How to stay on top of your health in your 60s
Despite what we often think, your health doesn’t necessarily head downhill in your 60s. Our experts provide tips to help you optimise your health in the “retirement” decade.
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Key points
Now is an excellent time to join Australian Unity hospital and extras, as you can take advantage of:
- 6 weeks free hospital and extras OR extras only cover1
- Plus, as NSA is part of the Australian Unity partner network you’re eligible for an ongoing 10% discount.2
A lifetime of healthy habits can really pay off in your 60s as your work and parenting responsibilities scale back, leaving you with more “you” time.
In fact, your 60s can be an incredibly liberating decade – a period of reconnection and reinvention.
And while your body will certainly be changing, you can still stay on top of your health and wellbeing so you remain happy and strong.
These are some simple, expert-backed tips to help you enjoy your swinging 60s to the fullest.
According to Dr Fiona Jane, Specialist Women’s Health GP at Jean Hailes for Women’s Health,
Find a GP you can trust and allow them to really get to know you.
- Always get information from reliable sources.
Eat a balanced diet, with lots of plants and good fats.
Aim for 30 minutes of moderate to high-intensity exercise a day, including two sessions of resistance training a week.
Try to get seven to eight hours of quality sleep every night.
Monitor your mental health.
Stay up to date with screening tests and get annual check-ups, even if you feel well.
If you’re at risk of chronic conditions like osteoporosis or diabetes, regular testing and check-ups can help to catch them early – which means you can take steps to minimise their impact over time.
“Sometimes you feel like you've done all of the right things and you still might have slightly high cholesterol or your blood pressure might be a little high,” says Alexandra Warhurst, an accredited practising dietitian and health coach for HealthierMe™, a program run by Australian Unity partner Remedy Healthcare. “And that’s okay – just do your best to manage them.
“The more you can stay on top of it – whether that’s by taking your medications, seeing your GP, exercising or eating well – the better managed that condition will be, and the more you can stop it from progressing.”
These are some of the specific tests and check-ups Alexandra recommends you should get in your 60s to stay on top of common conditions:
Hearing tests
Heart-disease risk assessment
Blood pressure tests
Mammograms
Prostate checks
Bowel-cancer screening
Eye tests
Blood-glucose and cholesterol checks
Cervical screening
Skin-cancer checks.
“The new one for anyone over the age of 65 is a falls risk assessment,” she adds, “and there are a few new vaccinations to be aware of – for example, the shingles vaccine.
“Also, although a bone density scan is not recommended until you’re 70, if you’ve got other risk factors then your GP might suggest that you get it a little bit earlier.”
Having a good idea of what your future health needs might look like allows you to better understand what health care support you might need. Private health insurance can help you plan for and manage the cost of unexpected or planned treatment.
Hospital cover can help to cover all or some of the costs of hospital treatment as a private patient (in both public and private hospitals) including doctor’s charges and hospital accommodation.
Extras insurance covers treatments and services generally not available under Medicare, including dental, optical, physiotherapy, chiropractic, and acupuncture, helping you to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.
The take-home message here is that a proactive approach to your health and wellbeing can set you up for your best life.
With some small changes and a proactive approach to self-care, your 60s can be some of the best years of your life. Enjoy!
Want to find out more about Australian Unity health insurance? Get a quick quote online today or call 1800 224 244.
1 10% discount includes all retail discounts and is available only when paying by direct debit. The discount is not available through brokers or comparators and excludes Overseas Visitor Cover.
2 New members on new memberships only. Ends 30 June 2024. Minimum payment & membership period and T&C’s apply at australianunity.com.au/tcs
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