By Dr. Amarjeet Singh @ AJ
We remember our car’s service date, insurance renewal and road tax. Yet many of us struggle to remember when we last checked our blood pressure.
We tell ourselves we are fine because we can still work, drive, eat and carry out our daily responsibilities. Sometimes, we only visit a doctor when pain interrupts our routine.
As we age, caring for our health needs a place in our calendar. Walking, appropriate medical checks and daily self-discipline help us protect something precious: the ability to live independently.
The goal is to remain capable of enjoying the years ahead.
Can we climb the stairs? Carry our groceries? Travel comfortably? Play with our grandchildren? Get up from a chair without struggling?
These everyday abilities deserve our attention long before we start losing them.
Why walking matters as we age
Walking is accessible, affordable and easy to fit into daily life. It can help maintain cardiovascular fitness, support blood sugar management and improve physical function. Regular activity also benefits mental wellbeing and helps older adults maintain mobility and independence. WHO recommendations
A walk can also provide structure to the day: a reason to leave the house, meet a friend or spend time outdoors.
But walking only works when we actually do it.
Buying comfortable shoes is preparation. Downloading a fitness application is preparation. Talking about starting on Monday is still preparation.
The benefit comes from moving.
For adults, including older adults who can manage it, the World Health Organization recommends 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity activity each week. A practical starting target is 30 minutes of brisk walking on five days. Someone who has been inactive can begin with shorter walks and build gradually. Some activity is better than none. CDC
At a moderate pace, you should generally be able to talk, although singing would be difficult.
There is no need to compete with the fastest person in the park. Your starting point should reflect your health, balance and current fitness.
Walking is part of the plan
Ageing well also requires strength and balance.
We need strength to rise from a chair, lift a bag and climb steps. We need balance to turn, walk on uneven ground and avoid falls.
Alongside aerobic activity, include muscle-strengthening exercises on at least two days each week. Older adults should also include activities combining balance and functional strength on three or more days weekly. These can overlap with other exercise sessions. CDC
Suitable activities might include supported chair rises, wall push-ups, resistance-band exercises and balance practice beside a stable support. People with significant joint problems, previous falls or limited mobility can ask a physiotherapist to adapt the exercises.
The purpose is steady progress that we can sustain.
Why medical checks matter even when we feel well
Feeling well does not tell us everything about our health.
Malaysia’s Ministry of Health diabetes guideline highlights how often diabetes remains undiagnosed until screening. It recommends annual risk-based screening and beginning testing at age 30 even for people without the listed risk factors. www2.moh.gov.my
However, a useful health review involves more than ordering a large package of tests. It should consider our age, symptoms, family history, medicines, previous results and lifestyle.
Ask the doctor:
“Which checks do I need, what will the results change, and when should I repeat them?”
Make sure someone reviews the results with you. An abnormal result needs a follow-up plan. A reassuring result is an opportunity to continue good habits.
From the heart to the scope: choose the right check
Heart health deserves attention as we age, but an annual treadmill test is not necessary for everyone.
A review usually begins with cardiovascular risk factors, including blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and family history. For adults without symptoms who are at low cardiovascular risk, routine resting or exercise ECG screening is not recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force. Further testing should have a clinical reason. United States Preventive Services Taskforce
The same care applies to a “scope”.
A colonoscopy examines the large bowel. A gastroscopy examines the oesophagus, stomach and first part of the small intestine. They have different purposes.
Bowel cancer screening can begin with a stool test rather than a colonoscopy. Malaysian MOH guidance offers screening to average-risk adults aged 50–75, while major US guidelines begin at 45. Family history or previous abnormal findings may require an earlier start and a different schedule. A positive stool screening test requires colonoscopy follow-up. www2.moh.gov.my
For an average-risk person with a normal, high-quality colonoscopy, the interval is commonly ten years. Polyps, family history and other findings can shorten it. PMC
A gastroscopy may investigate persistent upper abdominal symptoms, swallowing difficulties or bleeding, and monitor certain diagnosed conditions. It should not automatically become an annual appointment simply because someone is getting older. NIDDK
The right test, at the right time, with proper follow-up, is what matters.
Build a health calendar you can follow
Use this as a planning framework to discuss with your healthcare team. The suggested review dates are reminders to check what is due; they do not mean every test must be repeated annually.
| When | What to put in your calendar |
|---|---|
| Daily | Move regularly, take prescribed medicines correctly and maintain consistent meals and sleep routines. |
| Each week | Work towards your walking target; include strength and balance activities appropriate to your ability. |
| January or your birthday month | Book a health review. Check blood pressure, discuss diabetes and cholesterol testing, and review medicines and family history. |
| April | Review progress on exercise, food choices, weight and any treatment plan. Arrange follow-up for earlier abnormal results. |
| July | Check whether dental, eyesight or hearing appointments are due. Discuss falls, balance difficulties or declining mobility. |
| October | Review vaccination needs with your clinician and confirm which appointments are due next year. |
| Whenever a screening is due | Complete the agreed bowel, breast, cervical or other screening. Record the result and the next due date. |
| Whenever new symptoms appear | Seek assessment promptly; do not wait for the calendar appointment. |
For blood pressure, at least annual checks are advised for older adults; people with high readings or relevant medical conditions may need more frequent monitoring. medlineplus.gov
Some screening schedules differ by country. For example, USPSTF guidance recommends mammography every two years for women aged 40–74 and osteoporosis screening for women aged 65 or older, with earlier assessment for some postmenopausal women at increased risk. Discuss the appropriate local schedule and your personal risk with your clinician. United States Preventive Services Taskforce
Keep a simple record:
Check | Last completed | Result | Next due date | Follow-up needed
People already living with a condition need their own monitoring schedule, which may be more frequent than general screening.
The self-discipline ageing well requires
Knowledge is useful. Consistent action gives it value.
We often know that we should move more, sleep better and attend appointments. The difficulty comes when work is demanding, the weather changes or motivation disappears.
Self-discipline means building a routine that survives those ordinary disruptions.
First, protect a regular time. Put walking in your diary as you would a meeting. Choose a realistic slot and prepare an indoor alternative for unsuitable weather.
Second, set a minimum you can maintain. On a difficult day, a short, comfortable walk may keep the habit alive. Build towards the recommended activity target gradually.
Third, follow the treatment plan. Take medicines as prescribed. Discuss side effects, cost or difficulties openly. Do not change treatment on the strength of a forwarded message or a friend’s experience.
Fourth, finish the follow-up. Attend the appointment, obtain the result, understand it and act on it. A test without follow-up leaves the job unfinished.
Fifth, be honest with yourself. Record what you actually do. A simple walking log can reveal more than a confident claim that you are “quite active”.
Finally, allow flexibility without abandoning responsibility. Illness, disability, caregiving and financial pressure can interrupt routines. Adjust the plan and seek support where needed. Discipline should help you care for yourself, rather than become another reason to feel guilty.
Do not dismiss symptoms as “just age”
A calendar is for planned care. New symptoms need attention when they happen.
Chest pressure, severe breathlessness, fainting, or sudden facial drooping, arm weakness or speech difficulty require emergency assessment. Blood in the stool, black tarry stools, unexplained weight loss, persistent swallowing difficulty or a sustained change in bowel habits also need prompt medical attention.
Do not push through concerning symptoms during exercise.
Ageing may change our pace, but we still have choices about how we care for ourselves.
Start with a manageable walk. Arrange the overdue review. Write down the next appointment. Ask someone to join you.
Plan + Actions = Results.
Our future independence deserves that commitment.
Share your fitness and healthy lifestyle stories through #JomFit and stand a chance to win cash prizes worth up to RM2,300!
Find out how to join here. Don't miss out! T&Cs apply.
Amarjeet Singh Sran (amarjeetsinghsran5@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
The User Content (as defined on Newswav Terms of Use) above including the views expressed and media (pictures, videos, citations etc) were submitted & posted by the author. Newswav is solely an aggregation platform that hosts the User Content. If you have any questions about the content, copyright or other issues of the work, please contact creator@newswav.com.
