Health Information for Senior Citizens
Chronic diseases exact a particularly heavy health and economic burden on Senior Citizens due to associated long-term illness, diminished quality of life, and greatly increased health care costs. Although the risk of disease and disability clearly increases with advancing age, poor health is not an inevitable consequence of aging.
Much of the illness, disability, and death associated with chronic disease is avoidable through known prevention measures. Key measures include practicing a healthy lifestyle and the use of early detection practices (e.g., screening for breast, cervical, and colorectal cancers, diabetes and its complications, and depression).
For chronic diseases and conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, arthritis, depression, psychiatric disorders, osteoporosis, Parkinson's disease, and urinary incontinence, much remains to be learned about their distribution in the population, associated risk factors, and effective measures to prevent or delay their onset. This site is intended to provide health tips for Senior Citizens to help them live longer, healthier lives.
Medicare and for Elderly and Retired People
Medicare serves US citizens and residents aged 65 years and over. Choosing an appropriate Medicare plan to pay for your health care can be confusing. You can consult the Medicare sites below or read this Guide to Medicare site.
Medicare
Medicare, the health insurance program for Senior Citizens, covers preventive health services and screenings for many of these chronic diseases.
Visit the Medicare site to learn more about coverage:
- Medicare Health Information Overview
Prevention is the first step in staying healthy, learn about recent additions to Medicare covered preventive services
- Guide to Medicare's Preventive Services (PDF–200K)
- The Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA)
All Medicare beneficiaries – no matter how they get their health care today or whether they have existing drug coverage – will be eligible for drug coverage under a Medicare prescription drug plan beginning January 1, 2006. The following links provide resources and tools to help make informed decisions regarding prescription drug coverage.
You may also call 1-800-MEDICARE.
- Medicare Prescription Drug Finder
will help you learn about the new Medicare prescription drug coverage and find and compare local drug plans that meet your personal needs
- 2006 Medicare and You Handbook (PDF–410K)
Summary of Medicare benefits, rights and protections, and answers to the most frequently asked questions about Medicare. Available in English and Spanish.
Learn more about PDFs.
- Benefits Checkup RX*
This is a good first step if you have Medicare and are considering whether to sign up for the new Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage.
- Medicare Prescription Drug Finder
The information on this site was produced by the CDC or other government agencies, and has been compiled byt the site owners, who are not responsible for errors or omissions. Site design is a trademark of hiaxis.com (c)2007