6 Important Strategies for Managing Arthritis

Arthritis can be a problem for your senior for a long time before it becomes even more challenging. Putting together a plan for helping your senior to manage her arthritis is vital for tackling future challenges. Making adjustments now, like hiring personal care at home, gives your senior the security of knowing that there’s help available when she needs it.

Talk to Her Doctor about Weight Concerns

Being overweight can put strain on arthritic joints, particularly in your senior’s hips and knees. Too much inflammation can also be painful for joints everywhere. Talk with your senior’s doctor about whether your elderly family member’s weight could be a problem with her arthritis and develop a plan to address it safely.

And Ask about Movement

Movement can be more helpful with arthritis pain than many people realize. The right movements support building muscle and strengthening joints without causing pain. Talk with your senior’s doctor about what types of movement are okay for her before she starts an exercise program. Once she has the go ahead, your elderly family member can start a gentle plan for exercising regularly.

Lifestyle Changes May Be a Good Idea

There may be some other lifestyle changes your elderly family member needs to make. Giving up smoking is something that is universally helpful for health and well-being, for instance. But some of these changes are difficult to make, so your elderly family member may need extra help.

Knowing When to Rest Is Important

As important as movement can be, it’s also important for your senior to rest when her body needs it. That doesn’t mean that her life and needs just stop, however. Bringing in personal care at home to help your senior rest a little more when she needs to can be extremely helpful. Care providers are able to help your senior just as much as she needs without taking her independence.

Get Help for ADLs that Are Painful

But there are other activities that might be getting painful, too, like bathing and getting dressed. If some of these tasks are becoming dangerous or painful for your senior, help from personal care at home can make all the difference. Personal care at home ensures that your senior is safe and has the assistance she needs while also ensuring that her hygiene needs are handled.

Make a Plan and Help Your Senior Stick to It

What can be most important for your senior as she manages arthritis and aging is to have a plan and routine and to stick to them. That can help her to consistently do the things that she needs to do to feel as well as possible. When she’s not feeling well or is having more trouble than usual, personal care at home being there can be the boost that she needs.

Without the right help, your elderly family member may find that her life becomes increasingly difficult and frustrating. No one should have to deal with that while also managing the pain of arthritis every day.