Aging is a natural and expected process. Living a healthy lifestyle can help you ward off some of the changes that come from getting older, but it’s impossible to completely stop the passage of time.
As your body changes in middle age and as an older adult, your annual physical at Nguyen Medical Group in Boynton Beach, Florida, begins to look a bit different. Geriatrics expert Thomas Nguyen, MD, explains what you can expect to change at your annual physical as you age.
At any age, the annual physical is an essential tool for staying in good health. Whether you’re 18 or 80, you can expect certain health checks to take place.
Our team always checks your overall health, including benchmarks such as your height, weight, and blood pressure. You can expect a thorough physical examination and a review of your current health, health history, and any medications you take.
At some annual physicals, we order health screenings or lab tests, recommend vaccinations, or refer you to relevant specialists.
While much of your annual physical stays the same at any age, you can expect some key changes as you get older. These are 3 of the main differences in a middle-aged or older adult’s check-up.
Younger adults are less likely to have chronic diseases than older adults. Once you hit 40, your risk starts to go up for some conditions, even if you have no other risk factors.
Common problems you’re more likely to develop after 40 include:
To catch problems early, we monitor you closely for symptoms of other diseases and refer you for lab tests and health screenings, such as a colonoscopy for colon cancer, at certain ages. This can be as young as 40 for screenings like a mammogram for breast cancer, or a couple of decades later for a mental status exam for dementia.
On the other hand, you can also expect to no longer need certain screenings. For example, most women over 65 no longer need to be tested for cervical cancer.
The older you are, the higher your risk of contracting viruses and developing life-threatening complications. To mitigate your risk, we advise you to get age-appropriate vaccines at the recommended ages from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Examples of recommended vaccines for older adults include the shingles vaccine when you turn 50 and the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine for meningitis and pneumonia at 65. Everyone should get the flu shot annually, but it becomes even more vital once you turn 65.
Our annual physicals always focus on your greater well-being. As you get older, the questions we ask you are different from those of your younger years.
Women in particular experience significant hormonal shifts in middle age. We move from discussing contraception and fertility with women to managing your general wellness and sexual health as you go through perimenopause and menopause.
Men and women both start to lose strength and bone, and muscle mass in middle age. We test your overall strength in an exam and inquire about your overall mobility and whether you’ve taken any falls.
Your older years can also include many life transitions, from becoming empty nesters and retiring to losing loved ones. Our team checks in on your emotional, mental, and physical well-being as you navigate these changes.
We also encourage healthy older adults to develop a care plan and health directives for when they might need more assistance from caregivers and doctors.
By taking a few additional preventative health measures, you can continue to stay as active and healthy as possible in middle age and your golden years. If it’s time for your annual physical, contact us to schedule one.
