Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Older Adults : A Guide to Holistic Approaches to Healthy Aging

The field of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is expected to grow tremendously in the next few years. In addition to an increase in the general population, the baby-boomer generation is quickly entering retirement and will likely take advantage of CAM increasingly as it ages. Although CAM research as applied to aging is just beginning and health professionals receive no special training in CAM and aging, the United States population still continues to employ it. For diagnoses that accompany aging such as cancer, neurological diseases, psychiatric disorders, and physical disabilities, CAM has often been used in addition to or in place of unsuccessful conventional methods of treatment. This new and up-to-the-minute compendium of reliable and authoritative information on complementary and alternative therapies seeks to provide information that older adults may use as they seek to improve their health and quality of life. Covering dietary means; physical, mental, and spiritual methods of treatment; and various types of therapies, this handbook is the most comprehensive and up-to-date resource on complementary and alternative medicine available today. Each chapter or article includes: Brief definition of modality Anecdotal reports of usefulness Discussion of scientific evidence for and against modality List of resources that reader can use to find further information Examples of therapies covered include: Art & Music Massage Acupuncture Meditation Homeopathy Ayurveda Aromatherapy

The field of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is expected to grow tremendously in the next few years. In addition to an increase in the general population, the baby-boomer generation is quickly entering retirement and will likely take advantage of CAM increasingly as it ages.

Although CAM research as applied to aging is just beginning and health professionals receive no special training in CAM and aging, the United States population still continues to employ it. For diagnoses that accompany aging such as cancer, neurological diseases, psychiatric disorders, and physical disabilities, CAM has often been used in addition to or in place of unsuccessful conventional methods of treatment.

This new and up-to-the-minute compendium of reliable and authoritative information on complementary and alternative therapies seeks to provide information that older adults may use as they seek to improve their health and quality of life. Covering dietary means; physical, mental, and spiritual methods of treatment; and various types of therapies, this handbook is the most comprehensive and up-to-date resource on complementary and alternative medicine available today.

Each chapter or article includes:

• Brief definition of modality
• Anecdotal reports of usefulness
• Discussion of scientific evidence for and against modality
• List of resources that reader can use to find further information

Examples of therapies covered include:

• Art & Music
• Massage
• Acupuncture
• Meditation
• Homeopathy
• Ayurveda
• Aromatherapy

Includes Information On Adverse Affects, Aging, Alzheimer's Disease, Arthritis Treatments, Buddhism, Cancer, Cardiovascular Disease & Health, Cognitive Decline, Death & Dying, Dementia, Depression, Diet, Exercise, Hypertension, Pain, Psychology, Qi, Stress, Yin Yang, Etc. Holistic Approaches To Healthy Aging / Elizabeth R. Mackenzie And Birgit Rakel -- Healthy And Therapeutic Diets That Promote Optimal Aging / Joel S. Edman -- Supplements And Herbs / Ara Dermarderosian And Michael Briggs -- Homeopathy As An Aid To Healthy Aging / Joyce Frye -- Music, Health, And Well-being / Elaine Abbott And Kathleen Avins -- Art Therapy / Caroline Peterson -- Massage Therapy And Older Adults / Eileen Kennedy And Cheryl Chapman -- Daoist Spirituality And Philosophy: Implications For Holistic Health, Aging, And Longevity / Amy L. Ai -- Medical Acupuncture / James K. Rotchford -- The Benefits Of Qigong / Kevin Chen, Elizabeth R. Mackenzie, And Master Faxiang Hou -- Yoga: An Introduction / Robert Butera -- Ayurveda: Mother Of Traditional Medicine / Mari Clements -- Meditation And Healthy Aging / Elaine J. Yuen And Michael Baime -- The Concept Of Spiritual Well-being And The Care Of Older Adults / Amy L. Ai And Elizabeth R. Mackenzie -- Therapeutic Gardens / Jack Carman -- The Eden Alternative: Nurturing The Human Spirit In Long-term Care / Sandy Ransom. Edited By Elizabeth R. Mackenzie, Birgit Rakel. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Cover......Page 1 TOC Contents......Page 5 Contributors......Page 7 Preface......Page 11 Acknowledgments......Page 15 Foreword......Page 17 CH Chapter 1 Holistic Approaches to Healthy Aging......Page 21 CH Chapter 2 Healthy and Therapeutic Diets That Promote Optimal Aging......Page 31 CH Chapter 3 Supplements and Herbs......Page 51 CH Chapter 4 Homeopathy as an Aid to Healthy Aging......Page 99 CH Chapter 5 Music, Health, and Well-Being......Page 117 CH Chapter 6 Art Therapy......Page 131 CH Chapter 7 Massage Therapy and Older Adults......Page 155 CH Chapter 8 Daoist Spirituality and Philosophy: Implications for Holistic Health, Aging, and Longevity......Page 169 CH Chapter 9 Medical Acupuncture......Page 181 CH Chapter 10 The Benefits of Qigong......Page 195 CH Chapter 11 Yoga: An Introduction......Page 219 CH Chapter 12 Ayurveda: Mother of Traditional Medicine......Page 235 CH Chapter 13 Meditation and Healthy Aging......Page 253 CH Chapter 14 The Concept of Spiritual Well-Being and the Care of Older Adults......Page 291 CH Chapter 15 Therapeutic Gardens......Page 309 CH Chapter 16 The Eden Alternative: Nurturing the Human Spirit in Long-Term Care......Page 319 IDX Index......Page 331 Healthy and therapeutic diets that promote optimal aging / Joel Edman Supplements and herbs / Ara derMarderosian and M. Briggs Homeopathy as an aid to healthy aging / Joyce Frye Music, health and well-being / Elaine Abbott Art therapy / Caroline Peterson Massage therapy and older adults / Eileen Kennedy and Cheryl Chapman Daoist spirituality and philosophy: implications for holistic health, aging, and longevity / Amy Ai Medical acupuncture / James (Kim) Rotchford The benefits of qigong / Faxiang Hou and Kevin Chen Yoga: an introduction / Robert Butera Ayurveda: mother of traditional medicine / Mari Clements Meditation and healthy aging / Michael Baime and Elaine Yuen The concept of spiritual well-being and the care of older adults / Amy Ai and Elizabeth R. Mackenzie Therapeutic gardens / Jack Carman Eden alternative: nurturing the human spirit in long-term care / Sandy Ransom. Provides information on complementary and alternative therapies. Covering dietary means; physical, mental, and spiritual methods of treatment; and various types of therapies, this handbook is a comprehensive resource on complementary and alternative medicines.