Well Aging & Senior Care

How do you support people as they age at Collective Health Center?

One aspect of my practice that I have found extreme fulfillment and joy in is working with senior patients. Whether they are suffering from dementia, Alzheimer’s, pain conditions, or simply just wanting acupuncture for general wellness, well-aging is something I strive for with my elderly patients and plan to make a bigger part of my practice in the future. As the age expectancy is steadily dropping, it is our job as healthcare providers to do everything we can to help make our patients’ lives as healthy as possible. Personally, I want to help keep the youth and excitement I see in my elderly patients’ eyes sparkling for as long as possible!

As a holistic naturopathic doctor, I always look into health history and environmental history with every single patient. With senior patients, there are many years to look back at and it is amazing to see how they have progressed over those years. Unfortunately, the conventional approach too often is to prescribe a new pharmaceutical medication for each symptom. The median number of medications that an elder patient in the US over 65 years of age takes is 4! However, all too often patients are taking this many or more pharmaceutical medications and still not feeling well, as these medications are often just managing their symptoms, rather than addressing the root cause(s). For example, I see so many of my elderly patients who are dealing with declines in their stomach acid/gut health who are put on medications that actually block their bodies from receiving vital nutrients such as calcium and Vitamin B. My approach is to work with patients to develop a wellness plan that uses safe and non-toxic lifestyle and natural supplements to help patients regain their health, and as the biometrics improve, working with their conventional providers to potentially reduce the number of medications (as is allowed with their health conditions).

There are so many different ways that we age throughout our lives. From the basics of literally growing into our bodies to more complex cases such as dementia and brain atrophy. However, aging itself is a natural process, and natural medicine offers so much to support people as they age. It all starts with how we are aging – are we eating properly, are we exercising regularly, and are we in an environment that is supportive or toxic to our body, mind and spirit? When being introduced to my patients, regardless of age, these are the types of questions I will ask them to find out a baseline of how and where their health concerns are stemming from so we can work together to create a game plan that helps their whole body in a way that is feasible for them and their specific lifestyle.

So whether you are looking for senior care and well-aging for yourself or a loved one, please consider a naturopathic approach! My goals are to help you feel better with age as well as educate you on how to do so rather than simply prescribing medication to help manage the pains or symptoms. Please contact me or schedule an initial visit with me to get started on your well-aging journey and learn how to live your healthiest life in the most natural way!