Updated July 28, 2006

Top 10 Health Tips for Women Over 65

by Helen L. Sloan, R.N., C.S., D.N.S., and Anne White Robinson, R.N., D.N.S.

Practice preventive medicine
A good way to stay healthy is to detect and treat medical problems early—or, better yet, to prevent them altogether. Preventive measures you can take include getting screened for diabetes complications, cancer, and other conditions; getting immunizations; and taking precautions to prevent falls and injuries.

An important concern for women with diabetes is screening for and preventing cardiovascular disease. Having high blood cholesterol and/or high blood pressure raises your risk of heart disease, so you should have your cholesterol checked once a year (or as recommended by your doctor) and your blood pressure checked every time you visit your doctor. You should also get tested once a year for microalbuminuria, or protein in the urine, an early sign of nephropathy and a risk factor for heart attack and stroke. In addition, you should have your HbA1c level checked two to four times each year to get an idea of how well you’re controlling your blood glucose level. Keeping your blood glucose as close to normal as possible helps you reduce your risk for diabetes complications.

According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer at some point in her life, and 1 in 17 will develop colorectal cancer. Detecting these types of cancers early makes treating them more likely to be successful. The NCI recommends that women over 40 get a mammogram (a screening test for breast cancer) every one to two years. Several tests can detect cancer of the colon or rectum, and the American Cancer Society recommends that all people over 50 have either a fecal occult blood test once a year and flexible sigmoidoscopy every five years, a colonoscopy every 10 years, or a barium enema every 5–10 years. In addition, getting regular pelvic exams and Pap smears can help detect cervical, vaginal, and other gynecological cancers.

Another wise precaution to take is getting immunized against pneumonia and influenza. Cases of pneumonia and the flu can be more serious and cause more complications in older people—in fact, pneumonia and influenza are the fifth leading cause of death for people 65 and older. Having diabetes also raises your risk of flu complications, including pneumonia. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people over 65 get a flu shot every September or October; it can greatly reduce your chances of contracting the flu. It is possible to get the flu even after getting a flu shot, but your case will be milder than if you had not been immunized. The CDC also recommends the pneumonia vaccine for all people 65 and older. Most people need just one shot, but some people, including those who had the shot more than five years ago and were under 65 when they got it, need an additional dose. If you haven’t had a pneumonia or flu shot, talk to your doctor about getting them.

Medicare helps pay for many different preventive measures and screening tests. If you have Medicare Part B, you can get one flu shot each year and one pneumonia shot in your lifetime. You may also receive one pelvic exam, clinical breast exam, and Pap smear every two years (or every year if you’re at high risk for gynecological cancer). One mammogram is covered every year, as is one fecal occult blood test. Other colorectal cancer screening tests are also covered; you can get a flexible sigmoidoscopy or barium enema once every four years or a colonoscopy once every 10 years (unless you have had a sigmoidoscopy in the last four years). If you’re at high risk for colon cancer, you can get a colonoscopy every two years. If you don’t have Medicare, contact your insurance provider to find out what your plan covers.

Helen Sloan is a Gerontological Nurse Practitioner and Assistant Professor at the College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Anne White Robinson is also an Assistant Professor at the College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

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