Health in your 60s (60-69 Years)
Most men in their 60s are either in or actively planning for a life outside the workforce. It is a time of significant change in terms of how men spend their time and who they spend it with. How they spend their time has as much to do with their health as any other influences.
Being able to at least maintain the level of activity they are used to, both physically and mentally, is one of the key objectives of many men in this age group. The range of opportunities that become available once full time employment is left behind is far broader if a man is in good health.
The importance of regularly visiting your doctor to assess your health and manage any illnesses becomes increasingly important in this age group to ensure a man is able to maintain his enjoyment of life and a range of activities.
It is important for all men in their 60s to regularly review their risk of illness with their doctor. Your doctor can play a significant part in this by reviewing:
- Family History
- Height & Weight
- Blood Pressure
- Skin Cancer Screening
- Flu shot yearly
- Pneumovax 5-yearly
- Tetanus 10-yearly
- Fasting blood cholesterol and fats
- Random Blood Glucose
For those whose history and initial check-up reveals a reason to delve a bit deeper, there are some further tests that may be warranted:
- Full Blood Examination
- Kidney Function
- Liver Function
- Homocysteine Levels
- C-Reactive Protein
- Iron studies
- Bone Density assessment
- Urine Test
- Hearing Test
- Eye Test
- Audiometric Evaluation
- Electrocardiogram – heart
- Cardiac Stress Testing every 3 years
- Colorectal Cancer Screening: Yearly Faecal Occult Blood Test every 5 years
- Prostate Cancer Screening: talk to your GP about what is appropriate for you.
