Wren Burton, DC, is completing a research fellowship at the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, based at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. She is concurrently
pursuing a Master of Public Health degree at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Burton and her team at the Osher Center recently published a systemic review examining chiropractic care for fall prevention. Pulling from this work, she will present “Chiropractic Care and Fall Prevention In Older Adults: What We Know, What We Can Do, and Steps We Can Take Going Forward” at ACA’s upcoming annual meeting, ACA Engage.
Below, the ACA Blog learns more about Dr. Burton and what doctors can expect from her Engage 2023 program.
How is the topic you are presenting at Engage 2022 relevant to today’s chiropractor?
It’s no secret that the world’s population is aging, and the prevalence of falls and limitations with mobility that accompany the natural aging process can be detrimental to the quality of life in older adults. However, much of this is preventable; in fact, our team just published a paper, where we identified modifiable fall risk factors that have the potential to be positively impacted by multimodal chiropractic care. Even more promising news is that older adults are seeking out chiropractic care and nonpharmacologic therapies for their musculoskeletal conditions.
What first made you interested in the topic?
Like most, I have a personal story that sparked my interest and drives my motivation for wanting to help. When I was away at college, my grandfather experienced an injurious fall. He lived alone, and two days went by before a neighbor stopped in and called for help. At the time, I didn’t know how commonly falls occur, and wasn’t aware that it could have been prevented. This experience reminds me how important it is for older adults to maintain not only their quality of life, but also their independence.
What practical knowledge or skills can attendees take away from your presentation?
Clinically speaking, much of fall prevention can be done quickly and easily for one’s older adult patients. Attendees will be given evidence-based strategies on implementing fall prevention into practice.
How will what attendees take away make them better doctors?
Assessing your older patient’s risk of falls can allow attendees to make their treatment as patient centered as possible. By conducting a proper assessment, chiropractors can work with their older patients to create functional and realistic goals for their treatment.
What benefits do you gain from attending ACA Engage?
I always look forward to the knowledge sharing that occurs at ACA Engage conferences. The breadth of information covered in the various sessions and keynote presentations is engaging, and a reminder of the importance of lobbying throughout the remainder of the conference.
Want to learn more? Plan to attend Dr. Burton’s presentation at Engage 2023. Click here to view the ACA Engage schedule and all that the program has to offer, including up to 20 CE available.
