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Even Old Surfers Need Chiropractic Care! Adjusting the “Boomers”

Even Old Surfers Need Chiropractic Care! Adjusting the “Boomers”. Lisa Z. Killinger, DC Palmer College of Chiropractic. The Facts. * 33% of chiropractic patients are 50+ (Job Analysis of Chiro; 2000) 16-17% of chiro. patients are 65+ (Goertz, 1996, Hawk, 2000)

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Even Old Surfers Need Chiropractic Care! Adjusting the “Boomers”

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  1. Even Old Surfers Need Chiropractic Care! Adjusting the “Boomers” Lisa Z. Killinger, DC Palmer College of Chiropractic

  2. The Facts... • * 33% of chiropractic patients are 50+ (Job Analysis of Chiro; 2000) • 16-17% of chiro. patients are 65+ (Goertz, 1996, Hawk, 2000) • 6.5% of people aged 65+ used chiropractic in 1994 (Paramore, 1994)

  3. The “Boomers” are Coming! • Centenarians now around 100,000, in 2050 will = over 1 million. • Now, 6,000 people/day turn 65 • By the year 2010, over 10,000 people/day will turn 65 !! (Alliance for Aging Research, 2002)

  4. They Really Are! • By 2020 there will be 50 million older Americans • By 2030 there will be 70 million!! • ***The US has a HUGE shortage of health professionals trained in geriatric care; Chiropractors can help fill that gap!

  5. The trends…as hippies turn 60 • The ‘turned on’ generation’s use of complementary/alternative care (including chiropractic) is rapidly increasing. (Eisenberg) • Collaboration between health care providers is increasing (“ID” care) • Health care teams are including more ‘non-traditional’ providers, like chiropractors (Integrative care)

  6. Our Roles as Chiropractors... • Healers: Helpfacilitate the body’s natural healing process • Teachers: Educate our patients to participate in & achieve optimal health • Professionals: Utilize our professional ethic & abilities for the good of the patient

  7. Goals of an Aging ‘Boomer’ • To remain independent !!! • To remain active (Do what we like) • To have less pain • To take fewer meds • To stay tuned in, turned on, and as far out as possible!

  8. Goals of the Chiropractor: Condition Based Care • To  or eliminate pain and compress morbidity • To  patients’ reliance on medications Health Care • To  patient health and • To  patient’s controlover health (HPP) Wellness/Development Care • To educate/empower patient to achieve optimal wellness over the life span (HPP)

  9. “Health” Care (Re)-Defined: • Health is a state of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being and not merely the absence of disease. After all… these are the children of the 60’s!

  10. Encourage the “boomers” (and all patients) to make real “health”their goal. ☺ ☺ ☺ ☺Chiropractic care can help aging persons (all of us!)achieve that goal.(Health Promotion & Prevention is key!)

  11. “Normal” Aging* (It impacts how we adjust the Boomers !) • * muscle mass • * bone density • * ligament/tendon elasticity • * capillary/skin/bone fragility • * vascular plaque/atherosclerosis (Souza, Soliman; Normal Aging.TICC; 1996)

  12. “And above all, do no harm”Common chiropractic malpractice claims (older pts) • Failure to diagnose • Rib fracture (post-menopause females) • Hip fracture/dislocation/injury • Rotator cuff/shoulder injuries • Falls off of tables • Burns from ice/heat/modalities (NCMIC)

  13. Ger. Care Considerations: • Orthostatic hypotension (often caused by medications or atherosclerosis) • Adjust with  muscle mass/bone density, lig. elasticity in mind • Consider pathology odds • Evaluate pt’s overall clinical picture • *Then, develop your care plan accordingly!

  14. Caring for Frail Patients: • Lighter palpation and adjustment • Choose your fulcrums wisely... • Use rotatory adjustments sparingly/cautiously • Handle ribs and hips with care • Avoid “re-thrusting” • Caution with heat/ice/modalities!

  15. Caring For “Boomers” Responsibly…. • Take x-rays !! Use caution with the osteoporotic or osteophytic spines • Alter your technique choices in pts. w/ heavily plaqued vessels. • Use lower-force techniques, or modify techniques appropriately (demos later)

  16. Even More Specifically... • Emphasize mobilization • Decrease thrust magnitude • Broaden contact points • Protect patient from falls in your office! (Cooperstein/Killinger; Book chapter on technique in “Chiropractic Care of the Older Patient”; )

  17. Sound clinical judgement should prevent: • Post-adjustment stroke (very rare!) • Post-adjustment discomfort (Pt & Dr) • Rib or other fractures (easily preventable) • Soft tissue strains, pains, and bruising (common, preventable)

  18. Summary of General Thoughts... • Many technique and management options for chiro. ger. care • We should design a care plan only after considering the entire clinical picture • We need to listen to, look at, and then touch our patients • Your patient’s aging spine is changing; ‘adjust’ your care strategies too!

  19. Demonstration:☺☺☺Chiropractic Techniques With Aging in Mind….

  20. Is geriatric practice worthwhile? YES!!!!

  21. Most Older Patients: • Have more disposable income than any in other times of their lives • Are willing to pay out of pocket for healthcare • Are a great source of referrals • Are great at keeping appointments • Have the greatest need for care

  22. “Boomers” Are Great Resources and Need Some Resources Too! • Handouts available on ger resources • What do you offer your older pts? • What do your older patients have to offer? (To other pts, to you, and to the community)

  23. Some Advantages of Aging:Hey, This Is Not So Bad! • Boomers have more time, • Less responsibility, • More security, stability • Soon, Boomers will be the MAJORITY • (Man, how our society will change!)

  24. More advantages….We can swear like sailors and people just think we’re being cute!

  25. We can finally tell those stories of our ‘wild and wooly’ days (without people trying to punch us or chase us)!

  26. We are more motivated to to develop a relationship with a Higher Power. (Given the content of some of our ‘stories’, we had better start praying!)

  27. “If you’re gonna get old, you gotta dig it!” Fred Van Dyke; Surfer, Age 70k • And….

  28. Peace!!!

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