HEALTH MATTERS
of life and impact your overall health. Poor vision or hearing can sometimes point to bigger health conditions such as dementia.
You might not even have to leave your own home for some preventive care. Some Medicare Advantage plans offer an annual Healthy Home Visit from a licensed clinician with Signify Health®. During these visits, a clinician can assess your health and check your home for fall risks and social support needs, helping to keep you safe and healthy. After the visit, the clinician will share a summary report with your doctor and help coordinate any care needs.
An Aetna Medicare Advantage plan member shared feedback related to their preventive care experience: "I believe Aetna's focus on health care versus sick care is a better way to go. They understand that maintaining a person's health is better than trying to get them healthy after they're sick."
2. Stay physically active
Regular physical exercise is a big part of healthy aging. Not only does it help keep muscles and bones strong, but it also helps improve heart health and lowers the risk of chronic conditions. Medicare Advantage plans can also provide benefits related to exercise, such as offering a SilverSneakers® basic fitness membership. Many older adults experience social isolation or loneliness, so signing up for group fitness classes also helps to stay socially connected.
3. Take medications as prescribed
It's important to follow your doctor's instructions when taking medications. Life's demands can make it easy to forget to take medications. However, setting up a daily routine can help you remember to take them, such as taking your medicine at the same time every day or pairing it with a task like brushing your teeth. Pill organizers can also help ensure you take the right dose at the right time.
4. Prevent falls
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says falls are the leading cause of injury for adults ages 65 years and older and over 14 million older adults report falling every year. To prevent falls, stay active to help maintain balance, get your vision and hearing checked regularly, and remove hazards like loose rugs from your home.
Some Medicare Advantage plans offer home health assessments to identify risks, and they may cover vision and hearing tests that can increase awareness of the surrounding environment.
This is an important time of year to be thinking about your health plan and what health benefits matter most to your overall health and wellness.
" It's important to follow your doctor's instructions when taking medications. Life's demands can make it easy to forget to take medications. However, setting up a daily routine can help you remember to take them, ...."