On Friday, May 15, Bill Breitenbach will adjust his last patient at his practice in Dolores.
After 45 years in the chiropractic business, Breitenbach will enter retirement, and his son, Eric Breitenbach, will continue operating Breitenbach Chiropractic.
Breitenbach said he is looking forward to retirement.
"It's a physical job, and there is a lot of education that goes with being a chiropractor," Breitenbach said. "It's been more of a calling than a career."
Bill Breitenbach, 67, graduated from Cleveland Chiropractic College in Los Angeles in 1970 during a time when chiropractic care wasn't mainstream.
"People either loved you or hated you," he said.
Over the years, Breitenbach has practiced in Southern California and Aspen before joining his son's practice nine years ago in Dolores. The two also were in practice together before in Southern California.
Breitenbach and wife Katie plan on spending the first few months at Carpinteria State Beach campground in California as camp hosts.
"My wife grew up in California, and her parents would take her there. It's a dream come true for her," he said.
When Breitenbach looks back over the years, he said some cases stand out.
"I would see some people who could barely walk and could ultimately get back to a normal lifestyle after care," he said.
Breitenbach is also big on the value of healthy eating.
"Everything improves when your body works the way it was designed to," he said. "It's a lot easier to stay well than to get well."
Over the years, the need for chiropractic care has increased, especially, he said, as more and more people look down constantly at their phones and tablets, creating what chiropractors call "text neck."
When you are always looking down, the curve of your neck can reverse, stressing the disks and bones in the neck.
To offset this, Breitenbach recommends his clients stretch and try to hold their phone up higher when texting and get chiropractic care.
Breitenbach said he has enjoyed the last nine years of his career in Dolores.
"This last nine years has been one of the most enjoyable because of the nice area and the people I encountered are all friendly and welcoming, and I fell in love with all of them," he said. "I give a heartfelt thank you to everyone that has supported me and been a part of this. I will miss them."
In the meantime, as Breitenbach follows the weather in an RV, Eric Breitenbach will assume his dad's patients.
"Clients can get updates when they come in for adjustments of our travels," Bill Breitenbach said.