Getting an annual physical at the doctors

[Fuddyduddy1952]

My family does not agree or consent to do the annual "Medicare Wellness Exam." It is helpful for a baseline to measure against later, no doubt. But our objection is intrusive government spying possibly leading to all sorts of things ... suspension of driving license, taking guns out of a house, or whatever. We believe those things are coming.

My medical provider today urged me again to do the Wellness Exam. When I declined she said it is now "required" by Medicare. News to me.

Your post is thought provoking sir.

 

[Sigarms]

My family does not agree or consent to do the annual "Medicare Wellness Exam." It is helpful for a baseline to measure against later, no doubt. But our objection is intrusive government spying possibly leading to all sorts of things ... suspension of driving license, taking guns out of a house, or whatever. We believe those things are coming.

I'm not at that point with my tin foil hat when it comes to getting a physical done.

That said, at what point should a elderly person stop driving? I was lucky when my dad lived with us. He kind of slowed up on his driving when he hit 87, then let me son drive him for the last two years of his life because he knew he just couldn't drive responsibly enough on his end so he basically stopped without saying anything to us about it.

 

[Jstpssng]

I kept ignoring the doctors who wanted me to go on cholesterol meds, saying I would control it with diet. I stopped eating hamburger and it did drop, and 150 isn't that bad. It turns out that isn't the number which I should have been concerned about.
Aug 2020 I was driving home with a load of OSB on when I temporarily lost the vision in the bottom of one eye. It turns out that both of my carotids were partially blocked and I had to have stents put into each side. I'm not saying a healthier diet wouldn't be wise, but instead I am now on cholesterol meds.
The worst part is that my brother had encouraged me to get them checked 5 years earlier. I asked my PA at the time who told me I had never been a smoker so not to worry about it.

 

[plowhog]

I'm not at that point with my tin foil hat when it comes to getting a physical done.

I'm not opposed to physical care at all. The Medicare Wellness Exam also include a mental health and cognitive evaluation. You get certain words spoken to you, then other distracting events take place. Later you need to recall those words. If you don't, bad news. The doctor tells you to draw a picture of an analog clock based on a time he will state to you. If you can't do that reasonably quickly, or put one of the hands in a wrong place, bad news. And there is more.

These things have nothing to do with physical health or preventive care. If I want to seek cognitive assessment or care, I believe that is my right, and my choice.

Even succeeding at the tests is a slippery slope. Imagine doing 100% on the Wellness Exam for 10 years. Then because of some gradual forgetfulness that is coming on, or other reason, you decide you don't want to do the test any more. In the Government's view, is that refusal, by itself, an admission that you are not up to driving? Or owning a gun? After all, if you did them before and won't do the test now, isn't that proof that you *know* something is wrong and you may be a danger to society?

I have watched our civil liberties get progressively chipped away over the years. Organized all-night long DUI traffic stops using officers, cones, and flares used to be illegal to do. It was considered detainment without probable cause. Then in my community, the police announced they would only do it on New Year's Eve, only on one street with plenty of "escape" lanes if you didn't want to go through. Then it grew to all major holidays. Then the escape lanes went away. Now they seem to be all over the place and are quite intrusive.

The City of Berkeley, CA went one step further. During the organized DUI traffic blockades, where you were detained without probable cause, they also required you to pop your trunk to submit to a weapons search. That got overturned very quickly.

I know exactly how the civil liberties slowly get chipped away. I don't want to hand the government data on my mental or cognitive acuity. Unless I commit a crime or other offense, it is none of their business.

 

[ultrarunner]

I thought of another strange death experience (so many). I've been retired 10 years now and had a consumer electronics repair business, mostly TVs. There was a fellow 64, I was 60 who stopped by my business one day, also a TV repairman. We never knew each other but he said "I was driving by and something told me to visit".
So we chatted for an hour or so mostly about hobbies, his was RC model planes & he knew my friend & neighbor who also flew RC planes. He wanted to smoke, knew I didn't but no problem, he was near an exhaust fan.
Very nice guy it turned out...all those years same town but never me

And it's ironic it happens in venues like Berkeley after being a bastion of free speech and freedom to be and do as you please.

 

[Sigarms]

I'm not opposed to physical care at all. The Medicare Wellness Exam also include a mental health and cognitive evaluation. You get certain words spoken to you, then other distracting events take place. Later you need to recall those words. If you don't, bad news. The doctor tells you to draw a picture of an analog clock based on a time he will state to you. If you can't do that reasonably quickly, or put one of the hands in a wrong place, bad news. And there is more.

These things have nothing to do with physical health or preventive care. If I want to seek cognitive assessment or care, I believe that is my right, and my choice.

Even succeeding at the tests is a slippery slope. Imagine doing 100% on the Wellness Exam for 10 years. Then because of some gradual forgetfulness that is coming on, or other reason, you decide you don't want to do the test any more. In the Government's view, is that refusal, by itself, an admission that you are not up to driving? Or owning a gun? After all, if you did them before and won't do the test now, isn't that proof that you *know* something is wrong and you may be a danger to society?

I have watched our civil liberties get progressively chipped away over the years. Organized all-night long DUI traffic stops using officers, cones, and flares used to be illegal to do. It was considered detainment without probable cause. Then in my community, the police announced they would only do it on New Year's Eve, only on one street with plenty of "escape" lanes if you didn't want to go through. Then it grew to all major holidays. Then the escape lanes went away. Now they seem to be all over the place and are quite intrusive.

The City of Berkeley, CA went one step further. During the organized DUI traffic blockades, where you were detained without probable cause, they also required you to pop your trunk to submit to a weapons search. That got overturned very quickly.

I know exactly how the civil liberties slowly get chipped away. I don't want to hand the government data on my mental or cognitive acuity. Unless I commit a crime or other offense, it is none of their business.

You bring up good points.

Never heard of the Medicare Wellness Exam. I generally just go in for a annual physical. Knowing my personality, I know if they started asking me any type of general question not pertaining to my physical body well being, I'd start asking why.

Been seeing a female doctor locally the last couple of years in the branch of a healthcare system that is in a small office only 20 minutes from home. Apparently they stopped doing prostate exams (go figure).

She asked me if I was doing self check ups on my gonads, I said yes, but not exactly certain what I'm looking for other than lumps on my sac. She looks at me and tells me that if I wanted, I could get a male doctor in the room and show me exactly what to look for. I looked at her kind of perplexed (I figure shes a doctor you know, and is familiar with a ***** LOL) and she responds pretty quickly that is if I feel uncomfortable with her checking out my gonads (because I guess she's a woman and I'm a man) she'll get a male doctor to come in. I look at her with a straight face and tell her "I'm certain you've seen a ***** before". She looks at me and is kind of confused and tells me "yes, but not yours". Almost lost it laughing and she still had a look of confusion on her face. Ended up telling her, no that's fine, you can show me...

Point being, less I talk the better

I find it hard to believe that P E N I S is such a bad work that we use some kind of spell blocker here.

 

[MAX-24-Dean]

Edited:
Just wait till the day when you say ***** and you its not liked in general.

This may end up what actually gets read,

*** **** ********* **** ******!

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

At the Dr's. office I love messing with the lady giving me a wellness check.
"Draw a clock showing 8:05
Me: "AM or PM?"
"Doesn't matter" she says.
So I hand her this...
"No, analog" she says. So I remove a compass from my pocket. "Not my first rodeo" I say.
"1:52 is what I want. And remember these three words: home, car, red".
She says "wow, Roman numerals and everything. Now what were the three words?".
"I can't remember. I just need to get in my red car and go home."

 

[EddieWalker]

Before my dad passed away from Alzheimer's, the therapists that would come to see him a few times a week would also give him a few simple tests. I was surprised when he couldn't draw a clock. He sort of tried, but the circle was more of a square. He put one arm in there, but it wasn't centered, or even clock like. Then he didn't know what to do next. It was sad, but also very telling on how far the Alzheimer's had progressed.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

My Dad passed from Alzheimer's at 88. Thankfully it was the last year of his life. Now 97 y.o. Mom has dementia.