Madam Chair and members of the Standing Committee on Health, Madam Clerk, and colleagues, thank you for inviting us here today to have the opportunity to be with you again.
The issue of chronic disease related to aging is both serious and growing. More than 90% of adults over the age of 65 report suffering from at least one chronic disease. Notably, most risk factors for chronic disease, and particularly those related to aging, are often preventable. The Canadian Chiropractic Association believes that preventative health care for all ages is the key to halting or attenuating the advance of chronic disease and promoting health for all Canadians.
We have two fundamental recommendations. First is to implement progressive public education programs targeting vulnerable populations. That includes promoting active self-care to encourage all Canadians and communities to take responsibility for their own health. Second is to support collaborative approaches among public health organizations, health care providers, governments, and for-profit and non-profit sectors. These measures taken together would have a profound beneficial effect on health care, and would address chronic disease and health funding issues across Canada.
The effects of unhealthy lifestyle choices are most visible in older adults. However, the development of chronic disease begins much earlier, often during youth. Accordingly, the prevention of disease and promotion of health must take a population-based approach covering the full spectrum of ages, ethnicities, and socio-economic demographic sectors. It's never too late or too early to invest in promoting healthy lifestyle choices.
Research is fundamental to addressing the issue of chronic disease related to aging. Research informs treatment and preventative measures, and guides public education initiatives. The Canadian Chiropractic Research Foundation is the chiropractic profession's primary research-funding organization. It also allocates funds and develops opportunities. In partnership with the CIHR, the CCRF has established the chiropractic research chairs and professorships in universities across Canada. Many of these positions devote time and effort to the study of chronic diseases related to aging, and the treatment of age-related conditions. Such research informs practitioners on best practices available and clinical guidelines, and in turn promotes better care for patients.
Public health workers produce a number of valuable resources to help Canadians live better and healthier lives. However, many programs are time-limited and have restricted resources that see them falter after only a few years. The use of health care providers as educators might be one way to substantially change the public health programs and augment them. For example, the CCA has developed a number of educational resources for use by Canadian chiropractors and the public to promote physical activity and prevention of injury. We've listed three. One is in the area of brain injury prevention. The CCA has partnered with ThinkFirst Canada to promote the brain day program among elementary school children in Nunavut. The brain day program educates youth about the importance of injury prevention, in the hope that these approaches will also be translated to the community at large.
Our fit-in-15 program, developed in consultation with the Public Health Agency of Canada, promotes a progressive introduction of physical activity into one's daily routine. The program is based on the concept that fitting in at least 15 minutes of physical activity a day can lead to the development of the habit to exercise and the motivation to increase daily physical activity. Adults who are physically active are shown to significantly decrease their risk of diabetes, heart disease, and some forms of cancer.
Older adults are at risk due to falls. Falling among seniors is one of the leading causes of disability and morbidity. It is estimated that senior fall-related injuries in Canada cost over $2.8 billion per year. In response to this, the CCA has developed a program that we call “Best Foot Forward”. It's a campaign targeted specifically at Canadian seniors. The campaign provides practical strategies on how to prevent falls at home, and how to promote balance and strength on a daily basis. The program has been widely disseminated, used, and shared with our partners. All of the self-help materials are available at no cost on the CCA website.
Our organization believes that specific targeted approaches are needed for subgroups of the population, including veterans, first nations, aboriginal populations, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and Canadian Forces. These groups should be provided with the full continuum of care, including integrated service delivery, to better prevent occupational chronic conditions and chronic disease.
Partnership and collaboration are key to a prevention and reduction strategy. The task at hand must be embraced by primary contact health care providers, support workers, and the federal, provincial, and territorial governments, as well as non-profit and private sectors so that the promotion of a common consistent message on healthy living strategies will have a more meaningful and significant impact when embraced by all sectors.
Canadian chiropractors can help alleviate the burden of chronic disease among seniors by providing care and co-management to patients. The early detection of dysfunction and immediate treatment of common musculoskeletal complaints have been shown to decrease the probability of chronic pain. Studies have demonstrated that chiropractic care for patients presenting with low back pain decreases the utilization of diagnostic testing, reduces the rate of hospitalization and back surgeries, and lowers overall costs and prescriptions, including NSAIDs and opioids. Qualitative benefits include improved quality of care and quality of life for patients treated within an integrative model.
Many communities, particularly in remote areas across Canada, are requesting greater access to care, patient choice in service delivery, and the implementation of preventive health measures. Canadian chiropractors are part of the solution to these requests.
A progressive transition from an acute care model of health to a preventive model can help seniors maintain good health, resulting in independence and improved quality of life. CCA believes that Canadian chiropractors must play an important role in the promotion of healthy aging and the prevention of chronic disease, including musculoskeletal conditions. The inclusion of all health care providers and patients in this dialogue will deliver more innovative and sustainable solutions. Maintaining independence and quality of life for seniors in Canada is an important goal that impacts both the sustainability of the health care system and the fabric of our society.
The Canadian Chiropractic Association recommends that dealing with the present and growing challenge of chronic diseases related to aging be based on a public health, prevention, and wellness model where there are incentives for stakeholders and individuals to assume a greater degree of responsibility for health care outcomes. We believe that public education combined with strong support for multi-sectoral partnerships and interdisciplinary collaboration will yield the best results.
Thank you to the committee for the opportunity to contribute to the dialogue on chronic diseases and aging.