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Screening Guide
Senior Health Screening
Senior screening helps you stay active and independent. It checks everyday abilities as well as common conditions, tailored to your health and wishes.
Overview
As we get older, staying healthy is about more than lab numbers. It is also about being able to walk safely, see and hear clearly, eat well, remember things and feel like yourself.
The World Health Organization (WHO) calls these everyday abilities intrinsic capacity. Its ICOPE approach (Integrated Care for Older People) helps doctors spot early declines, so something can be done before they affect your independence.
A senior health screening brings these checks together with tests for common conditions. Your doctor tailors it to your health, your medicines and what matters most to you.
Who may want to understand this screening
This screening is for older adults who want to keep well and independent, whether you feel healthy or live with long-term conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Family members are welcome to come along and help.
WHO's ICOPE guidance for primary care looks at six key areas: memory and thinking, mobility, nutrition, vision, hearing and mood. It also highlights urinary incontinence and falls. WHO notes that adults over 60 have the greatest number of fatal falls, so checking balance and strength matters.
For bones, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends osteoporosis screening for women aged 65 or older, and for younger postmenopausal women at increased risk. It found the evidence for men insufficient to recommend for or against.
Cancer screening changes with age. The USPSTF recommends colorectal cancer screening up to age 75, and selective screening from 76 to 85 based on your health and past screening. It recommends mammograms every two years for women aged 40 to 74, and says evidence is insufficient for women 75 and older. Please don't wait for screening if you notice falls, new confusion, weight loss, blood in your stools, or a breast lump.
What screening may involve
Your doctor will chat with you about your health, medicines, daily activities and any worries. Simple questions and quick checks help look at each area: remembering a few words, standing up from a chair several times without using your arms, recent weight loss or poor appetite, eyesight, hearing and low mood.
The doctor also checks your blood pressure and weight. Blood tests may include sugar (such as HbA1c), cholesterol, kidney function (creatinine and eGFR), a full blood count for anaemia, and others chosen for you, such as vitamin B12 or thyroid tests if there is a reason.
If needed, your doctor may suggest a bone density scan, an eye or hearing assessment, or a referral for colorectal or breast screening. You can also ask whether your vaccinations are up to date.
What screening can — and cannot — tell you
Screening can pick up problems that are easy to miss, like slowly worsening hearing, early memory changes or muscle weakness that raises falls risk. Many of these can be helped with glasses, hearing aids, exercise, better nutrition or a medicine review.
It cannot predict everything. A simple memory check is not a diagnosis of dementia, and a normal result today does not rule out changes later.
More tests are not always kinder in later life. Some cancer screening may bring more harm than benefit depending on your overall health, so your doctor will talk through what is right for you.
If something shows up, your doctor will explain the next steps and whether you need further tests or a referral.
Practical considerations
Ask the clinic whether you need to fast for any blood tests. Take your usual medicines unless your doctor has told you otherwise.
Bring all your medicines and supplements (or a clear list), your glasses and hearing aids, recent hospital letters or test results, and a walking aid if you use one. It helps to bring a family member or carer who knows your daily routine.
Plan a follow-up visit to go through your results and agree a simple plan. Many older adults benefit from checking in regularly, especially if something changes.
Sources
1. Integrated care for older people (ICOPE): guidance for person-centred assessment and pathways in primary care, 2nd ed — World Health Organization, 2025
2. Falls (fact sheet) — World Health Organization, 2021
3. Osteoporosis to Prevent Fractures: Screening — US Preventive Services Task Force, 2025
4. Colorectal Cancer: Screening — US Preventive Services Task Force, 2021
5. Breast Cancer: Screening — US Preventive Services Task Force, 2024
Common questions
Why does a senior check test memory and mobility?
Because these abilities keep you independent. WHO's ICOPE approach recommends checking them so early declines can be managed before they cause problems.
Do women over 65 need a bone density test?
The USPSTF recommends osteoporosis screening for women aged 65 and above. Your doctor can arrange a bone density scan or refer you.
Should I keep having cancer screening after 75?
It depends on your health. The USPSTF recommends colorectal screening up to 75 and selective screening from 76 to 85, and finds insufficient evidence for mammograms at 75 and older.
Can a family member come with me?
Yes, and it often helps. They can share useful information about memory, falls or daily activities.
What if I have already fallen?
Tell your doctor, even if you were not hurt. A fall is a sign to check strength, balance, eyesight, medicines and home safety.