Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Note elder law: Seniors in North Carolina rely heavily on folk remedies
A survey of older adults in rural North Carolina shows that they widely use complementary medicine therapies, but tend to focus on folk or home remedies, such as taking a daily "tonic" of vinegar or using Epsom salts.
"What most people think about as complementary medicine – acupuncture, homeopathy and massage therapy – they aren't using at all," said Thomas Arcury, Ph.D., lead researcher, from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. "Their use is largely limited to home remedies, vitamins and minerals."
The goal of the study, which is reported in the March issue of Journal of Gerontology: Social Sciences, was to learn more about what complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies older adults are using and why.
"We want to understand how people make decisions about managing their health," said Arcury. "If we understand how people are treating themselves, the information can be useful for physicians."
Researchers found that the majority of participants don't use CAM therapies to treat diabetes or other chronic diseases.
"They are using CAM for prevention or for treating symptoms (a headache, a sore throat, a cut) but not for treating a chronic condition," wrote the authors. "CAM use among these rural older adults is largely a form of self-care."
Arcury said it is common to use some of the therapies, such as vinegar or honey, as a general "tonic."
"I've talked to older adults who'll tell you should take two tablespoons of vinegar every day in a glass of warm water because it's good for you," he said. "They aren't treating anything in particular."
Read the rest of this story at Eureka Alert.
https://lawprofessors.typepad.com/elder_law/2006/02/note_elder_law_.html