Find Out How Your Chiropractor May Improve Your “Quality of Life”
Lifestyles can change, plans can gather momentum, and suddenly the calendar looks wide open instead of just a succession of days to be navigated.
“Quality of Life,” as a health term, is frequently batted about as people talk about age and its effect on day to day life. Sometimes relatives do a lot of shoulder shrugging and head nodding as an aging person’s quality of life is assessed. Other times a breakthrough occurs and real quality of life improvements take root and blossom.
Some people reach an age in their own heads where they define life differently. For some, it starts as early as 40. For others it begins in their 50’s or 60’s. But the thought process is the same. They seem to think and may even say, “Well now I am getting older and this can be expected.” They are often referring to aches, pains, a slower pace, a new tired feeling. And acceptance follows their thoughts in one form or another.
Shorter trips replace longer ones or even disappear. Wonderful hobbies or demanding careers are assessed and often changed. I know one woman, who began to show these signs as she turned 50, and drove her oldest child to her new dorm spot to help settle her in at college. Everything was great at first, but soon after she began to trim back the little theater productions that she had been so active in. Next she enrolled in a seniors’ jazz class. The list went on and on. Clearly she was adjusting her expectations and turning the flame down.
Another fellow in my community, who just turned 70, announced to friends recently that he had just started taking singing lessons! He had a broad smile as he moved about the room and talked to everyone there. Clearly he was continuing to turn his flame up.
Chiropractors see these contrasts every day
With that first visit they often do a spinal adjustment as they evaluate spinal health and treat individual areas of pain. They also talk with their patients about their lives, what they love to do, where they often go, and what day to day at their house or job looks like. A medical history is reviewed.
Then the chiropractor and the patient work together to keep as many options open as possible. Pain, mobility, and mental attitudes may all be part of the mix. Fishing, camping and hiking trips may be in the cards again for one retiree. Another lady may be the one beaming in the nursery as she picks out plants and heads home to her garden.
Whatever the situation, the chiropractor’s overall approach will be how to help achieve the best possible quality of life.