As any doctor will tell you, family health history can have many implications for an individual's future health. Although some conditions, like hemophilia or Down's syndrome, are caused by genetic mutations and are thus present from birth, other diseases with possible genetic links may not develop or become evident until later in life.
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Good nutrition is an essential part of senior health but, if you are like millions of Americans, you may not be getting all the vitamins and minerals you need through what you eat. The convenience—and never-ending variety— of packaged and fast foods can make it difficult to eat nutritious foods at every meal and even when you make a conscious effort to eat more healthfully, there are other factors that can keep you from getting the nutrients you need:
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Health terminology can sound complicated— even intimidating— to a patient and his or her family members, especially if they have little prior experience with major illness. Doctors and nurses throw about medical jargon that patients don't understand up front, and sometimes they don't explain them well.
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Any month is a good month to have your eyes checked as monitoring eye health is an important component of comprehensive senior healthcare. If you've been putting off that appointment, October is an especially appropriate time to schedule an eye examination.
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October may be Breast Cancer Awareness month, but many of our readers may be wondering if breast cancer is really something that seniors need to worry about?
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Life moves swiftly for most of us, and it often seems to pick up speed as we get older—days, weeks and years passing by all too quickly. And many people experience a bit of a shock when the “someday” of retirement arrives, seemingly out of nowhere, bringing with it more than a few difficult decisions.
Health care is one of the most immediate concerns for the family of a senior who lives independently. This is particularly true for older adults who have breathing difficulties like chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) or asthma, a history of unstable heart conditions like atrial fibrillation or high blood pressure, or require close diabetes management.
For most Cincinnati seniors, there are few more important professional relationships than the one they share with their doctor. As we age, our medical issues often increase exponentially, making it critical to have a trusted physician on which to rely. But due to a rising shortage in family care doctors, this is becoming a tough challenge, particularly in underserved markets where health care is scarce.
Is it possible to know if you’re getting the best healthcare available?
Probably not in the same way that science can prove which laundry detergent cleans clothes most effectively. Healthcare is made up of far too many variables to offer a strictly quantifiable ranking of the best or worst.
But, there are things you can do to learn a little more about the physicians you’re using or considering. In fact, they are things that you should do. And you should have been doing them for years.
We love looking ahead to things— better weather, vacations, birthdays, visits with friends. But sometimes, it’s just as important to look back. We’re not talking about spending our time after retirement reflecting on the long arc of our lives, though that’s probably not a bad thing to indulge in occasionally.
