of caring for their aging parents and grandparents. They experienced first-hand at how difficult it was to find care that worked around your schedule and not the schedule of the agency with caring and dedicated caregivers. Since January 2008 Assisting Hearts Home Care has been owned and operated by Robert Ruetschle.Prior to opening Assisting Hearts Home Care, Robert was in upper management of a national pharmaceutical manufacturing company and he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry. Robert is passionate about supporting our older adult community and helping individuals age with dignity and grace in their own homes.
It is our mission to give peace of mind to our clients and their families by providing exceptional care.Our caregivers are also supported by an office staff of Senior Advisors and advanced CNA’s.Our team looks forward to getting to know each client and family personally.
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