Old age
What do we understand by old age?
Old age, the final stage of the human life cycle, generally begins around age 60 and lasts until age 80 and beyond. It is characterized by progressive, cumulative, and irreversible physical, cognitive, and social changes.
Among the interventions or services included in the health promotion pathways for maintaining health at this stage, the following activities are available at our institution:
Comprehensive assessment activities
- Health care through general medicine or family medicine.
- Oral health care by a dental professional (Once every two years)
Early detection activities
- Cervical cancer screening (HPV DNA) and (cytology). Based on medical criteria and evaluation of medical history and associated factors.
- Cervico-uterine colposcopy (According to screening test findings).
- Cervical biopsy (According to screening test findings).
- Breast cancer screening (Mammography), every two years until age 69.
- Annual clinical breast assessment until age 69.
- Breast biopsy, based on screening test findings.
- Prostate cancer screening (PSA) and digital rectal exam. Every five years until age 75.
- Prostate biopsy based on screening test findings.
- Screening for colon cancer (occult blood in fecal matter every two years until age 75).
- Colonoscopy based on the results of the fecal occult blood test).
- Colon biopsy, according to endoscopic findings.
- Cardiovascular risk screening: fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, creatinine, urinalysis.
- Rapid treponemal test (According to risk exposure - unprotected sex).
- Rapid HIV test (Based on risk exposure - unprotected sex).
- HIV pre- and post-test counseling (Each time the test is performed).
- Rapid test for Hepatitis B (Based on risk exposure - unprotected sex).
- Rapid test for Hepatitis C (Once at these ages, when a history of blood transfusions before 1996 is identified).