Have you told yourself this: “I don’t have time for an unnecessary doctor’s appointment.” Or perhaps this: “I will go to the doctor when I know I need medicine, or something is just too painful.” Caregivers tend to put their own health aside and a major thing caregivers neglect to do is preventive care for themselves. Remember You! Preventative health is key to staying healthy and identifying potential health problems before they become a serious and costly issue.
Benefits of preventive care
- Avoid high medical expenses. When you practice preventive care, like annual health screenings, diseases can be detected early on when they are most treatable – helping you to save on health care costs.
- Improves long-term health and lifespan. Preventive care identifies potential health risks, such as heart conditions and diseases. If you are able to treat your high blood pressure early on, you improve your heart health in the long run.
Ways to practice preventative care
- Mental health screenings. Caregiving can be very stressful. Stress causes a person’s mental health to decline which, in turn, causes physical health to be at risk for problems. By screening your mental health, you can detect whether or not you are at risk for depression, anxiety, substance misuse and other issues. Mental health screenings can help you adjust your lifestyle and seek expert advice so you can live a more active and functionable life.
- Annual wellness exam and physical health screenings. Adult physical health screenings usually happen during an annual wellness exam. Screenings may include blood pressure, cholesterol, osteoporosis and diabetes. Cancer screenings for breast cancer, colorectal cancer, cervical cancer and prostate cancer. If you have family history of particular disease or condition, be sure to be screened for that as well. By having an annual physical and screenings, you can help prevent or catch issues that would become bigger problems if left undetected.
- Weight management and exercise. People who do their best to manage weight and participate in physical exercise, tend to handle stress better and have healthier outcomes. Everyone is built differently. The key is to be the healthiest you!
- Immunizations. One of easiest ways to practice preventative care is vaccines since they can prevent so much! Talk with your primary care professional about which vaccines are best for you. Adult vaccines to think about are: Influenza, COVID, Shingles, Tetanus, Pneumonia and Hepatitis.
The bottom line with preventive care is to Remember You! Don’t wait until you are sick, or something is too painful to schedule a doctor appointment. Make that annual physical appointment now! One of the best ways to stay healthy and take care of your well-being is through preventive care.
