According to the US National Council On Aging, nearly 95 percent of all Americans over the age of 65 have a chronic condition. The percentage of older Americans with two or more chronic conditions is similar at 80 percent, and the amount of conditions tends to increase in correlation with age. All that being said, seniors may find it extremely challenging to remember the entirety of their medical history, current complications, and medications. Keeping detailed records of your present and past medical conditions is one of the best ways to ensure continued health success for you and your family.
The Importance of Medical History
Medical history doesn’t only refer to major illnesses or diagnoses from your past. It includes all aspects of your health journey, including medications, hereditary conditions and carrier status, and minor conditions that might become more significant. Keeping documentation from all doctor visits and hospital stays allows you and your family to reference medical information in the future to make more informed and safer decisions.
Medication – Many seniors, especially those suffering from memory issues, struggle to take daily required medications, with more complications arising when different treatments and doses are introduced over time. Knowing which medications you take, which you took in the past, and any complications you underwent allows doctors to prescribe new drugs that don’t cause additional harm through side effects or dangerous mixtures of medicine.
Hereditary Diseases and Family History – Understanding your medical history can do more than just aid yourself on your personal health journey. An accurate and thorough medical history will allow your children and grandchildren to better understand what type of conditions they might be at risk for and which, if any, hereditary diseases they might be carriers for.
Even if you don’t suffer from a condition, family history might cause certain conditions to manifest in other family members at a higher rate compared to the general population. When doctors are conducting tests and trying to identify illnesses based on symptoms, this information is invaluable for quickly narrowing down the potential pool of diagnoses and getting your family the help they need as soon as possible.
Better Care – While healthcare professionals try their best to give each patient personalized care, the person who understands your health the best is yourself. Especially when you go to a new doctor for treatment or are rushed to the hospital due to health issues, knowing your medical history inside and out allows you to ask the right questions and expedite the process of getting the care you need. If all of your medical history is collected and preserved as written documents, you can also have more confidence in your healthcare professional to take care of you if you are incapacitated. Entrust medical information to close family members who can make decisions on your behalf based on medical history.
How To Collect This Personal Information
Now that you know more about the importance of maintaining and understanding your medical history, you should learn how to actually collect this information.
Most of the time, you should be able to request this information from doctors and hospitals that treat you through paper forms or online portals. For additional information, like unrecorded family medical history, you can reach out to cousins, siblings, and other extended family members to learn a more holistic view of your family’s health concerns. Often, this information is invaluable for younger family members when they have hard-to-diagnose health scares.
Proper medical record-keeping is essential for the best possible health outcomes and care. A Banyan Residence is an assisted living and memory care center in Venice, Florida. Call today to schedule a tour.
