This is Part 3 of a series entitled, “Dangerous Thoughts About Your Health.” Every year, I see a good deal of elderly Medicare-aged patients start chiropractic care…and some of these for the very first time. The shame is that many of them have developed conditions that are quite advanced. None-the-less, some of our best testimonials come from this group of patients. Often, one of these fine patients will admit, “Doc, I thought for years that chiropractic couldn’t possibly help me.” They go on to explain their past reservations and negative reinforcement they received from well-meaning family members or even their medical practitioner. They finish by relating the regret they have for missing out on much of their life over many years because of this misconception.
Safety first: Chiropractic care for the elderly, as well as all patient populations, has a tremendous record of safety. This is reflected in the very low rates of malpractice insurance as well as multiple studies that look at different safety factors. The reason is quite simply this: chiropractic care is geared to restoring something that has been lost–a normal connection (optimal nerve flow) and optimal balance within the body. This is both what your body needs and wants.
For the elderly, the patient and I will set goals. Often these are reasonable to me based on past experience, yet often far exceeds the patient’s expectations. The five most common goals are: 1) resume activities relating to keeping up the residence (housecleaning, garden, etc), 2) driving a longer distance without “paying for it” later, 3) resume walking or other exercise such as golf, 4) play (harder) with the grand kids, and 5) better sleep quality. Do any of these ring a bell for you?
The bottom line is that YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER HOW FAST YOUR BODY AGES. And chiropractic care will help you to optimize that ability.