In my thirties, I always used to worry about my forties, and the same happened with me in my fifties. Now that I am a 60+ year old woman from a career-oriented background, I want to maintain my health. That was not just a wish; I actually did everything to handle life according to my preferences and independence. Even today, when I am turning 64 tomorrow, I know how to manifest a better lifestyle and overall health.

By the way, before I share my journey to staying empowered, resilient, and independent at 64, I would like to appreciate the efforts of Dr Azam of Indus Medical Associates. With his constant help and support, I am doing way better than other people in my age group.

So, coming back to the topic, this guide will make you feel confident and empowered in terms of health. And naturally, when your health stays good, it becomes easier to accomplish personal and professional challenges.

What have I covered in this blog for you? Let’s take a look at it and discuss it in detail.

What is Healthy Aging in the Digital Age?

According to many medical professionals and specialists, healthy aging doesn’t mean living without any chronic health issues or diseases. In Doctor Azam’s view, healthy aging means enjoying life as you did in past decades. Also, it means that you are not depending on anyone; life is moving at the same pace without any major complications.

However, it is also important to understand that the body (both organs and their functionalities) differ with time. In your senior years of life, you must think of searching for a primary doctors near me and you. These doctors help you in the following manner;

• Maintains stable cognitive functions

• Foster the care of emotional health

• Brings awareness towards sleep medicine

• Helps you in managing medications

• Referrals are usually and mostly given by PCPs

Naturally, there are several other ways in which these doctors help with your present or past health concerns.

Prioritization of Preventive Healthcare

What I did to ensure my independence and resilience towards career and other chores are not affected because of health? Honestly speaking, it was the most basic but most essential step towards the goal of maintaining health: relying on preventive healthcare. Well, in my case, it was pretty soothing and an effective breakthrough in health matters. I went to Azam Syed, the most prolific and well-known doctor at Indus Medical Associates. He called me in for the routine checkup, in which the following lab work and diagnostic procedures were carried out.

• Cholesterol testing

• Diabetes screening

• Bone density evaluation

• Blood pressure monitoring

• Cancer screenings, if needed

• Vision & hearing examinations

• Vaccination & other immunizations

Note: You can look for online doctors too, but the kind of experience I have had with Doctor Azam is so satisfying that I want to give it a shot.

Importance of Regular Medical Guide from Doctor Azam

What do you think happens when there are routine healthcare visits? See, you might presume it is nothing, but after I started my routine checkups, I understood all those aspects that never crossed my mind. For example, routine checkups allow the doctor to do the following for me as a big support and guide;

• Discussed the underlying concerns of the symptoms

• Reviewed my medications that I had been on for months

• Assessed all the risk factors to make the present issues less risky

• Updated all those preventive care strategies that were important

• Addressed previous and new symptoms of chronic diseases

• Helped in maintaining mobility, gait, and functions

• Supported in the mental and emotional aspects of personality

• Created patient-focused diagnosis, treatment, and preventive measures

Doctor Azam continuously supported me through maintaining my dignity, independence, and quality of life with regular visits to the hospital.

Staying Physically Active

Little did I know before seeking the advice of my primary doctors near me, which is obviously none other than Azam Syed, that it is important to keep myself physically active. Well, once I got to know the following exercises, they became a part of me. Interestingly, within a couple of months, I felt improvement in flexibility, cardiovascular health, and balance.

Azam talked about other benefits, too. For example, he mentioned that with time, I will experience the following changes;

• Improvement in motion

• Increased energy levels

• Physical activities stabilize mood

• Better sleep quality is assured

• Confidence in the daily chores and activities

However, it is said and believed that resilience matters most in physical exercises. I was told that it is okay to start with lighter exercises. For instance, walking, yoga, cycling, swimming, and strength training.

I would suggest you start with 150 minutes of moderate-level physical activity every week. Adding balance exercises and stretches will allow you to stay at your best health. Please consult with the doctor nearby before starting any such activities.

Fostering Social Connections

Oftentimes, we don’t really care about the human interactions and connections. But later in life, when you are alone and done with the career or have reached a significant phase of life, where activities aren’t as many as they used to be, then you crave interactions. Well, I always gave time to my family and kids, but never came out of the shell of responsibilities. Now that I have started seeing Dr Azam, I know the value of humans in my life. Firstly, they took me out of depression and then gave me much more clarity in life. My cognitive health started improving, and the chronic illnesses paved their way towards betterment.  

Upon enquiring about the ways to stay socially connected, my doctor gave me some notes to follow, which I am sharing with you all.

• Join community groups with the same interests and preferred lifestyle.

• Participate in different activities voluntarily to feel connected.

• Attend spiritual or religious gatherings, events, seminars, etc.

• Meet your family members, relatives, and friends regularly.

• Use video calls and other social media applications to stay in touch.

Remember, doing so helps in providing emotional support, gives a sense of belonging, and makes you a better person by knowing various perspectives on health, philosophies of life, etc.

Developing Emotional Resilience

See, it goes without saying that in the sixties, you not only get retired but also lose health and loved ones, right? To cope with such situations, emotional stability and resilience are much needed. When I was going through a hard, wrenching episode of depression because of the loss of my best friend, everything changed. I had nothing to do, nothing made sense to me, and I literally stopped living the way I used to in her presence. But after understanding the value of emotional resilience and virtues of EQ (emotional quotient), the realization hit me on the most satisfying spot of life. Following are some strategies upon which I worked and developed emotional stability in life;

• Practiced gratitude and maintained a diary for the regular practice.

• Maintained reality and fantasy separate and worked on the realistic expectations.

• Developed healthy and rewarding ways to cope with my emotional health issues.

• Stayed connected to all those people who were supportive and unbiased about my age.

• Sought help from my therapist and counselors when needed.

Mental health has more to do with emotions and how well you cope with your feelings. So, in case of being stressed, sad, lonely, or anxious for long time, I recommend you to seek professional assistance.

Maintaining a Nutritious and Wholesome Diet (Suggested by Dr Azam)

Nutrition is another aspect that is often ignored. But according to many doctors, including Azam Syed, whatever we consume in the form of food and liquids shows up after approximately a decade. It means what you had in your food in your 20s is shown in your 30s and so on and so forth. However, when you don’t eat well in your 20s, 30s, 40s, or 50s, it doesn’t mean healthy eating habits can’t be practiced now! Keeping your body healthy in your sixties is more important to maintain muscle mass, promote organs and their functions, and support immunity. So, if you ask what should be added to the diet, my answer would be (sharing my personal experience and giving an idea about a healthy diet);

• Whole grains

• Healthy fats

• Low-fat dairy products

• Fresh veggies and fruits

• Lean proteins

• Hydration with water

Make sure your body has enough of the following;

• Vitamin D

• Vitamin B12

• Calcium

• Protein

PS: Please take an appointment with Doctor Azam to get a personalized diet plan and nutritional guidance according to your lifestyle, personal goals, and medical history.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: How can I find a primary care physician accepting new patients near me?

Answer: You can use Google Maps, directories that provide information about health insurance providers, or hospital websites. Besides that, you have the option to use the filter “primary doctors near me accepting new patients” in the search bar to locate the nearest clinic.

Question 2: How to choose a good family doctor?

Answer: Check the qualification and certifications, experience and expertise, reviews and ratings, communication style, accessibility, and other soft skills like comfort, empathy, and rapport to choose the best family doctor.

Question 3: How should I find a primary care physician near me who accepts my insurance plan?

Answer: The best way is to use the health insurance company’s directory (online) or filter the in-network panel of doctors. Another way to find a primary care physician who accepts an insurance plan is through a call to the doctor's practice. Get it confirmed from them if they accept the specific health plan for new patients or not.

Question 4: What factors should I consider when choosing a family doctor?

Answer: Location, insurance coverage, style of communication, patient-centric treatments, hospital affiliations, doctors’ responses, and professionalism should be considered while choosing a family doctor.

Question 5: How to find a primary care physician accepting new patients?

Answer: There are several ways to know if there are any PCP who accepts new patients. Well, you can try Indus Medical Associates, which is always open for new patients. Also, you can ask in the community groups, local friends who live in the same neighborhood, get in touch with medical professionals directly, and enquire them about the procedure to register yourself as a patient.