In 2020, Chadwick Boseman, perhaps best known for his role as Black Panther, died after a four-year battle with colon cancer. Colon cancer, for the longest time, was seen as an "older person's" illness.
Instances of the disease have increased in people under 50, which is why screenings are now recommended at 40. Chadwick Boseman was in his 40s, but early detection is important at every stage of life.
After all, if someone so young could have such a serious illness, why couldn't an older person? Early disease detection is often the difference between death and a long, healthy life.
Below, we discuss why health screenings for seniors matter and the benefits of early detection.
Health screenings, or screening tests, search for diseases and other illnesses before you show symptoms. The point is to find potential health complications early to get the most out of the treatment regimen.
Some screenings are easily done at your primary care center. Other health screenings for seniors require specialized equipment, so you may need to go to a different clinic or office.
Here are the conditions doctors often screen for:
What you're tested for largely depends on your age, sex, and family history. For example, your doctor may check for diabetes if your mother and her family have a history of the illness.
Seniors should get comprehensive health screenings yearly. The process should include reviewing medications, checking for illnesses, and discussing potential lifestyle factors for diseases.
Annual health screenings are among the most effective senior wellness strategies, alongside a good diet, exercise, and proper medication management, but why? What makes early detection so helpful?
The first benefit is that screenings paint an accurate picture of the problem. Many illnesses have symptoms that mimic others. For example, dementia may look a lot like a sleep disorder without further examination.
Getting a full medical assessment can help clarify what disease you're dealing with. Screenings help you know what to expect going forward.
How much agency you have regarding health care depends on the illness and what you know about it. Dementia is a progressive syndrome, so sufferers lose the ability to manage their symptoms and treatment.
Diabetes is a chronic disease. It won't go away, but you can keep track of the condition and choose treatment options. It's easier to manage if you get treatment before it causes further harm.
The adage "knowledge is power" has never been truer in this circumstance. Early detection gives you longer to make better decisions for your benefit.
Treatment for illnesses like colon cancer, dementia, and diabetes works best when they (the illness) are caught early. Early detection finds and locates issues before they become big and unmanageable.
You want to catch these health complications before they progress beyond remission or past when treatment is helpful. Health screenings also give you more leeway in choosing treatments.
Certain medications or health regimens may not work. Something that worked for your neighbor may be ineffective or even detrimental to you. Early detection gives people more time to find what works.
Health screening for seniors is helpful for early detection, which has helped prolong and save many lives. However, early testing isn't always practical.
Many conditions go away on their own. Some tests are invasive and laden with complications. Early detection is only useful if you can do something about the diagnosis.
Doctors often recommend observation if they think your issue will clear up over time or if there's nothing you can do until symptoms appear. Here are conditions where early detection may do no good:
Getting screened is best left for if there's a strong suspicion of having a certain condition and if early detection will help. We mentioned dementia being a common illness doctors screen for.
Symptoms present rather obviously, although they may appear as other health issues. Early detection can give you a definitive diagnosis, help slow the progression, and mitigate symptoms.
A general rule of thumb is that early detection would help with all diseases we mentioned when explaining health screenings. Often, doctors discover these potential diagnoses through other minor examinations.
For example, abnormally high blood sugar may hint at diabetes. A lump in the breast may call for a cancer screening. It's great if follow-up tests find nothing wrong, but the extra testing is still useful.
Early detection matters because it gives you more agency in your healthcare and gives medications more time to work. Early disease detection allows people greater avenues to seek different treatments.
However, health screenings for seniors may not help with certain diseases. Sarcoidosis and osteoarthritis often go untreated despite detection because they're usually not that serious.
Health care can be complex and stressful, but you can trust Raincross at Riverside to help. Our staff offers helpful services, like medication management and memory care. Contact us today to schedule a tour.