As women age, their risk of developing certain chronic diseases increases. We can thank the aging process itself and the loss of estrogen’s protective effects after menopause. Older women are more prone to conditions such as osteoporosis, which can cause brittle bones. The likelihood of heart disease increases, as does the likelihood of developing dementia, in part because women tend to live longer than men and the risk increases with age.
Diagnosis of some conditions is more challenging because the frequency, appearance and long-term consequences of many diseases are often look different in women than in men. This is a key reason not to neglect regular health checkups and wellness visits, as staying healthy through preventive care and screenings can alleviate health problems associated with aging.
Wellness checkups are critical for older women
Medicare pays for annual preventive care at no additional cost. This is especially true for women, who made up more than half (55%) of all Medicare beneficiaries in 2021. Nearly one in eight (12%) were aged 85 or older; many had functional difficulties, analysis I found it from KFF. This included difficulties with walking, bathing, vision loss or other problems that significantly impacted their quality of life. People age 85 and older typically have five or more chronic health conditions that become more difficult to manage as they age.
Women know they should focus on their health, says Alina Salganikoff, director of women’s health policy at KFF. But “sometimes the system does not allow women to care for themselves because they have competing demands, such as work or family care responsibilities.” This often creates limited time for women to prioritize.
And if women don’t have access to a primary care provider or don’t receive regular care, they may miss important preventative measures like mammograms, she says.
“Providing coverage is the first step, but many other factors influence whether women get the services they need,” Salganikoff says. This includes their relationships with doctors, their own previous experiences, access to health care, fears about conditions such as dementia or cancer, or social support such as transport, mobility or cognitive problems, or the presence of -the one who accompanies them.
This is the first wellness visit It’s probably the key to everything else in managing older patients, according to Seguin Chase, an internist in private practice in Manhattan, Kansas. About 35 percent of her clinic’s patients are Medicare beneficiaries, including many who live in a nearby retirement community.
“It’s so important that we will do everything we can to have them visit and work with the practice’s health coordinator to get all the necessary screenings,” said Chase, a member of the American Women’s Health Organization. WEL Leadership Training Program.
Wellness screenings include annual monitoring of numerous behavioral and physical indicators such as vision, hearing, fall risk, sexual health, nutrition, alcohol and tobacco use, as well as psychosocial risks such as depression, stress, loneliness or social isolation, pain and fatigue. Patients also undergo cognitive screeningwhich can reveal subtle changes in brain health.
Wellness screenings can also include questions about someone’s living situation because that helps us determine if they need additional help at home, Chase said. “It also gives us an opportunity to discuss advance care planning when they are not in a crisis situation.” Medicare pays for this as part of the annual Part B well visit.
Women with Medicare overall face higher rates of certain health conditions compared to men, according to KFF’s analysis. Urinary incontinence (37% vs. 18%), depression (31% vs. 21%), osteoporosis (29% vs. 7%), and lung disease (20% vs. 16%) were more common among women than among men. Women are also more likely than men to live alone. More than a third of all women enrolled in Medicare (36%) live alone, and more than half of women age 85 and older live alone. This can increase the likelihood of loneliness and social isolation, which connected with According to the American Medical Association, the risk of depression, dementia and stroke is increased.
A wellness visit can help uncover some hidden problems, and together, doctor and patient can create a treatment plan for these and other chronic conditions, Chase says.
What preventive women’s health services does Medicare cover?
Medicare Part B Insurance complex of preventive services that benefit women’s health, including:
There are no copayments, deductibles, or coinsurance fees for these and other covered tests, although certain other criteria may apply, according to Health Care Rights Center. Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Medicare Part B (health insurance) will even help pay for injectable osteoporosis medication and home visits from a nurse to inject the drug if you they have a right.
This incomplete list of tests covered by Medicare can seem daunting, which is why it’s important for women to talk to their doctors and discuss their health history, risk factors and priorities, Salganikoff said. “It’s a complex program and it can be difficult for people to navigate,” she says.
“These shouldn’t be one-off conversations,” Chase says. As people age, priorities and what a person can realistically achieve can change. Therefore, constant dialogue is the key to staying healthy.
We know that some conditions present differently in women, so “a lot of the cure comes down to communication, keeping the relationship sacred, respecting their autonomy, and figuring out what’s most important to that person,” she says. Chase believes these discussions help women talk more about their physical and emotional problems, especially to their caregivers. “They are often tired, but they don’t want to admit it.”
Providing women with clear, simple information so they can learn about all of their Medicare benefits and get the support they need to get preventative care and other needed services can go a long way toward keeping women healthy as they age.