Osteopathy at times seems to be the kind of healthcare that benefits mostly athletes and those with chronic back pain. At least this is the impression given to many a patient. Fortunately, this is not true and instead there are great segments of the population that actually benefit from this kind of medicine. Senior citizens are but one of the groups that have found a lot of relief with the help of osteopathic specialists and even as there are only very few doctors of osteopathy (D.O.s) that further specialize in geriatric care, even mainstream practitioners of osteopathic healthcare have a lot to offer to the senior set.

Since osteopaths are taking the whole bodies approach to patient care and do not simply consider symptom evaluation something to which to aspire, they may potentially become very involved in a senior’s golden years. In some cases the osteopath and the office staff visit become the highlight of a senior’s week, and as odd as this may sound, the fact that somebody is taking a unique interest in the wellbeing of the senior is as much relief as the treatment itself. Family members welcome this kind of medical approach since it fulfills a viable need in their senior family member’s life, and sometimes will also accompany her or him to the osteopath in the hopes of furthering the preventive healthcare the patient receives.

One of the first things a D.O. will seek to accomplish when dealing with a senior citizen is the recognition of the still functioning range of motion. Sometimes reduced by arthritis, while other times simply a matter of falling into disuse the range of motion as enabled by the workings of the joints and ligaments is a very serious point of interest. The D.O. may also ask the senior patient to perform such simple tasks as opening and closing a door, a jar, and turning a knob on a faucet. While working on increasing reduced range of motion, the osteopath will most likely also suggest concurrent adaptations that may be made to the home, so that the senior will not have a hard time living alone or functioning within a household.

Walking a fine line between healing, maintaining, and adapting for advanced age, the osteopath welcomes the assistance of the patient’s family with respect to the modifications they are willing to attempt and those which might be too costly for effective integration into the household. Other services an involved osteopath may provide are those which may address the social needs of the senior patient. The practitioner may have contacts for senior mobility exercise programs that also foster a sense of community.

In some cases the osteopath may work together with a social worker or community volunteer organization to help the senior eat more nutritious meals. This may also provide for some much needed social interaction for the senior who might be living alone and is far removed from family members. As you can see, osteopathy fulfills a variety of needs in the lives of senior citizens and it is not at all surprising that more and more seniors are flocking into the offices of osteopaths in search of health care.

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