Chiropractic Care Seeks to Soothe The Elderly in Seal Beach
Could chiropractic care be especially helpful for the elderly?
Geriatric care has achieved a leading position in the healthcare system across the modern world. An article offered evidence regarding the existing literature on geriatric chiropractic care, with an end goal of putting together enough understanding to promote such holistic methods as truly revolutionary for geriatric relief.
Due to the aging of the baby boomer generation, finding the best services to serve the elderly population will become more of a concern. Conducting further studies on the efficacy of geriatric chiropractic care could provide yet another outlet for the continued quality of life for the elderly.
Using a qualitative review of existing literature that included the key words chiropractic, chiropractors, manipulation, geriatric, and elderly, 57 articles were located. They were then separated into categories including chiropractic geriatric education, demographic/epidemiological studies, and case studies, among others. The greatest articles involving chiropractic geriatric education looked at processes that included a "Model Curriculum" being developed for chiropractic educators. Studies involving demographics found that the population is experiencing higher amounts of older people across the demographic spectrum. Likewise, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use has risen drastically over the last 20 years, particularly among people older than 50. The most frequently used CAM treatment was chiropractic; fortunately, the world of medicine has grown interested in CAMs.
One study found that the normal elderly chiropractic patient was a woman, white, married, and retired. Most of them complained of chronic back pain of varying severity levels. Along with spinal manipulative therapy (SMT), the existing literature realized chiropractors also offer legitimate nutrition advice, beneficial exercises, relaxation techniques, and numerous other beneficial physical therapies. Former studies indicate that older patients administered chiropractic care weren’t as likely to be hospitalized; they were also less likely to use a nursing facility or prescription medications. On the other side of the spectrum, they were more likely to indicate better health, more exercise routines, and more mobility within their communities. They also placed great belief in the efficacy of chiropractic maintenance.
In conclusion, this study found that chiropractic care understands the value in geriatric education. With numerous articles realizing that the amount of chiropractic services administered to older patients is growing, and still others noting that different conditions can be resolved through chiropractic care, it’s no wonder these results provide even further encouragement. That being said, continued research can help develop an evidence-based approach to chiropractic geriatric care even further.