By the time men hit their 60s, physical exams should be scheduled annually. Your primary care provider can help you stay on track with the immunizations and screening tests to keep you active and healthy. This is also an age where staying socially involved and active is critical for your physical health and emotional well-being and cognition.

While every person is different, and health care is personalized depending on your individual situation, here are some general recommendations based on your age.

Review With Your Doctor

• Diet, exercise and sleep habits.
• Chronic physical concerns such as knee, back or joint pain.
• Smoking, alcohol consumption and other substance-use habits.
• Cardiovascular concerns.  
• Stress management and mental health.
• Memory or cognitive concerns.

Immunizations

• Flu Shot, every year
• Tetanus booster, every 10 years
• Shingrix, if you haven’t already received it
• Pneumonia vaccines, starting at age 65
• COVID vaccine, as recommended

Screening Tests (Discuss with your provider which screening tests are appropriate for you)

• Blood Pressure.  Blood pressure measures the force your organs and blood vessels experience, and is a strong predictor of heart attack and stroke risk.
• Blood Cholesterol Levels. This simple blood test measures the amount of cholesterol and triglycerides in your blood to inform your risk of plaque buildup in your arteries. If you have a family history of diabetes, heart disease, or other cardiac risk factors, you may need to be screened more often.
• Type 2 Diabetes.  The A1C is a blood test that tells you what your average blood glucose levels have been for the past 2 to 3 months. It measures how much glucose is attached to your red blood cells and is used to diagnose diabetes.
• Colorectal Screening. Several screening tests can be used to find polyps or colorectal cancer. A colonoscopy is the best test and the only one recommended if you’ve had polyps; if you haven’t, then a stool test may suffice. Talk to your provider about which test is right for you.
• Lung Cancer Screening.  Lung cancer screening is a process that uses a low dose CT (LDCT) scan to detect the presence of lung cancer in otherwise healthy people with a high risk of lung cancer. 
• Electrocardiogram. Electrocardiogram is a non-invasive and painless medical test that detects cardiac (heart) abnormalities by measuring the electrical activity generated by the heart as it contracts. Talk to your doctor to determine if this test is right for you.
• Prostate Cancer Screening. Regular prostate specific antigen (PSA) may be recommended based on your personal risk profile for prostate cancer.  
• Depression screening.  Screening for depression is the cornerstone of early recognition, diagnosis, and management.
• Hearing tests. Hearing screens are easy, non painful tests to measure hearing loss.
• Visual exams. There are many components of standard visual acuity tests including the ability to discern the shapes and details of the things you see, color vision, peripheral vision, and depth perception.
• Cardiovascular disease. This screening might include abdominal aortic aneurysm and carotid artery ultrasound screening.
• Osteoporosis and balance screening. Osteoporosis isn’t just a disease in women, and can be seen in men in their 60s and 70s. Combat brittle bones by eating a variety of calcium-rich foods, incorporating leafy greens into your diets and getting lots of vitamin D, as well as exercise.
• Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease screening. To aid in the prevention of dementia or Alzheimer’s, keep your brain active with mind workouts and crossword puzzles. Proper diet and physical exercise are additional ways to keep your brain healthy.

Wellness Checks

• Schedule a wellness check, to cover everything above, with your primary care provider every year