At Sagora Senior Living, our “resident-first” philosophy is truly our north star! Caring for seniors starts with compassion and that can be seen in many different levels of service. One form of service is through preventative care. This month, as we raise awareness for breast cancer, it’s important to focus on how seniors can be impacted by this disease and what we can do to help prevent it.
The two most common risk factors of breast cancer are being born female and getting older. While these are two factors we cannot control, we can be empowered to embrace a life of health and wellness and take action in preventative care. It is a common mistake that many people believe breast cancer only impacts women, when in fact men make up about 1% of breast cancer patients. So, understanding ways to help prevent breast cancer is vital for everyone.
The fact is, no matter who you are or where you live, or how old you are, breast cancer may touch your life. This is especially true for seniors. It’s necessary to understand the warning signs of breast cancer, your risk of breast cancer and what’s normal for you so you can take action if there are any changes in your breasts or underarm areas. The Susan G. Koman foundation shares the most important measure in preventative care that you can start now!
Know Your Risk
Knowing your family history is lifesaving. Talk to a doctor about your family history and see how that history impacts your risk of breast cancer. You and your doctor can create a personalized plan to monitor for signs of the disease.
Get Screened
For those at average risk, have a mammogram every year starting at age 40. If you have any signs of breast cancer, finding it early and treating it early may save your life. This step gets overlooked often in seniors but could be lifesaving!
Know Your Normal
It’s important to know what’s normal for you so you can talk with your health care provider if something doesn’t look or feel right.
Make Healthy Lifestyle Choices
Living a healthy lifestyle is within your control and may lower your risk of breast cancer. Maintain a healthy weight, limit alcohol intake and exercise regularly. It all matters when it comes to your overall health and risk of disease.
Take Action
There are many ways you can join the fight to save lives. Whether it’s by supporting through donations towards breast cancer awareness, becoming an advocate for someone with breast cancer, fundraising through the Race for the Cure, or keeping the topic relevant through conversation and awareness, your support and decision to take action can help with research and those facing breast cancer today.
Our Sagora communities around the country come together each year to raise awareness in various ways, and you can do the same! While we cannot control all aspects of breast cancer or who it impacts, raising awareness and deciding to embrace preventative care is a huge step in ending breast cancer and something we can do now. If you are a senior or you have a loved one that is aging, be sure to start implementing preventative care measures in your life or theirs to help be part of the cure to end breast cancer! Let’s continue to raise awareness this October and throughout the year so we can one day see a world without breast cancer in it.
We are proud to play a vital role in helping seniors live longer and the best life possible. With 62 communities in 12 different states, Sagora Senior Living offers seniors the chance to live in active, social communities where they can thrive on a daily basis.
To find out more, tour your local Sagora Senior Living community!