Prevention when getting out is hard
Preventive care for older adults at home covers the part of medicine aimed at problems you do not have yet, or have not found yet: vaccines, screenings, and regular checks of things like blood pressure, vision and balance. It tends to slide when a wound or a hospital stay is taking all the attention.
It starts with a conversation. A primary care clinician reviews what you are due for, what still makes sense at your age and state of health, and what you would rather skip. Gateway arranges primary care follow-up with Gateway clinicians and helps with the logistics that follow.
Vaccines to discuss with the clinician
Which vaccines you need depends on your age, your health conditions, and what you have already had and when. The clinician makes that recommendation. Vaccines commonly reviewed with older adults include:
- A yearly flu vaccine
- COVID-19 vaccination
- Pneumococcal vaccination, which protects against a common cause of pneumonia
- Shingles vaccination
- A tetanus booster, which also covers diphtheria and sometimes whooping cough
- RSV vaccination, for some older adults
Where a vaccine is given depends on the vaccine, the practice, your plan and where you live. Pharmacies, medical offices and facility nurses all give vaccines, and in some cases one can be given at home.
Screenings that may still make sense
Screening means looking for a condition before it causes symptoms. Recommendations change with age and health, so a good conversation covers both what to keep doing and what to stop.
Topics a clinician may raise:
- Blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes checks
- Cancer screenings, such as colon and breast, depending on age, history and your wishes
- Bone density testing
- Vision and hearing
- Balance and fall risk
- Mood, memory and thinking
- Tobacco and alcohol use
Many of these are reviewed at a yearly wellness visit. See what an annual wellness visit covers and our page on annual wellness visits at home.
How prevention connects to wound healing
Several preventive topics bear directly on wounds.
Tetanus. Clinicians consider tetanus vaccination status when someone has a wound, particularly one caused by an injury. Knowing the date of your last booster saves guesswork.
Diabetes checks. Undiagnosed or poorly controlled diabetes is a common reason wounds heal slowly. Screening can find the problem before a foot ulcer does. See diabetes care.
Skin and foot checks. Looking at the feet and at pressure points catches trouble while it is still small. See skin checks for older adults.
Avoiding setbacks. A bout of flu or pneumonia can mean days in bed, a poor appetite and sometimes a hospital stay. All three raise the risk of pressure injuries and can stall a wound that was improving.
Tobacco. Smoking affects blood flow and healing. The guide on smoking and wound healing explains why, and the clinician can talk through help with quitting.
What Gateway arranges
Gateway coordinates and the treating clinician decides. We connect you with a partner practice for primary care follow-up where you live, or work with your existing physician if you have one. We help gather records, schedule the visit, and follow up on what the clinician orders, such as a lab test, a screening appointment or a ride to it.
We do not recommend vaccines or screenings, and we cannot say what your plan will pay for. Ask the practice and your plan about benefits before a service is scheduled.
Questions to bring to the visit
- Which vaccines am I due for, and where can I get them?
- Is there any reason to wait on a vaccine because of my wound, an infection or a medication I take?
- Which screenings still make sense for me, and which can I stop?
- What should I be checking at home, such as blood pressure, blood sugar or my feet?
For people who seldom leave home, the guide on preventive care for homebound adults goes into more detail.
After a vaccine, and when to call
A sore arm, tiredness or a low fever for a day or two are common after vaccines. Call the clinician’s office if symptoms are severe, last longer than you were told to expect, or worry you.
Call 911 for trouble breathing, swelling of the face or throat, widespread hives, or a racing heartbeat with dizziness after a vaccine. These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction.
How to start
Call 314-325-0126 or send a callback request with your name and phone number. Leave health details for the phone conversation. Keep any vaccine cards and your medication list together for the clinician.
Common questions
Can I get vaccines at home if I cannot leave the house?
Sometimes. It depends on the vaccine, the treating practice, your plan and where you live. Some practices and pharmacies can bring certain vaccines to people who cannot travel, and facility residents usually receive them through the facility. A home option may not exist for every vaccine, and we can help find out what is available to you.
Is it safe to get a vaccine while I have an open wound?
That is a question for the treating clinician, who knows your wound, your medications and your overall health. In general, having a wound does not by itself rule out routine vaccines, but an active infection, a fever or certain treatments can affect timing.
Do I still need cancer screenings at my age?
It depends on your age, health, past results and what you would want to do with the answer. Some screenings are recommended up to a certain age and then become an individual decision to make with your clinician. Choosing to stop a screening can be a reasonable outcome.
What if I do not know which vaccines I have had?
Tell the clinician what you remember and where you usually got vaccines. Pharmacies keep records, earlier medical offices may have them, and state immunization records sometimes fill gaps. When a record cannot be found, the clinician decides how to proceed.
Related pages
General information to help you talk with your own clinician. It is not medical advice, and the treating clinician makes every clinical decision. For a medical emergency, call 911.