By Majid Saedifar, DPT
It’s no secret: as we enter our “golden years,” we have a higher likelihood of encountering diseases such as osteoporosis, arthritis, and Alzheimer’s Disease. However, sources as wide ranging as the New England Journal of Medicine, the National Institute for Health, the US Centers for Disease Control, and the British Medical Journal all agree that the activity and mobility levels of seniors are negatively correlated with a variety of advanced-age diseases. Or, in layman’s terms, the more active a senior is, the greater the likelihood of their being able to avoid these disorders—or when they occur, to minimize their symptoms.
For this reason, geriatric physical therapy is an excellent tool to maximize the health and happiness of today’s seniors.
At Medstar Physical Therapy, our approach to treating our geriatric patients consists of three core elements. First, we may use manual therapy in order to restore a patient’s range of motion and in order to reduce chronic pain. Second, we focus on exercise programs—whether administered here in the offices or as part of a home program—to maximize the flexibility and mobility so critical to today’s seniors. Third, we work hard in the area of education, which helps our seniors to conserve energy and protect themselves from future strain and injury while performing daily living tasks.
Studies show that active seniors show significantly reduced rates of dementia, chronic pain, and experience fewer falls that might necessitate costly joint replacements. More importantly, they self-identify as being happier and more positive than seniors who live a sedentary lifestyle!
Consider this: if you or someone you know isn’t exercising or moving around as much as they should because of pain or stiffness, reducing activity is only going to make the problem increasingly worse! Our trained physical therapists have the experience necessary to help seniors recapture their golden years and live life to the fullest. Even if you or a loved one haven’t exercised in years, that’s not a problem: an active lifestyle can be built one step at a time.
If you’re interested in hearing more about what geriatric physical therapy can do for you or someone you know, contact us at (818) 244-0009 to talk with a representative. The road to happier and healthier senior living could be only a phone call away!