Supporting healthy aging

Americans are living longer than ever before. This creates new opportunities and challenges for healthy living. The choices you make every day can impact your quality of life for years to come.

What is healthy aging?

Healthy aging is not just about adding years to your life. It's about adding life to your years by maintaining your ability to do the things that matter most to you. This can include:

• Taking care of basic needs
• Moving around easily
• Building and keeping relationships
• Learning new things
• Being part of your community
• Making your own decisions

Your health plan can help you manage your health as you age, so that you can maintain these abilities.

Today, more than half of all Medicare-eligible people (over 34 million) have chosen Medicare Advantage plans.* Our Medicare Advantage plans work to promote several key aspects of healthy aging, so that you can keep doing the things you love.

Key parts of healthy aging

Almost all adults over 60 are dealing with at least one long-lasting, or chronic, health condition.* Learning about healthy aging practices and working toward them helps us stay strong and independent as we get older.

Preventive care

Preventive care means routine health care that stops illness before it gets worse or even before it starts. Finding and treating health issues early is important for older adults.

Studies show that preventive screenings can help people live longer.* Getting regular screenings helps catch health problems early. For older adults, yearly hearing and eye exams are especially important. Many health plans, including Aetna Medicare Advantage plans, offer essential preventive care, including vaccines and screenings, at no cost to members.

To simplify the search for providers that are experts in healthy aging, we've introduced the "healthy aging" badge for our network of providers. This helps you easily identify health care providers trained in serving older adults.

Many health plans, including Aetna Medicare Advantage plans, cover essential preventive care or screenings at no cost to members. Some Aetna Medicare Advantage plans also offer a transportation benefit, which can help you more easily get to and from appointments.

Primary care

A primary care doctor can look at your specific health needs and create a plan just for you.

Research shows that having a primary care doctor leads to better health outcomes.* Aetna Medicare Advantage plans focus on primary care through programs like Healthy Home Visits. Our partnership with Oak Street Health, and a broad network of value-based primary care providers across the country, help us make in-home visits convenient for you.

Chronic condition management

Nearly 95 percent of adults over 60 have at least one ongoing health condition,* like diabetes or heart disease. About 80 percent have two or more conditions.*

Regular check-ups help manage current conditions and stop new ones from developing. Aetna offers special plans in some states for people with chronic conditions.

Care managers are available to Aetna members in most health plans. They offer personal guidance and help you manage your health conditions.

Physical health

Over 14 million older adults report falling each year.* That’s one in four older adults. Staying physically healthy, including eating well and staying active, can help prevent falls.

Many health plans provide resources to support your physical health. Some Medicare Advantage plans, and Signify Health, offer benefits to do a home health assessment. In these assessments, members can have their home assessed for fall risks. If needed, members may be able to receive coverage for changes, like grab bars.

Exercise and aging

Regular exercise can have many benefits for overall health and the aging process. These include:

• Reducing the risk of serious health limitations
• Helping you live longer
• Supporting mental health
• Delaying/preventing osteoporosis, a disease leading to weakened or fragile bones
• Supporting bone density and addressing mobility challenges/balance support

The World Health Organization suggests being active at least three days a week.* Good activities include walking, strength training and balance exercises to prevent falls.

Higher levels of physical activity reduce the risk of falling between 30 and 50 percent.*

Many Aetna Medicare Advantage plans include access to SilverSneakers, a program which provides fitness resources including gym access, online workouts and live classes.

Nutrition tips for healthy aging

Nutrition can greatly affect your overall health. Older adults who eat fruits, vegetables and whole grains can lower their risk of chronic diseases.

About 10 percent of independent older adults don’t eat enough, while one-third of people over 65 eat too much.* A primary care doctor or nutrition specialist can give personal diet advice.

Certain Medicare Advantage benefits can help you choose healthy foods that fit your lifestyle. These benefits may include:

• Healthy food boxes delivered to your home
• Healthy meals delivered to your home after a hospital stay
• Groceries funded by your Aetna Medicare Advantage benefits card

In some states, Aetna offers special plans if you qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid. These plans may offer allowances for healthy foods like meat, fresh produce and dairy products.

Healthy habits

Smoking and drinking too much alcohol can make it harder to stay physically fit and mobile. These habits can also harm heart health.

Primary care doctors can advise on alcohol intake levels. Some health plans offer programs to help members quit smoking. Depending on the plan, Aetna Medicare Advantage members may have access to covered counseling services to support them on their journey to quit smoking.

Aging and mental health

Mental health is just as important as physical health. The risk of decline in cognitive skills, like memory, thinking and decision-making, increases with age. This makes mental wellness even more important for older adults. Staying mentally active and spending time with others can help protect against this decline and may lower your risk of dementia.

To support the mental health of Medicare Advantage members, Aetna® offers Resources for Living®. The Resources for Living program provides:

• Health risk assessments that give an overall wellness score
• In-the-moment counseling for stress, anxiety, depression and other concerns
• Digital tools including chat therapy and self-guided resources
• Well-being and life coaching
• Mental health counseling services through MinuteClinic®, available in-person or virtually

Social connection

Loneliness and social isolation in older adults are serious public health issues. Social isolation occurs when someone spends most of their time alone. One-fourth of adults over age 65 are reported to be socially isolated.* Loneliness and social isolation can increase the risk of conditions like heart disease, stroke, dementia, anxiety and depression.

Social connections — religious groups, neighbors, and even visits to health care providers — have a larger role in healthy aging than many realize. Studies show that people who engage in meaningful, productive activities with other people tend to live longer.*

Group fitness classes, like those offered through the SilverSneakers basic membership available with many Medicare Advantage plans, can also help older adults to stay connected with other people.

Health insurance and aging

Having health insurance becomes even more important as we age. Our resources and benefits help you manage what matters most for healthy living, at any and every stage of life.

By focusing on all aspects of health — preventive care, physical health and mental well-being — older adults can enjoy fulfilling, active lives.