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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 12, 2007

Department of Aging Asks: "When Was Your Last Check-up?"
Take a Loved One for a Check-up Day Part of a Month-long Promotion of Healthy Habits

COLUMBUS - When was your last check-up? Do you have a loved one who has not had one for a while? Tuesday, September 19, 2007, is Take a Loved One for a Check-up Day, and the Ohio Department of Aging encourages Ohioans to make an appointment this week, for themselves and for a loved one, to talk with a healthcare professional about their overall health and preventive care.

"Regular health care, including preventive care, can enhance and extend your life and the lives of those you love," said Barbara E. Riley, Director of the Department of Aging. "Many of us like to keep our health concerns private, but doing so sometimes delays or even prevents necessary care when it can do the most good. Becoming involved in the medical care of another - or involving others in yours - can help identify problems earlier and lead to more effective treatment."

Take a Loved One for a Check-up Day is a national observance supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to encourage individuals to help prevent diseases by making an appointment for a health screening, attending a health event in the community or helping a friend, neighbor or family member do the same.

"Encourage someone you love to visit, or make an appointment to visit, a health professional next week," Riley added. "Then, help him or her plan for that visit by writing down questions to ask and compiling a list of previous diagnoses, prescriptions and doses. Offer to drive and even to sit in on the exam and take notes. Knowing that someone cares about your well-being is very often a great motivator."

Medicare pays for many preventive services, including cardiovascular screenings, smoking cessation, cancer tests, immunizations, bone mass measurements, diabetes screening, glaucoma tests and more. A health care professional can help you or a loved one determine which tests are appropriate.

Take a Loved One for a Check-up Day is the cornerstone of a week of focused awareness on the benefits of including your physician and appropriate preventive care in a plan for healthy aging, and is part of the Department of Aging's Go Forward Healthy Month campaign. Details about the campaign and a listing of awareness topics throughout the month are available on a special Web page: www.goldenbuckeye.com/goforward.

About ODA

The Ohio Department of Aging provides leadership for the delivery of services and supports that improve and promote quality of life and personal choice for older Ohioans, adults with disabilities, their families and their caregivers. Working with 12 area agencies on aging and other community partners, the department offers home- and community-based Medicaid waiver programs such as PASSPORT, the long-term care ombudsman program, the Golden Buckeye Card and more. Visit www.goldenbuckeye.com.