Checkups, Tests, and Shots - Which Ones You Need and When To Get Them

Checkups, Tests and Shots

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has developed The Pocket Guide to Staying Healthy at 50+. The guide is available online or you may order copies of the guide from their website. The guide contains valuable health information on many topics for older adults 50+. Consider these suggestions:

Checkups, Tests, and Shots – Which Ones You Need and When To Get Them

* Checkups and tests, such as vision tests or cholesterol tests, help find diseases or conditions early, when they are easier to treat. Shots (immunizations) protect you from different diseases.
* The Pocket Guide to Staying Healthy at 50+ contains a section that gives the 50+ adult information on why and when you may need different checkups, tests, and shots.

Dental, Hearing, and Vision Care

* “I keep better track of when my pets need their checkups than when I need checkups myself. I can’t seem to remember the next time I need to visit the dentist or get my eyes checked. So I’ve started to ask my dentist and doctor when I need my next appointment. I write it down in my Pocket Guide to Staying Healthy at 50+.” – Narong P.
* Getting the checkups you need for your teeth and gums, vision, and hearing is an important part of your health care. The Pocket Guide to Staying Healthy at 50+ contains a section that tells the 50+ adult how to take care of your teeth and gums and how to decide whether you need a hearing and vision checkup.

Teeth and Gums

The Pocket Guide to Staying Healthy at 50+ contains some simple tips to follow for dental health such as:

* Visit your dentist once or twice a year for checkups.
* Brush after meals with a toothbrush that has soft or medium bristles.
* Use toothpaste with fluoride.
* Use dental floss every day.
* Eat fewer sweets, especially between meals.

The Pocket Guide to Staying Healthy at 50+

For the a copy of the complete Pocket Guide to Staying Healthy at 50+ visit this web link:
http://www.ahrq.gov/ppip/50plus/

Source: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, www.ahrq.com