How to Support a Loved One’s Preventive Care

Preventive care is a lot like taking care of a car you want to keep running well for years.

You don't wait for the engine to fail before getting an oil change or checking the brakes.

You handle small things regularly so they don't turn into costly or dangerous problems later. Our bodies work much the same way. Preventive care keeps our care on track.

Understanding Preventive Care

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it generally includes a few key components that work together.

Screening tests help identify health conditions before symptoms appear. These can include blood pressure checks, cholesterol testing, diabetes screening, cancer screenings, and bone density scans. The goal is early detection, not diagnosis after a problem has already progressed. Tracking health at home can also be helpful. With support from a loved one, many people can monitor blood pressure, weight changes, or blood sugar at home and share that information with their provider.

Vaccinations protect against illnesses that can be especially dangerous for older adults or people with chronic conditions. Flu, COVID-19, shingles, pneumonia, and RSV vaccines are all part of preventive care at different ages and risk levels.

Dental care is often overlooked, but it plays a much larger role in overall health than many people realize. Preventive dental visits every six months allow dentists to detect oral cancers, manage gum disease, and treat cavities early. Poor oral health has been linked to chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, making regular dental care an important part of whole-body health.

Education and counseling help people understand their health risks and make informed decisions. This might include discussions about nutrition, physical activity, fall prevention, smoking cessation, or medication management. These can include annual visits which allow a health care provider to get to know a person over time, not just treat isolated issues. These visits help track trends, review medications, monitor chronic conditions, and spot subtle changes that might otherwise be missed.

For older adults managing multiple conditions, experts at Stanford Medicine note that more frequent visits, often every three to six months, may be appropriate. These check-ins help ensure medications are working as intended and conditions remain stable.

Why Preventive Care Matters

Preventive care becomes especially important for individuals with a family history of chronic conditions like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, or osteoporosis.

Having that history does not mean someone will develop the same condition, but it does increase risk.

Many of these chronic conditions are common in older adults, and they often develop slowly.

Preventive screenings can catch changes early, when lifestyle adjustments or early treatment can make a meaningful difference.

Identifying high blood pressure, prediabetes, or bone loss early can help prevent complications like heart attacks, strokes, fractures, or loss of independence later on.

Preventive Care by Age

As people age, preventive care needs evolve.

For older adults, preventive care often includes regular blood pressure and cholesterol checks, Type 2 diabetes screening, colorectal cancer screening, bone density testing for osteoporosis, vision and hearing exams, and annual flu vaccines.

Other vaccines and screenings are added based on age, medical history, and personal risk factors.

If you want to explore age-based guidance in more detail, these resources can be helpful starting points:

• UCLA Health preventive health screenings overview https://www.uclahealth.org/patient-resources/support-information/patient-education/annual-health-wellness-screenings
  

• American Cancer Society screening recommendations by age https://www.cancer.org/cancer/screening/screening-recommendations-by-age.html#40-49

How to Support A Loved One's Preventive Care It often starts with encouragement, helping schedule appointments, asking questions, and recognizing that prevention is not about fear. It is about staying informed, staying ahead, and protecting quality of life for the years ahead.

Here are some ways loved ones can help support preventive care in everyday life:

Helping with scheduling and reminders Preventive appointments are easy to postpone, especially when someone feels fine.

Helping schedule annual checkups, screenings, dental visits, or vaccinations, and offering gentle reminders, can make a big difference.

Many missed appointments are not about resistance, but about logistics or forgetfulness.

Providing transportation to appointments Transportation can be a common barriers to preventive care.

A loved one may avoid appointments simply because getting there feels stressful or complicated.

Having someone available to drive, accompany them, or help arrange transportation can reduce that stress and improve follow-through.

Elder Love USA’s caregivers can assist with transportation to medical appointments. If a caregiver uses their own vehicle, there is a $0.70 per mile charge. If the caregiver uses the client’s vehicle, there is no additional cost per mile. This flexibility allows families to choose the option that works best for their situation. You can learn more here.

Attending appointments for support Some people feel overwhelmed during medical visits, especially when multiple conditions or medications are involved.

Sitting in on an appointment, with permission, can help ensure questions are asked, instructions are understood, and follow-up steps are remembered.

This can be especially helpful after screenings or when test results are discussed.

Helping track health information

Preventive care often works best when patterns are noticed over time.

Loved ones can help track things like blood pressure readings, blood sugar logs, medication changes, or upcoming screening dates.

Bringing this information to appointments can help providers make more informed decisions.

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Home Care at Elder Love USA. If you are unsure whether home care is the right fit for your situation, you can contact us at 888-336-8322 

Our dedicated care professional can help you think through your options and explain what types of support may be appropriate based on your specific needs.

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All caregivers undergo thorough background checks and training with certification.  

Our rates are lower than other providers thanks to partnerships, donations, grants, and revenue from our cleaning program.  

Our caregivers can assist with personal care, shopping, cooking, transportation, housekeeping, and case management.  

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