The gift they wouldnever buy themselves.

In three steps. You choose the program that suits your parents and buy it online. You then receive a personalised YEARS gift card by email as a PDF, which you can print or forward directly. The card carries a QR code your parents use to book their own appointment, whenever suits them. So you set neither the date nor the time, and you learn nothing about the findings. Medical results go exclusively to the person examined. That is medical confidentiality, and it applies even though you paid.

Then they should not do it, and the gift card obliges them to nothing. Because the appointment is booked by them, the gift is an offer rather than a commitment. In our experience the resistance is usually not to the examination itself but to the feeling of being turned into a patient. It helps to keep the occasion small and to argue from interest rather than worry. A sentence like “I would like us to know where you stand” carries further than a list of possible diagnoses. If your parents decline, the card is flexible in timing and does not expire immediately.

The weighting shifts. Cardiovascular risk remains the leading cause of death, but three topics become considerably more important. First mobility: muscle mass, grip strength, gait, balance and bone density determine independence, and falls are a leading cause of permanent loss of autonomy in this age group. Second cognition, where treatable factors such as hearing loss, impaired vision, sleep apnoea and vitamin B12 deficiency often matter more than any biomarker. Third medication: anyone taking five or more preparations benefits from a structured review of interactions and necessity. These three areas are rarely examined systematically in routine practice.

It can have downsides, and we say so plainly. With increasing age, imaging finds more incidental findings, meaning abnormalities without disease relevance. Each one can trigger further investigation, waiting time and worry without changing anything in the end. The benefit of early detection also depends on the remaining time horizon: a finding that would take effect in fifteen years is judged differently in an 82-year-old than in a 62-year-old. That is why a physician helps decide in the pre-assessment what scope makes sense, rather than measuring everything possible. With advanced age or serious pre-existing conditions we occasionally recommend a smaller program.

For most, Core from 1,900 euros is the right entry point: more than 87 laboratory values, ECG, cardiac and organ ultrasound, lung function, cardiopulmonary exercise testing and functional tests, all in one day with a detailed physician review. Evolve from 7,600 euros adds whole-body MRI and liquid biopsy and makes sense when cancer screening is the priority or there is a family history. Ultimate from 16,900 euros additionally covers genetics, epigenetics and microbiome. If you are unsure, take the free intro call: we clarify what makes sense in the specific situation without sales pressure, and we will say so if a smaller program fits better.

The diagnostic day takes six to nine hours depending on the program, but it is structured around rest periods, with private rooms, breakfast and lunch. The physically most demanding examination is cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a bike or treadmill. It is adapted individually and omitted or replaced where contraindications exist. The clinic is at Joachimsthaler Straße 34 in Berlin-Charlottenburg, a few minutes from Bahnhof Zoo, and is accessible. Companions are welcome and can wait or join the results discussion if the person examined wishes.

For those with statutory insurance, generally not, because these are private medical services without a specific suspicion of disease. Privately insured patients receive an invoice under the German GOÄ fee schedule, which depending on the tariff may be partially or largely reimbursed, and many tariffs include an annual preventive care budget. Those entitled to civil-service assistance should check their entitlement in advance. Important for you as the giver: any reimbursement runs through the insured person, not through you. If reimbursement matters, it is worth clarifying before purchase, because it sometimes changes the sensible order of steps.

The card is flexible in timing, so there is no pressure to find an appointment at short notice. That matters particularly with older people, because an acute illness, an operation or travel can shift the planning. Appointments can be rescheduled free of charge. If a program cannot be carried out for medical reasons, for instance because an MRI is not possible due to an implant, we clarify alternatives in advance rather than cancelling on the day. Raise it in the intro call and we will check before you buy.