How Chiropractic Positively Impacts Elder Health

Although chiropractic has been around for hundreds of years, many older adults aren’t as familiar with the science behind it and don’t have much experience with its benefits. But as the largest generation in history makes its way into senior citizen status, they are quickly learning that traditional medicine may not be all it’s cracked up to be, and they are beginning to explore and embrace new-to-them approaches to proactive healthcare. 

While chiropractic is certainly more effective when individuals are under regular care for long periods of time, older adults can still experience drastic improvements in health and wellness. With a neurologically-based chiropractor like Dr. Cary Gentry in Bozeman, MT, seniors will see firsthand the countless benefits of chiropractic and how it can positively impact many areas of their overall well-being.

Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Whether an older adult has signs of dementia or not, it is incredibly difficult to predict that this disease will become a part of someone’s golden years. The best approach to avoiding it is trying to prevent it by staying as healthy as possible in the meantime. Alzheimer’s has been referred to as “diabetes of the brain,” so anything that improves brain function and encourages healthy eating is sure to positively impact the life of someone concerned about Alzheimer’s. Even if a loved one has already received a diagnosis of this kind, chiropractic can still help slow down the progression of the disease and minimize symptoms to improve their lives and the lives of their loved ones. 

Balance and Fall Risk

Balance is a common concern in older individuals, and many of them live with a very real fear of falling. Since serious injuries are linked to falls in seniors, improving balance and minimizing fall risk is hugely important to this population. Because chiropractic care helps to balance the muscles on either side of the spine and improve muscle tone, it naturally helps in both of these areas. Many older adults saw better gait, less leg and back pain when standing, and restored balance after being under consistent chiropractic care. 

Immune Health

Especially during this day and age, immune health is huge on the priority list of seniors. While vitamins and supplements and healthy eating all play a large role in bettering immune function, chiropractic can also help in a big way. When the spine is properly aligned, the entire body will be firing on all cylinders, with each and every system working as efficiently as possible. This impacts immune health and helps the body not only minimize the severity and frequency of sicknesses, but it can also help fight off illness right from the start, helping seniors avoiding getting sick in the first place. 

Quality of Life

With all of these health-related benefits of chiropractic care for seniors, it should come as no surprise that their overall quality of life will be drastically improved because of chiropractic care. When things are working more optimally and overall pain is reduced, people of all ages feel better, are happier, and enjoy the simple things in life much more. 

If you are approaching or in the midst of your golden years, or if you have a loved one who falls into this category, get in touch with Bozeman chiropractor Dr. Cary Gentry. He and his team at Waypoint Chiropractic can educate you on all the benefits of chiropractic care for elder health, and they can schedule your first consultation today. 

Dougherty, P.E., Hawk, C., Weiner, D.K., Gleberzon, B., Andrew, K., Killinger, L. “The role of chiropractic care in older adults.” Chiropractic and Manual Therapies. 2012; 20: 3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3306193/. 

Hawk, C., Schneider, M.J., Haas, M., Katz, P., Dougherty, P., Gleberzon, B., Killinger, L.Z., Weeks, J. “Best Practices for Chiropractic Care for Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Consensus Update.” J Manipulative Physiological Therapies, 2017 May; 40(4): 217-229. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28302309.