By: Maria Williams

Women have always been disadvantaged in the field of medical science, with most medical trials and standards being based on men. Worldwide, there is also a massive women’s health gap, with women spending 25% more of their lives in debilitating health than men. Several chronic conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, migraines, and osteoporosis, more commonly affect women.

Furthermore, due to societal gender norms, women are often looked at as the primary caregivers in the household. Due to men’s shorter life expectancies, women more often end up living alone in their senior years, managing their chronic conditions by themselves.

While some chronic conditions are genetic, many can be avoided or lessened by proper lifestyle choices, such as eating a balanced diet, being physically active, and avoiding tobacco use. According to Elena Scofield, Founder and President of Scofield Insurance Consulting, preventative healthcare pays dividends later in life, especially for women, which is why she has made it a major aspect of her business, which specializes in meeting the insurance needs of older adults. 

“Most health insurance plans, including Medicare Advantage plans and some Medicare supplement plans, cover various preventive services and they cost nothing to the client,” Scofield says. “I encourage my clients to have their annual routine physical checkups. For women, this includes mammograms and pelvic exams, which will help in the early detection and treatment of breast and reproductive system cancers, among other conditions.”

Another important benefit of many health insurance plans is coverage for exercise programs, such as gym and senior center memberships. Many fitness centers have swimming pools, which are great for seniors with arthritis because they can exercise without putting too much strain on their joints. According to Scofield, a sedentary lifestyle is a major problem among American seniors, which is a risk factor for many chronic diseases. On the other hand, regular physical activity can help delay, prevent, or manage these costly and debilitating conditions. Scofield says it’s important for seniors to remain physically active, as long as they have proper guidance from a health professional to avoid getting injured. 

“I do yoga and pilates every morning, and I encourage my clients, whether female or male, to do the same,” she says. “It may be hard to do at first, but it’s important to set a goal for yourself. For example, you can start walking 10 minutes a day today and, after a week, increase it to 20 minutes. Before you know it, you can meet the CDC’s recommendation of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week.”

Aside from their physical health, seniors also need to pay attention to their mental health. Scofield witnessed this during the COVID pandemic, where many seniors became isolated and suffered from worsened mental health. Aside from encouraging physical activity and social interaction, Scofield informs her clients about the various mental health services covered by their insurance plans, as well as refers them to trusted practitioners she has come to know across her over 25 years in the insurance industry. She says that preventative healthcare is a win-win solution for both clients and insurance providers, with the latter interested in keeping their members healthy for as long as possible, without having to pay for costly medical interventions.

“I treat my clients like extended family members, and I want the best for them,” Scofield says. “Several ladies have reached out to me because, unfortunately, they didn’t have family with them. They were widowed, and their children were living out of state. They’re homebound, sad, and lonely. I encouraged them to go to the senior citizens center, take up an exercise or dance class – anything to get them exercising and socializing, as it helps both their physical and mental health.”

Constantly looking out for the best interests of her clients, Scofield is passionate about calling for changes in the prescription drug system. With the price of medications in the US skyrocketing, many of her clients are unable to keep up with the expense, and some are forced to split pills or even stop taking the medication altogether. 

“I believe regulations must be put in place to lower the cost of medicines, because they are much more expensive here in the US, compared to Canada. Lowering the prices of medicines also lowers the cost of Medicare supplement plans, allowing more people to afford quality healthcare into their senior years. This also demonstrates why preventative healthcare is important, so people don’t need to be subjected to the incredible financial drain of chronic disease medications.”

Published by: Martin De Juan