Seniors are working with naturopathic doctors to supplement the care they receive from their family physician.
Katherine Masters, a naturopathic doctor at Livstil Wellness in 91原创, said many seniors enjoy visiting her at the clinic because patients feel they aren鈥檛 rushed.
鈥淥ne benefit [of naturopathic medicine] is that they get more time with a doctor,鈥� she said. 鈥淪o, they get to sit down and go through their whole health history, which I think often they really appreciate鈥� seniors don鈥檛 really like to be rushed.鈥�
When a patient first visits with Masters they undergo a complete check-up.
鈥淪ometimes seniors even just come in because they want to know what supplements to take鈥� but then I think they don鈥檛 realize that they鈥檙e going to get a full physical, and a good checkup, and then information given back to them based on that 鈥� based on what they could be improving in their lifestyle, diet,鈥� she explained.
Common concerns Masters hears from seniors are about bone and brain health.
鈥淭he treatments are more focused at bringing a balance back to the body and getting the body to do what it needs to do on its own,鈥� she explained.
If a naturopathic doctor learns a patient has a significant concern that needs to be addressed, Masters said they will refer them to the emergency room to be seen by a medical doctor and undergo such things as imaging if need be. She noted naturopathic doctors often work with a patient鈥檚 family doctor, as well.
鈥淸Seniors] might come in for a wellness check, but during the exam we find out that they鈥檝e got a urinary tract infection, or there鈥檚 something that needs to be looked at, so sometimes that鈥檚 the direction of the appointment 鈥� it鈥檚 not very common that someone comes in and there isn鈥檛 anything there that needs to be worked on,鈥� she said.
And naturopathic medicine is not new to seniors.
鈥淎 lot of seniors, I think, already know the benefits of natural things, because they often use them when they were younger, their parents use them on them when they were younger, and they鈥檇 rather try to have an alternative way of looking at something that鈥檚 going on, outside of being given a prescriptive medication,鈥� Masters noted.
Similarly, naturopathic doctor Mihaela Chirhei, who works at A New Leaf Naturopathic Clinic in 91原创, said she has noticed an increased trend in seniors seeking out naturopathic medicine.
鈥淚 think the population that we see also kind of have an interest in naturopathic medicine and looking at ways to improve their health, not just be managed with pharmaceuticals,鈥� she said.
鈥淪o they鈥檙e looking beyond just they鈥檙e wanting to optimize things鈥� we spend a lot of time kind of focusing on foundations of health as well, and lifestyle.鈥�
A common concern Chirhei addresses with seniors patients is surrounding digestion.
鈥淚 find that it seems to be helpful, as a first step, to add some sort of digestive enzyme, or something like that, to help individuals break down their food better, make sure that they鈥檙e absorbing their nutrients,鈥� she explained.
鈥淎nd then we can consider adding a probiotic鈥� what tends to happen is as we age, stomach acid levels decline.鈥�
Other issues include arthritis and hearth health.
Every patient is different.
鈥淥ur clinic, our initial visits are 45 minutes, and then my follow up visits with patients are 30 minutes,鈥� Chirhei said. 鈥淪o there鈥檚 definitely a lot more time to talk about all of their (seniors) options.鈥�
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