In these busy times, it is easy to get caught up in the routines and not remember the details. Medical information for an older person can be critical at certain times when it is least convenient to locate it. It is relatively easy to be prepared. When an urgency arises it will alleviate confusion and stress.
As people grow older, there are any number of things about which they grow wary. Sometimes that fear includes refusal to participate in regular health checkups – or even seek medical help when needs are more urgent. This allows the elder to avoid bad news about conditions that arise as we grow older. Annual physicals and diagnostic tests can be the source of bad news. Not participating avoids the issue.
For older adults, social isolation is an all too common part of life. Many elders have lost spouses and live alone or have children and other family members who do not live close and cannot easily visit on a regular basis. Others are housebound due to injury or illness or cannot drive to visit friends and family, leaving them prone to loneliness and depression and at higher risk for health problems.