Who this checklist is for
This checklist is for men from 60 to 69, whether you are still working full time, newly retired or somewhere in between. The basics from earlier decades still apply: blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and colon screening. The 60s add a short list of new priorities, and they shift the focus from catching disease early to protecting independence.
If you are behind on the 50s items, such as the shingles vaccine or a PSA decision, our checklist for your 50s covers them.
What changes in your 60s
| Priority | Who it applies to | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Aortic aneurysm ultrasound | Men 65 to 75 who have ever smoked | A one-time scan finds a silent, dangerous bulge |
| Fall prevention | Men 65 and older at increased risk | Exercise lowers fall risk |
| Bone health | Men with risk factors | Fractures in men are under-recognized |
| Hearing | Anyone noticing change | Hearing loss is gradual and easy to miss |
| PSA | Decision changes at 70 | National guidance shifts against routine screening |
| TRT monitoring | Men on testosterone therapy | Side effects become more likely with age |
Your 60s checklist, step by step
Step 1: The one-time aortic aneurysm ultrasound
An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a bulge in the body’s main artery. It usually causes no symptoms until it leaks or ruptures, which is often fatal. The USPSTF recommends a one-time ultrasound for men aged 65 to 75 who have ever smoked, and it defines an ever smoker as someone who has smoked 100 or more cigarettes. For men in that age range who never smoked, it suggests offering the scan selectively, based on family history and other risks.
The test is quick and painless: a gel and a probe on your belly. Ask your primary care doctor to order it the year you turn 65 if you qualify.
Step 2: Protect your bones and your balance
Falls are one of the most common ways older men lose independence, and a broken hip in a man is often more serious than many realize. The USPSTF gives a B grade to exercise programs that prevent falls in adults 65 and older at increased risk. That means strength, balance and gait training, not just walking.
Bone density screening in men is less settled. The USPSTF’s 2025 osteoporosis statement found the evidence insufficient to weigh the benefits and harms of screening men, and says it is not a recommendation against it; clinicians and patients should decide together. A bone scan makes more sense if you have had a fracture from a minor fall, have used steroid medicines long term, drink heavily, smoke or have low testosterone. Our page on low bone density in men covers those risks, and our page on the vitamin D blood test explains one piece of the picture.
Step 3: Check your hearing
Hearing loss creeps in so slowly that family members often notice before you do. Signs include turning the TV up, asking people to repeat themselves or avoiding noisy restaurants. Untreated hearing loss makes conversation tiring and can leave men more isolated. It can also be mistaken for poor memory or low mood, by you and by the people around you, so ruling it out is a useful step before blaming age or hormones for feeling disconnected.
A basic hearing test is simple, and hearing aids are now available over the counter for mild to moderate loss. Ask your primary care doctor for a referral to an audiologist if you notice the signs.
Step 4: Revisit the PSA decision
Prostate screening choices change in this decade. The USPSTF treats screening from 55 to 69 as an individual decision and recommends against routine PSA screening from 70 onward. If you are screening, use your 60s to decide with your clinician when to stop. Men on testosterone therapy are a separate case, because PSA is part of their treatment monitoring.
Step 5: Understand how TRT monitoring changes with age
Men can start testosterone therapy in their 60s, but the evaluation and the follow-up are more careful. Our page on starting TRT after 65 covers who is a candidate, and our summary of the Testosterone Trials in men over 65 explains what the research found.
On treatment, three things get closer attention:
- Hematocrit. Testosterone raises red blood cell production, and older men are more prone to a high count. The Endocrine Society guideline calls for checking hematocrit at baseline, at 3 to 6 months and then yearly, and stopping therapy if it rises above 54% until it comes back down. Our page on the hematocrit blood test explains the number.
- PSA. The same guideline asks for PSA monitoring in men who have chosen prostate cancer monitoring, with a check in the first year of treatment. A rising PSA needs prompt review, as our page on a rising PSA on TRT describes.
- Blood pressure. The FDA’s 2025 class-wide labeling changes added blood pressure warnings to testosterone products, so regular readings, at the clinic and at home, are part of safe treatment.
The guideline also aims for a level in the mid-normal range rather than the high end. For older men, that conservative target lowers the chance of side effects while still treating symptoms. Our page on how often blood work is needed on TRT lays out a typical schedule.
A one-page checklist for your 60s
- Aortic aneurysm ultrasound, once, if 65 to 75 and ever smoked
- Strength and balance training at least weekly, more if you can
- Bone scan discussed if you have risk factors or a past fracture
- Hearing checked if others have noticed changes
- PSA plan agreed, including when to stop
- Colon screening up to date through 75
- Blood pressure, lipids, A1c, kidney and liver markers yearly
- On TRT: hematocrit, PSA and blood pressure on schedule
When to call the clinic, when to call 911
Book a visit if you notice:
- a fall, or a near-fall, especially if you cannot tell why it happened
- new dizziness when standing, or unsteadiness on stairs
- on TRT: headaches, flushing, new snoring or swelling in the ankles
- changes in urination, such as a weak stream or waking often at night
Call 911 for:
- sudden, severe pain in the belly or back, especially with dizziness or fainting, which can signal a leaking aneurysm
- chest pain, sudden breathlessness, or sudden weakness or numbness on one side
- a fall with a head injury, especially if you take a blood thinner
- pain, swelling and warmth in one leg, or sudden shortness of breath, which can signal a blood clot
How Ultimate Male supports men in their 60s
For men in their 60s, our San Gabriel and Downey clinics focus on two things: thorough yearly labs and careful hormone care. Labs are drawn on site with results in 24 to 48 hours, and a PA-C or MD reviews them with you. If you are on testosterone, monitoring is built into follow-up visits rather than left to chance. The aortic ultrasound, bone scans and hearing tests are arranged through your primary care doctor, and we share our results with them.
Our page for men over 60 covers treatment considerations in more depth. If symptoms suggest low testosterone, the evaluation starts with labs and a consultation, with no assumption about testosterone therapy. Every panel is listed under preventative blood testing.
