Ruth, now a retired RN, sent this and explained, “I put this together for friends of mine who keep running into problems of too much medical care.” She starts out with a few that will make you smile, but then gets serious with information we all should know about.
Most of us don’t have to go back to work. We are required to take money out of those 401(k)s—whether you want to or not. It’s time to spend your children's inheritance.
You don’t have to remove shoes and jackets at airports anymore.
75 is a milestone birthday, called the platinum celebration. Ask for gifts containing platinum.
You have a ready-made excuse to avoid doing any favors you don’t enjoy—just say you’re too old to help your kids move, too old to babysit, too old to pick up people at the airport or drive at night, too old to carry heavy stuff or shovel snow…or whatever it is you don’t want to do.
Many medical tests, drugs and treatments can be safely discontinued now because they can harm more than they help at our age. Many seniors accumulate medications that are no longer needed; review your medication list with your doctor and ask which ones can now be “de-prescribed.”
For generally healthy seniors,
No more annual physical exams are necessary—unless you want them. “…healthy people often don't need annual physicals, and they can even do more harm than good.” Health Checkups | Choosing Wisely
You can ditch your statins (unless you’ve had a heart attack or stroke.) Cholesterol Drugs for People 75 and Older | Choosing Wisely and PURLs: How old is too old for statins? - PMC (nih.gov)
No more screening colonoscopies: “The USPSTF recommends screening for colorectal cancer starting at age 50 years and continuing until age 75 years. Recommendation: Colorectal Cancer: Screening | United States Preventive Services Taskforce (uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org)
No more Pap smears: Ask the doctor: Do I need a Pap test at age 75? - Harvard Health and Why Annual Pap Smears Are History – But Routine Ob-Gyn Visits Are Not | ACOG
No more PSA tests: “The USPSTF recommends against PSA-based screening for prostate cancer in men 70 years and older.” Recommendation: Prostate Cancer: Screening | United States Preventive Services Taskforce (uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org)
No more screening mammograms unless you are at higher risk: “The USPSTF recommends biennial screening mammography for women aged 50 to 74 years.” Recommendation: Breast Cancer: Screening | United States Preventive Services Taskforce (uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org)
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