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Staying on top of your health care at every age
We want to support our members at every age so you can achieve your full potential with good mental and physical health.
General HealthClinically Speaking
5 min read
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Healthy aging begins with prevention - that includes a balanced diet, exercise, and wellness visits (opens in new tab). We’re here to help. At Oscar, we want to support our members at every age, so you can achieve your full potential with good mental, emotional, and physical health. We’ve got some tips to help guide you - from your 20s through your 60s and beyond.
Preparing for a healthy future: Your 20s & 30s
This stage of life is a good time to learn more about your family’s health history. Find out whether you’re at higher risk for certain diseases (which may include genetic testing), and discuss ways to maintain a healthy lifestyle with your healthcare provider. Get preventative screenings and tests as recommended by your healthcare provider, including cholesterol checks and regular skin checks. Men will need to do self-exams for testicular cancer; women should receive annual breast exams, pap smears, and HPV testing. If you’re thinking of having a baby, find an OB-GYN you like and trust, and ask them about the best habits for a healthy pregnancy.
Later in life, you may experience a loss of strength and bone density. That’s why your younger years are the ideal time to build up your stamina, strengthen your muscles and bones, and protect your body with regular physical activity.
As is true at every age, keep up a healthy social life. Seeing your friends and family can help boost immunity, reduce stress, and just help you feel good about yourself.
At this age, it’s important for everyone to get cholesterol checks. If your risk is deemed “normal,” then a check every 5 years is fine. If you have high cholesterol or are at a greater risk for it, talk with your doctor for more information. High cholesterol can sometimes be dealt with through dietary changes, and sometimes requires medication or other interventions.
Women should talk with their doctors about perimenopausal symptoms, including irregular periods, bladder issues, and night sweats. Chat with your healthcare provider about beginning annual mammograms. It’s also recommended women continue with cervical cancer screening (pap smears and HPV testing).
Physical activity remains essential, ideally for 30 minutes a day. If you haven’t established a satisfying exercise regimen, now is the time to begin. Is motivation an issue? Consider finding a friend to exercise with (and be accountable to), or hiring a personal trainer to keep you on track. There are also plenty of videos online, many at no cost, offering workouts of all kinds that you can do right at home.
Screenings for optimal health: Your 50s
In your 50s, heart health (opens in new tab) becomes an even greater priority. This is also a time to make sure screenings are on track, such as colonoscopies (frequency will depend on risk factors and family history); lung cancer screenings if you are (or previously were) a smoker, and prostate cancer screenings for men who are at high risk.
It’s important for women in their 50s to keep track of menopause symptoms; continue with cervical cancer screening (pap smears and HPV testing); and annual breast cancer screenings (mammograms). Depending on risk factors and family history, you may want to talk with your doctor about breast ultrasound (opens in new tab) and breast MRI exams (opens in new tab) as well.
As you enter your 60s, it’s critical to stay active for your mental and physical health. Keep up your social connections, and be sure to nurture your support systems. If this proves challenging, you might discover a sense of community through volunteering, joining a class, or through organized group activities. You can also build connections right from home by scheduling FaceTime (or other video chat) conversations with children, grandchildren, and friends. Try to interact with people, in person or by phone, at least once a day—it will do you a world of good, and probably brighten someone else’s day, too.
For older adults, this is a good time to look into bone density scans, vaccines such as Pneumovax and Prevnar, and continued screenings such as colonoscopies and mammograms. Be sure to take your medications, vitamins, and supplements as prescribed by your physician. Keeping your mind active and promoting cognitive health might help in the prevention of brain chemistry changes that can lead to Alzheimer’s disease:
Reading the news everyday
Jigsaw puzzles, crossword puzzles
Board games
Number games, like Sudoku
New hobbies: learning a musical instrument, baking, painting, gardening, etc.
Oscar Primary Care
For support in navigating your necessary health appointments, schedule an annual physical with your primary care provider*. Your provider can help you determine your level of needed care, and any lifestyle modifications needed. If you need help finding a doctor or want to review what’s covered by your plan, call your Oscar Care team. They can help you compile a list of questions to ask your doctor and avoid common mistakes. Give us a call at 855-672-2755, or message us in the Oscar app (opens in new tab).
When to talk to your Care team
If you need help finding a doctor or want to review what’s covered by your plan, just call your Oscar Care team. They can help you compile a list of questions to ask your doctor and avoid common mistakes. Give us a call at 855-672-2755, or message us in the Oscar app (opens in new tab).
*For 2023, Oscar Primary Care is available in TX (excluding Secure plans), NY (excluding Standard Silver, Standard Bronze, and Secure plans), FL, Palm Beach, Miami Dade, and Broward (excluding HSA and Secure plans), AZ (excluding HSA and Secure plans), GA (excluding HSA and Secure plans) Oscar Primary Care providers are employed by Oscar Medical Group, not Oscar Insurance Company or its insurance plan affiliates. Oscar Primary Care is only available to members 18 years of age and older. Prescriptions, visits and services may be limited at the provider's discretion and Oscar Primary Care is not intended to be used in conjunction with another primary care consultation. Oscar Care in-person visits in conjunction with your virtual visit may have a copayment. Due to medical licensing laws, you must be in your home state at the time of your virtual visit.
