Our Turn To Lead Wellness
Alex Kassalias, DC, Greenville, SC
The Dept. of Health and Human Services reports the baby boomers just turned 60. For more then 50 years, demographers have known that America would be experiencing a rather large bulge in the US population created by the deferral of childbearing during World War II.
This cohort of 76 million in the US has the full attention of the workforce planners, retirement advisors and public benefit aging program managers. In a recent survey they have found that 1 in 10 people is 60 years and older, and that number is going up, in about 45 years it will be 1 in 3. The diversity of Baby Boomers, their anticipated longer life span and their unprecedented number, create challenges for both public policy and the mature market place.
Unfortunately we are also seeing the booming nursing home generation phenomena, full of people who are 70, 80, 90 years old that are suffering with the consequences of disease and helplessness. These beautiful people didn't know that they would live this long. They didn't know how to take care of their bodies and prepare for their longevity.
The Baby Boomers are aware of this and are seeking an improved quality of life. They are learning about wellness and want to take care of themselves. These people are not attracted to crisis care. They are looking for pro-active, not re-active care. They are dissatisfied with the current status of heath in this country. They desire wellness and spend billions of dollars on good nutrition, gyms, spas and alternative care providers. They are driving the wellness industry. The medical industry is aware of this and is tapping into the "wellness trend". Statements like see your family's physician before beginning a wellness program is just the start of it. If we sit back they will drive people into their medical clinics advertising, "health and wellness programs" prescribing their version of treatment protocols to individuals.
The population seeking life time wellness would love to know about the body's innate healing ability that expresses itself through the nerve system. When we are communicating Chiropractic to the public what message are we sending? Is it one of life time subluxation correction or quick relief crisis care? Creating life time wellness that people need and WANT requires effective communication and sending a congruent message of wellness to your community.
Unfortunately what we face is that most people do not understand the impact that subluxations have on one's life. It has never been explained to them by their Medical Doctor or other health care provider or society so they don't see the value. We must reposition the ladder to educate how the correction of subluxation saves and extends lives. This repositioning must start with us. Don't just build your practice on this premise...build your community.
Now it's your turn. Chiropractors are the Wellness Leaders of the New Millennium. Don't let the Medical community take what is ours.
LEAD AND TAKE CHARGE ACTION STEPS:
Forward this message and a P.S.C.A. application to chiropractors you know so we can increase our members and create a congruent message in the state of South Carolina of Life Time Wellness through the Correction of Subluxation. Let's begin in our state FIRST!
Please join our mother association the F.S.C.O. Despite the fact that other national organizations claim to represent straight chiropractic, only the F.S.C.O. has adopted the policies which encourage the use of chiropractic terminology (vertebral subluxation, adjustment, analysis, ect.) and specifically prohibit the "medicalization" of chiropractic.
Consider "plugging in" to the LPMI program at Sherman. It is a great opportunity to achieve leadership skills that you will grow with and keep for a lifetime.