According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are many benefits of staying active for older adults. Regular physical activity is associated with reduced risk of mortality, heart disease mortality, and certain types of cancer and diabetes. It also reduces the risk of falls, and improves mental health. It pays off to move like it matters, and move with care!
What does it mean to stay active?
Staying active can mean different things. This is based on personal factors including age, ability, and your personal health goals. If you’re not sure what level of exercise is right for you, consider visiting a chiropractor to get started. After all, chiropractors are highly-trained spine, muscle and joint experts.
Taking health into your own hands
Dr. Adele Tersigni is a chiropractor based in Guelph, Ontario. Her approach to care for older adults draws upon the many facets of her 4,500+ hours of hands-on chiropractic training and education. Additionally, she emphasizes it is up to the individual – no matter what their age – to take their health into their own hands to maximize the benefits of care.
“At the end of the day, my job is to help patients appreciate that they need to make their health a priority,” explains Dr. Tersigni. “When my patients receive chiropractic care along with intentional rehabilitation exercises, healthy and balanced diet, adequate sleep and stress management, they see better results in their health, mobility and pain reduction.”
Research has also found that patients with neck pain who stuck to their recommended treatment plan had better results at the end of treatment than those who did not.
What is patient-centered care?
“Everything I do is with the patient’s preferences at the forefront of my mind,” explains Dr. Tersigni. “This may involve what treatment they prefer such as manual care, adjustments, just acupuncture, or laser therapy, for example. Patient-centered care also involves patient communication preferences during, before and after our visits.” Chiropractic treatment plans are typically customized to each patient, and patient preference is a strong guiding factor in how that plan is developed. “Each visit and every patient are different. I think that’s the beauty of patient-centered care.”
How can older adults evaluate their treatment plan?
Dr. Tersigni explains that, “success can look different for every patient.” It depends on each patient’s goal. One patient’s goal may be to pick up their grandchild without low back pain. For another, it might be gardening for longer periods without hip discomfort. Someone else may want to take up tennis, or cook dinner without developing neck pain afterward.
Staying active and better mobility starts with you
To help get you started on a path to increased mobility and strength, Dr. Tersigni demonstrates three exercises you can try at home in the videos on this page.
“It’s so important to establish goals early in care,” says Dr. Tersigni. “When we understand what matters most to each patient, we can create meaningful benchmarks to work toward. This allows us to better recognize progress, even when the goal is maintaining function and continuing to do the things they love comfortably.”
Remember, if you’re not sure about which exercises are right for you, consider booking an appointment with a local chiropractor. In Ontario, you can visit a chiropractor without a referral from a family physician or other health care professional.
