Senior Helpers In Home Elder Care of Richmond, Virginia, Shares The Basics of Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Seniors

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is a group of diverse medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine as practiced by medical doctors or doctors of osteopathy or by their allied health professionals, such as physical therapists, psychologists, and registered nurses.

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is gradually becoming more popular, according to the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). In their 2007 study, about 38% adults aged 18 and over revealed that they use some sort of CAM, which is up over 2% since their 2002 study.

What is CAM?

Most sources classify CAM practices into several broad categories, but they are not cast in stone. Some can be included in more than one category, such as acupuncture in mind-body medicine as well as in energy medicine. The National Cancer Institute's Office of Cancer Complementary and Alternative Medicine lists these broad categories and some examples of each:

• Alternative Medical Systems: Acupuncture, Ayurveda, homeopathy, naturopathy, traditional Chinese medicine; Tibetan medicine

• Energy Therapies: Qi gong, reiki, therapeutic touch• Exercise Therapies: T'ai chi, yoga• Manipulative & Body-based Methods: Chiropractic, therapeutic massage,

osteopathy, reflexology• Mind-body Interventions: Meditation, hypnosis, biofeedback, art and music

therapies, aromatherapy• Nutritional Therapies: Macrobiotic diet, vitamins, vegetarianism, antioxidants• Pharmacological and Biologic Treatments: Herbs and herbal extracts, melatonin• Spiritual Therapies: Intercessory prayer and spiritual healing

Why Use CAM?

An Ohio State University study indicated that 70% of older Americans turn to alternative medicines to treat their health problems, a rather surprising finding because there are fewer studies to support alternative medicines and treatments. Here are a few reasons why seniors turn to CAM options:

• Many seniors, because of the effects of the aging process (as well as diet, disease, and environment) on their physiology, become more susceptible to adverse effects from traditional medications.

• CAM treatments and therapies may provide a way for seniors on limited income and with little or no health insurance to avoid the higher costs of traditional medical treatment.

• Some seniors may not like visiting an impersonal doctor's office. Alternative options may offer a more personal touch for elderly care. One-on-one treatment can offer a psychological boost as well as a physical one.

Talk to Your Doctor

According to a survey conducted by AARP and NCCAM, despite the high use of CAM among people age 50 or older, 69% of those who use CAM do not talk to their doctors about it. This could be due to the limited time available during doctor office visits, or that patients are waiting for their doctor to broach the subject before discussing any CAM approaches they may be pursuing. Doctors may not inquire because they are not familiar with the types of CAM therapies and therefore are not comfortable or do not expect their patients to be pursuing these methods. And, doctors may be hesitant to recommend CAM because many CAM practitioners or providers make exaggerated claims about curing diseases. Some even ask users to forgo conventional treatment from doctors.

Lack of research about CAM can be reason enough for doctors to avoid the topic. Why this lack of evidence? Primarily because large controlled medical studies are costly and CAM therapies and treatments tend to be underfunded.

Regardless of the reason, discussing all avenues of treatment with your doctor is crucial to overall wellbeing. Don't wait for them to bring it up at your next office visit. Write down any questions you have about how CAM can be integrated into your medical care, and make a point to have the discussion with your doctor.

Precautionary Measures

As with any medical treatment, there can be risks with CAM therapies and treatments. These general precautions can help to minimize risks:

• Select CAM practitioners with care. Find out about the practitioner's training and experience.

• Some dietary supplements may interact with medications or other supplements, may have side effects of their own, or may contain potentially harmful ingredients not listed on the label.

• Tell all your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use to help ensure coordinated and safe care.

• Don't stop or change your conventional treatment, including prescribed medications, without talking to your doctor first.

Sources: NCCAM's Time to Talk campaign; Arthritis Today Nov/Dec 2010; http://seniors.lovetoknow.com/Alternative_Medicine_for_the_Elderly; http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/61166.php; http://www.cancer.gov/cam/health_categories.html

About Senior Helpers:

Senior Helpers provides many in-home, caregiving services for the elderly in Richmond, Ashland, Petersburg, Goochland, Midlothian, Mechanicsville and surrounding areas. We offer extensive in-home health care services for seniors who embrace their independence and the personal dignity that goes with it. Our in-home health care services are provided by bonded and insured caregivers all of whom pass a national background check.

If a senior family member needs in-home care services in Richmond, Henrico County, Hanover County, Chesterfield County, Goochland County or the surrounding area, we are an excellent choice with exemplary references. In-home care is the compassionate choice for your elderly loved ones' continued independent living. We promise we will do our best to make it a positive experience for them and you. For more information, please visit: http://seniorhelpers.com/location/5103.