|
|
Newaygo County Commission on Aging - Services | |||
 |
 |
 |
||
| Services: |
Health
Screenings Too often the seniors
who attend our health screenings report that when they tell their
physician that they have an ache or pain or are not feeling well, the
physician pats them on the back or shoulder and tells them, “You are
doing great for your age” and no follow-up action is taken.
In partial defense of the physician, if the senior has only
Medicare insurance and is on a limited income, Medicare will only cover
health services for identified health problems and does not typically
cover the expense of testing. Our
health screenings provide immediate test results; each senior receives a
copy of his/her results, is told what the results mean, and is
encouraged to share and discuss the results further with their
physician, especially if there are abnormal results.
Having the test results to take back to their doctor empowers the
seniors to speak out, not just accepting “you’re doing great for
your age” comments but actually showing the abnormal test results and
requesting action to be taken. Potentially serious
ailments have been caught and treated as a result of our yearly health
screenings: ·
one gentleman returned this year to report that he had been
successfully treated for a heart arrhythmia that was diagnosed as a
result of an abnormal test result and subsequent referral from his 2003
senior health screening ·
one person was successfully treated for colon cancer which was
discovered after an abnormal result during the senior health screening ·
a husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease after a senior
health screening at which the wife discussed his symptoms of
forgetfulness (they reported that although they had a primary physician,
they rarely visited the doctor’s office) ·
a woman was found to have dangerously low hemoglobin but refused
a referral to a doctor; according to her children who convinced her to
attend our senior health screening, the woman had a bad experience with
a doctor 15 years ago and had not seen a doctor since; the results from
our health screening helped to determine that there was something
urgently wrong and the children ended up taking her to the hospital
where she received blood transfusions in the intensive care unit.
For more information please call 231-689-2100 or 1-800-689-2100
|
|||
