Get Healthy: It's Never Too Late

These days, advertisements and magazine covers proclaim age 60 to be “the new 40.” And in many ways, it’s true. According to the U.S. Office on Women’s Health, a 65-year-old woman—on average—has 19 years of life ahead of her. But what really matters is whether she gets to enjoy those extra years. By following the tips, starting today, women can give themselves greater chances for long and healthy lives.

Know Your Family’s Health History

Who hasn’t filled out forms at the doctor’s office and struggled to remember which relative had what medical condition? It’s worth the extra effort; family health histories clue doctors in on what to look for during examinations. According to the American Heart Association, if your parent, grandparent, sister, or brother has had a stroke, you are—statistically speaking—more likely to suffer a stroke as well. It’s better your doctor help you take care of yourself with diet and exercise now so that you avoid the risk of stroke.

Women can take steps to keep themselves from repeating their families’ health histories. Doctors may recommend some women have earlier or more frequent screenings for certain conditions and diseases. Health-care providers may also suggest lifestyle changes to keep boomer women from suffering with chronic or debilitating diseases.

My Family Health Portrait, an Internet-based tool from the Office of the U.S. Surgeon General, can help women get organized. In 20 minutes, a woman can enter her family’s health history and print out a family tree, which she can give to her doctor and family members.

Get Screenings and Immunizations

Some women shy away from screenings because they’re afraid of getting bad news. But when it comes to your health, bad news is milder if it comes at an earlier stage of a disease. Even before you have symptoms, tests can detect diseases at a point when they’re easier to treat.

The U.S. Office on Women’s Health offers an online Health Screening Tool that explains which screenings are recommended for a woman’s age group. Common tests include cholesterol, blood pressure, mammogram, blood glucose, and Pap test. The tool also provides information on recommended immunizations, such as flu and pneumonia shots. It even allows users to print out personalized screening charts to take to their next check-ups. But remember, this tool recommends guidelines for women at average risk for most diseases. You and your doctor can decide which tests are right for you.

Keep Track of Medications

Most women 45 and older take an average of four prescriptions daily, and that’s in addition to any vitamins, supplements, or over-the-counter medicines. When it comes to avoiding dangerous side effects, women need to be their own advocates.

You can start asserting yourself by keeping a personal medication record, such as the one AARP offers online. This record provides spaces for the names of medications; the reasons you use them; whether they are dispensed in a liquid, pill, or other form; their dosage; and the start and stop dates on which you take the meds. Be sure to take copies of the record to all your doctors and any pharmacies you use.

Before taking new medications, women should ask their doctors why they are prescribing a particular medicine. What conditions are the drugs used to treat? Are there any side effects? Are alternatives available? AARP’s Drug Interaction Checker and Drug Compare tool can help you do your own research.

Practice Healthy Habits

The best way to increase your odds for a healthy future, however, is to practice healthy habits. AARP and the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality offer online checklists that outline daily steps for physical well-being. The following recommendations are included in the checklists, along with schedules for regular preventative care.

•    Don’t smoke. Studies show women who don’t smoke are at lower risk for lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, osteoporosis, and other diseases.

•    Be physically active. Exercising every day helps prevent bone loss, diabetes, and heart disease. It can fight depression and may even help keep the brain fit. Get started on a routine with AARP’s Step Up to Better Health step-counting program. Or convert exercise minutes to miles with the Get Fit on Route 66 virtual journey.

•    Eat a healthy diet. Tennis champion and AARP fitness ambassador Martina Navratilova recommends that women focus on eating lean and natural foods while cutting back on processed pre-packaged meals and snacks. In her AARP columns, Martina also encourages women to pay attention to portion size.

•    Stay at a healthy weight. Carrying too much weight can contribute to knee and back pain, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes. AARP has several online tools to help women get and stay on track. Find your body-fat ratio, estimate the number of calories you need, and see how many calories you burn doing different activities.

•    Drink alcohol only in moderation. Limit yourself to one drink a day, advises the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. A standard drink is one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.

Armed with the facts, women can make healthy choices in midlife that will support freer, more fulfilling lifestyles later.

This article is part of a new AARP campaign to educate women about long-term care planning. AARP advocates nationally and at the state level to improve access to affordable long-term care options.