General Review
Does your car benefit from an annual service?
In the same way, everyone can benefit from an annual review after the age of 65. If you do not have a specialist geriatrician, now is the time to act and meet someone to ensure you are ageing well with optimal health. You may feel that your health is fine but a comprehensive medical review will help clarify if this is the case and give you the confidence to know there is help available when needed.
What does a general review involve?
At Age Right, we specialise in reviewing your medical conditions and current medications to ensure you are taking the right combination and right dosage for your body. Sometimes medications are continued longer than they should be. In our busy lives we may simply continue with the norm rather than taking the time to review what we are doing and check that it is still in our best interest.
As the body ages our organs can become less effective at removing drugs from our system. Annual medication reviews are useful to ensure that the medication you are taking is the best medication for you and in the correct dose for your body. Our liver and kidneys are responsible for breaking down medications and can take longer to do this job as they get older. Regular pathology checks are essential to identify when this change may occur. Dose adjustments are then required to ensure minimum side effect potential.
The importance of regular checks
Over time, our mobility and balance can change without our cognition perceiving the change. Family and friends may notice this before our body does.
Regular checks are essential to optimise our balance and mobility to maintain independence.
Investing in optimised balance can maintain independence and decrease our need for services and help.
It can build confidence and ensure you are 100%.
A comprehensive review will also:
- Assess your risk of developing:
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Osteoporosis
- Put in place a preventative medicine program to keep you healthy.
- Assess your fall risks and bone health.
- Assess your balance.
- Evaluate your memory and consider any benefit from treatment.
- Review your independence with daily tasks, discuss ways to maintain your independence and if needed the services available in the community.
- Check your vaccination history and recommend any annual vaccinations.
- Check the dosage of your medications is correct for your renal and liver function.
- Check for any possible interactions between your current medications.
- Check your mental health.
- Review any incontinence issues.
- Help with identifying the need for future planning.
- Review the need to update your Will or make an Enduring Power of Attorney.
- Review your advance care planning and ensure others know what your wishes are in future years.
- Review the need to nominate a medical decision treatment maker.
Will other tests or reviews be necessary?
A comprehensive general review starts with a medical review and may then involve other members of the team top optimise your health.
Now is the time to be proactive and focus on ageing well. Any time you invest in your health and mobility will be beneficial for your lifestyle to come over future years. Arrange an appointment today.
