By ALEX CUKAN
UPI Health Correspondent
YEARLY VISIT TO DOCTOR ADVISED
Even women who are healthy need regular preventive services like breast exams, Pap tests, immunizations and colon exams. Well-woman visits are the perfect time to accomplish these screenings; take periodic measurements of weight, height and blood pressure, and create a good relationship between doctors and patients, reports the May issue of Harvard Women’s Health Watch.

A yearly checkup is also an opportunity to reassess a woman’s risk for various conditions as family history, lifestyle and other factors may change from year-to-year and affect a woman’s risk profile.

“Seeing a patient for a periodic health exam gives me a chance to check in with her about new health concerns, and to learn about what worries her,” says Dr. Celeste Robb-Nicholson, Harvard Women’s Health Watch editor in chief.

Some ways to get the most out of a checkup are to:

– Bring written lists of health concerns and current medications.

– Mention any changes in the health of your family.

– Bring up concerns early in the visit, so there is time to address them.

– Tell the doctor if a medication is not working.

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WOMEN NEED TO PLAN FOR CAREGIVING

Women expect to care for their aging parents, but few plan ahead and 84 percent of women say they made no plans until care was needed. Overwhelmingly, women feel it’s a child’s duty to care for aging parents, according to a survey by Securian Financial Group, Inc. by Gestalt Inc.

“Most women will face the challenge of caring for their parents at some point in their lives,” said Kim Anderson, product manager, Long-Term Care Insurance, Securian. “Our survey indicates that women can do more to prepare themselves and their families for it — financially, emotionally and in terms of time demands and where the care will be given.” Tips:

– Have discussions with family members about their wishes and plan financially so realistic goals can be set.

– As you plan for your parent’s needs, plan for your own.

– Plan for possibly interrupting work. Six out of 10 employed caregivers adjusted their work schedules because of caregiving responsibilities, an estimated 9 percent left the workplace altogether and 10 percent reduced their hours from full- to part-time.

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HOW TO HELP A GRIEVING MOTHER

Acknowledgement is what grieving mothers want most for Mother’s Day, reports a U.S. survey. More than 80 percent of the 200 grieving moms say they want to be recognized that they are a mother, according to a survey by The Comfort Company, a Web site that specializes in meaningful sympathy gifts. Some simple ways to comfort a grieving mother on Mother’s Day:

– Send a card to let them know you remember they are a mother even though their child is not with them physically.

– Acknowledge they have had a loss. Express the message, “I know this might be a difficult day for you. I want you to know that I am thinking of you.”

– Use their child’s name in conversation: One mother responded, “People rarely speak his name anymore, but when they do it’s like music to my ears.”

– Visit the grave site. Many mothers felt that it was extremely thoughtful when others visited their child’s grave site and left flowers.

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WHAT MOMS REALLY WANT

While jewelry and flowers are nice, what moms really want for Mother’s Day is a day with their family and some acknowledgement, according to FamilyTime’s survey of 1,948 U.S. mothers.

For Mother’s Day most moms want a little “us” time — 52 percent want a peaceful day with their family, rather than jewelry, flowers, a spa day or a homemade gift. Meanwhile, 11 percent of mothers simply want “acknowledgement or appreciation for all that I do.” While 43 percent of moms felt Mother’s Day is their special day, 37 percent felt it was just like any other day.

– Do something for mother — some families don’t really celebrate Mother’s Day at all, while 23 percent of moms do the cooking/entertaining.

– Send money. Thirty-seven percent of the moms surveyed say they’d rather have more money/resources, over more time.

– Give mom some extra sleep.

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UPI Consumer Health welcomes comments on this column. E-mail: ACukan@upi.com