Why Is National Arthritis Awareness Month So Important?

When you know more about a particular health issue, it’s easier to help someone through it. That’s the case with arthritis as well. May is National Arthritis Awareness Month, and there’s a lot of information available about the different types of arthritis and how it might affect your senior.

Recognizing the Signs Can Get Your Senior Treatment More Quickly

It’s not uncommon for someone to have arthritis for a while, particularly rheumatoid arthritis, and not realize that the problem is arthritis. The most common symptoms of arthritis are pain along with stiffness and swelling in affected joints. In the case of osteoarthritis, the affected joint usually sustained an injury at some point in the past, but not always. If your senior’s range of motion is impacted but she doesn’t experience severe pain, she might not think that she’s dealing with arthritis. She may just chalk it up to aging. It’s important to have any joint issues checked out by her doctor.

Learning about Possible Therapies Can Help with Pain and Mobility

Many people who have arthritis deal with pain as well as mobility issues. Some of the various treatments available may be able to help with both of these issues. Alternating ice and heat is a common treatment, as are anti-inflammatory medications. Moving more, in ways that are recommended for your senior’s specific situation, can help to lubricate the joints and to keep them functional. Working with physical or occupational therapists can also help to develop an individualized plan for your senior.

Finding Support for Arthritis Helps Your Senior to Feel Less Alone

Arthritis can feel isolating for your senior. She may opt out of doing a lot of the things that she’s always loved to do, and that can have a big impact on her mental and emotional health. Joining a support group may help, because she’s able to interact with other people who are going through some of the same situations that she’s going through. It can also help a great deal to hire home care providers, especially for activities that are becoming impossible for your senior to handle on her own.

Arthritis doesn’t have to rob your senior of the rest of her life. She may still be able to do a lot of the different things that she loves to do, although she may do so in a slightly modified fashion and with more assistance than she has in the past.