Success with Chiropractic for Geriatric Patients

As we all age, our ligaments, muscles, spinal discs, facet joints, and other spinal tissues become more fibrotic, weaker, and degenerate; not able to withstand common stresses on the body. It is vital as chiropractic providers to take extra care with our elderly patients’ spines, joints, and ligaments as this will cause additional stress on the body. Chiropractic care can be an important treatment for seniors. Unlike out younger patients, the smallest of incidents can cause injuries, and the time to heal from them is also longer. Additionally, elderly patients are more likely to sustain an injury from a fall. In fact, one out of four elderly people have fallen each year at minimum. There are some patients out there that may think that it is not safe for the elderly patients to have chiropractic treatment due to some of the forceful manipulation techniques that are used. However, we know as chiropractic providers that the techniques utilized for our older patients is not the same, and we need to educate our patients on that. No single patient is the same.

Aging Challenges

The aging process can be unkind on the body, and with that comes more challenges for the older generation of patients that we see. While the basics of our job remain the same for each patient, the way in which we treat, and methods used are dependent on the age and health of the patient.

Challenges Older Patients Face:

Health conditions – while geriatric patients may be in decent health, the truth of the matter is that as we age, the higher likelihood that health conditions begin to flare up. These health conditions are also challenging because it may not only be physical challenges but also mental ones like depression or dementia. This means it is of the utmost importance to be clear with our elderly patients about what the treatment is and what they can expect from it as far as results.
Financial – older people may struggle financially, so it is important to be understanding of this and offer options for them to choose from that best suits their financial needs.
Isolation – due to aging, many of these patients may be facing challenges with depression and isolation with the loss of friends and family or potentially hearing or vision loss.
Physical Challenges – along with specific conditions, as we age more issues can arise on a daily basis. This can include muscle changes, skin changes, bone changes, weight changes, vision and hearing changes, and digestive changes. All of these issues can go hand in hand with spinal health, and are important to keep in mind when cultivating a treatment plan for an elderly patient.

With elderly patients, it is important to meet them where they are, and offer reassurance that they are in the right place when it comes to treatment.

Benefits of Chiropractic for Elderly Patients

Communication with elderly patients can sometimes be difficult especially if they are trying to do it for the first time. To make it easier on ourselves and them, we should make it clear how chiropractic could make a difference for them.

How Chiropractic Can Help Older Patients:

Drug Free – chiropractic is an all-natural method of treatment that helps patients to avoid the side effects of drugs. Many older patients may be on a multitude of medications, and they may not react well to them and chiropractic could be that answer for this.
Pain Management – joint pain is a big issue in the elderly population, and chiropractic can ease the ache, and help to cope with conditions like arthritis. Chiropractic can decrease joint pain as well as slow down degenerating joints.
Improved Range of Motion – chiropractic adjustments allow for the body to become more flexible allowing for enhanced mobility with everyday tasks that may be currently difficult for older patients.
Decrease Risk of Falling – the fear of falling becomes prominent as we age since our muscles and joints become weaker which contributes to the lack of balance. Along with that, as an older person, a fall is not just a fall at an advanced age, it can mean broken bones, inability to be independent, or hospital stays. Chiropractic increases flexibility and mobility so that elderly patients can feel stable on their feet. Additionally, chiropractic improves posture therefore improving balance which will ultimately help reduce fall rates.

Staying healthy as we age becomes a much bigger chore as our muscles and joints have suffered a lot of wear and tear damage by the time we reach that stage. Not to mention that older patients have decreased muscle mass leading to tendons and ligaments becoming stiff. In most cases, these joint and muscle pains that the elderly patients deal with are a result of a misaligned spine. This will put pressure on the nerves, tendons, muscles, and ligaments, and with a chiropractic adjustment of the spine it will ease the tension on the nerves and tissue allowing for a decrease in pain.

Many elderly patients may feel that it is too late in life for them to get help with any health issues that may arise or that chiropractic treatment may be harmful rather than helpful to their bodies. Chiropractic treatment on older patients should be customized and gentle addressing their unique health needs.

Misconceptions vs. Reality of Chiropractic Treatment:

Misconception – chiropractic will interfere with medication
- Reality – chiropractic providers will work with other healthcare providers.
Misconception – chiropractic is just a dietary health supplement
- Reality – chiropractic is a widely known and recognized healthcare profession.
Misconception – chiropractic care not safe for the elderly
- Reality – chiropractic treatment is individualized for the needs and health conditions of each elderly patient.
Misconception – chiropractic is not covered by insurance.
- Reality – most insurance plans cover

Additionally, chiropractic treatment can be an important part of a comprehensive treatment plan for older patients working with other healthcare providers. Chiropractic offers targeted treatment plans to boost the overall well-being of patients. The way chiropractic treatment inherently addresses issues of the spine and central nervous system, chiropractic is able to seamlessly integrate itself into a collaborative approach that considers health from all aspects alongside other healthcare professionals.

Another vital part of chiropractic care for seniors is being able to provide both in and out of office care for them. This will include nutrition and at-home exercise advice that will allow older adults to maintain active lifestyles that they gain from chiropractic care.

At-Home Exercises:

Balance Exercises – these are done to decrease falls and improve coordination, and an example of this would be simply standing on one foot.
Range of Motion – these are done to maintain or increase flexibility in the joints, and an example of this would be arm circles.
Strengthening – these are done to support stability in the joints, and an example of this would be leg lifts.

A collaborative approach is also helpful between us as providers and our elderly patients. We should help our patients establish realistic healthcare goals, and incorporate strength training and nutrition into their routines as well.

Chiropractor Goals for Older Adults:

Decrease dependence on pain medications
Improve social participation and engagement
Boost daily independence and activity
Maintain mental well-being
Increase sleep duration and quality

Most importantly, we should encourage our patients to maintain regular chiropractic visits to help maintain that more active lifestyle.

Geriatric Chiropractor Requirements

You may be wondering how you can obtain a specialty in geriatric chiropractic, and to do this, you will obviously need to first complete your standard chiropractic degree. After this, you will need to get additional training targeted at geriatric care including areas of understanding such as using gentle techniques, understanding elderly needs, and obtaining specialized certifications to practice effectively with this group.

Become a Geriatric Chiropractor:

Get your DC degree form an accredited college, and then pursue geriatric-focused continuing education. Focus on topics such as osteoporosis management, functional limitations in elderly patients, age-related spinal changes, and gentle chiropractic techniques when looking for continuing education classes.
Get clinical experience in a geriatric setting – this can mean interning or volunteering at a senior center or nursing home while working under the supervision of an experienced geriatric chiropractor.
Obtain specialized certifications – this will include certifications like Certified Geriatric Chiropractor (CGC), or something of the like that are offered by chiropractic associations in your area.

It is vital when working with the elderly population that as chiropractic providers we are sure to provide gentle care, full patient assessments, communicate clearly and express empathy, and work collaboratively with other healthcare providers.

Addressing Mistrust in Chiropractic for Elderly

Do not be discouraged when there is doubt in what we can offer our elderly patients. Any distrust in the chiropractic profession for senior citizens most often comes from misunderstandings on chiropractic treatment effectiveness and safety. By continuing to educate ourselves to the ever-growing aging population and their treatment, we will be able to provide the best chiropractic care possible for our seniors. Increasing our knowledge and expertise in addressing the specific needs of elderly patients will ultimately allow us to help more people and provide better evidence to the benefits of chiropractic for older adults. Whether it is getting specialized training for geriatric patients or staying up to date on the best practices for chiropractic with older adults like in this systematic review from 2017, it is important that we keep up our knowledge and openness for the elderly community to provide them with the best care possible.