Health Advocates: Encouraging Preventive Care in Loved Ones

When it comes to your health, there’s no such thing as starting too early. Eating whole, nutritious foods, staying active, limiting alcohol, managing stress and getting routine checkups are all part of your preventive care. 

What is Preventive Care?

Preventive care is generally focused on the following: 

• Evaluating your health when you are symptom-free
• Receiving checkups and screenings 
• Decreasing the risk of developing health issues even if you are in the best shape of your life

Preventive care is important because: 

• Regular preventive care visits and health screenings may help to identify potential health risks for early diagnosis and treatment. 
•  Helping prevent disease and detect health issues at an early stage is essential to living a healthier life. 
• Following preventive care guidelines — and your doctor’s advice — may help you to stay healthier. Be sure to discuss specific health questions and concerns with your doctor.

Managing visits to health care providers

As a caregiver or advocate, you may need to help make health care appointments and possibly attend these appointments with the loved one you’re caring for. In either situation, organization of medical records and other information — such as prescriptions and other provider visits — is key.

Try using these resources to help manage medical appointments and keep information in one place:

Care Organizer (pdf)

Managing a Doctor’s Visit as a Caregiver (pdf)

Medical Appointment Checklist for Primary Care Provider (pdf)