Screening refers to regular preventative health checks to detect diseases early before they cause significant harm. Several screening programs are recommended worldwide and are available through primary health centers.
Your primary care physician can screen you for medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure etc. If these conditions are not diagnosed early and controlled adequately, these can lead to complications such as heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and even dementia.
Breast cancer screening starts at age of 45 and bowel cancer screening starts at 50 years of age.
Please check this
link for Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) cancer screening.
In addition to this, there are several other problems that may develop in older age - such as:
- Vision problems
- Hearing problems
- Difficulties with walking and mobility
- Risk of falling
- Depression
- Difficulty in controlling urine
- Poor diet - due to difficulty with eating
- Side effects of medicines
If these conditions are not managed adequately, they can lead to physical disability.
Deafness has been shown to be associated with cognitive issues and social isolation, which are among the risk factors for Dementia.
Geriatricians, along with allied health staff, can do a comprehensive health assessment, to help in prevention, early detection and management of these conditions.
