How to Manage and Care for Arthritis

Arthritis is a condition that causes inflammation and severe pain in the joints. Arthritis pain affects millions of people worldwide. It can happen to young children or seniors but is common in people above 65 years old. Loved ones suffering from this condition can require help with day-to-day tasks due to arthritis pain.

In some cases, this condition can leave them becoming disabled as the pain levels are high. For family members, it can be painful to watch their loved ones suffer. This is why the elderly would be sent to care homes for arthritis so that they can get better care for arthritis.

There is an alternative to sending the elderly to care homes for arthritis in Canada. It can be a solution which is long-term care for arthritis patients at home. Home care in Burlington by ConsidraCare offers live-in caregivers. Home care will keep seniors more independent and comfortable in their surroundings. An arthritis nursing care plan can be formulated with the live-in caregiver. A ConsidraCare caregiver is trained and experienced to provide arthritis primary care.

Initial Arthritis Primary Care

The level of care depends on the pain level. Caring for someone with Arthritis with mild pain is easier as they can still be independent. Caring for someone with arthritis with severe pain is difficult as they might be dependent on the caregiver. Arthritis primary care includes anti-inflammatory drugs and pain medications. There are two more commonly known types of arthritis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. Nursing care for arthritis also depends upon the type of arthritis diagnosed in a loved one. The arthritis nursing care plan changes with the changes in requirements as the arthritis pain levels differ in each case. If the arthritis pain becomes severe, the loved one can be referred to a specialist.

Arthritis Impact on Life

Arthritis pain is debilitating for a person affected by this condition. The level of this pain can change from day today. This is something very difficult to live with; not knowing if tomorrow is a good day or a bad day. For arthritis, there could be extremely bad days. The condition can become unpredictable and very frustrating for those affected by it.

The person starts the morning with stiff joints and extremely painful joints, lasting for a few minutes to an hour. Even daily tasks such as washing the dishes, mowing the lawn, watering the flowers, washing laundry, and ironing clothes can seem like a great chore. Cooking and cleaning the house can become challenging. Changing clothes can become difficult due to painful shoulder joints which limits the movements.

People suffering from arthritis cannot keep up an active social life at times. They may be hurting too much to meet with friends. They may not be able to stay out late if the person suffering from the illness is young. A young loved one will have to sit out in sports class. They may not be able to go hiking or go travelling. This impacts the mental health of people suffering from this debilitating illness.

In adults and the elderly, arthritis can affect their job performance. They can become slower in their official tasks such as typing speed is decreased. They have problems making handwritten notes. Such diseases can prevent companies from promoting loved ones at work. These results indirectly affect the financial situation.

All hope is not lost if diagnosed with the disease. There are some management and care tips that a person diagnosed with arthritis can follow. The condition is lifelong, however long-term care for arthritis patients is effective.

Non-medical Care

Arthritis pain can be difficult and overwhelming to deal with. When newly diagnosed, the new information and precautions can seem very daunting. The elderly are worried about care and independence. It seems as if they will be on medication right from the point when they get diagnosed with the disease. Different healthcare providers give different information. This causes frustration, anger and confusion.

The seniors will play a huge role in managing their arthritis pain. Other than consuming pills, some methods do not require medication. You can team up with a live-in caregiver and get home care for arthritis to follow these methods. These are self-management tips for home care for arthritis.

1. Try to simplify life. One of the long-term care for arthritis patients is to make their life simple. By replacing and trying to reduce as much daily work as possible, a loved one can rest their body. The elderly need to do as much as they can without overworking the joints otherwise arthritis can flare up and leave them in excruciating pain. The elderly need to prioritize daily tasks and complete the ones that are more important and leave the others. The loved ones can stock up on household goods and items so that they can avoid taking trips to the store frequently. Arrange daily items in easy-to-reach storage units so that there is no stress on the joints.
   Families of the elderly can hire a ConsidraCare live-in carer for nursing care for arthritis to help around the house. The live-in caregiver can do household chores, make trips to the grocery store, refill prescriptions, attend doctor appointments and help reorganize the home for the elderly so that they can remain independent but have someone with them for additional help.
2. Adaptive Aids. An elderly living alone without family and additional help need to modify the items they use for daily household tasks. As they need to make sure that they don’t use the joints as much, the elderly need to purchase items that can reduce the use of joints. One of these aids is using spray-on cleaners for the kitchen and bathrooms. These sprays will reduce the use of joints and make cleaning easier for the elderly. Loved ones who love to cook and bake often use their hands and that stresses the joints. Arthritis causes limited movements in the limbs due to severe pain. The loved one needs to purchase electrical appliances such as blenders, juicers, can openers and mixers so that when stirring, they don’t need to use their fingers and wrists excessively. Can openers reduce the stress on joints and make it easier. In the bathrooms, limited mobility and arthritis pain mean that the elderly can have trouble getting up from the bath seats and can have trouble bathing. So, grab bars need to be installed for additional help. For showering and bathing, a stool or grab bars can be installed as well.
   With a ConsidraCare live-in caregiver, the elderly can get assistance in the kitchen and bathroom. The carer can help mix items and open cans as well as prepare meals. The caregiver can cut, chop, slice and dice vegetables and fruits for the senior. They can clean the bathrooms and assist in bathing to avoid falls and fractures.
3. Support Groups. For some elders, it’s therapeutic to find others with the same problems and medical issues and talk to them about them. Rheumatologists and family physicians usually know of existing support groups in case a patient asks them. Seniors can talk to their doctors and ask about support groups and join them. It can be encouraging to talk to others and share any worries and problems which can be beneficial for mental health.
4. Movement. Arthritis is an illness that can make joints stiff. It is recommended to move around every fifteen minutes for a few minutes to avoid stiffness. Going on short walks or walking and moving joints within the house is also good for stiffness. A live-in carer can assist in going on walks and helping with some exercises recommended by the doctor.

Home Care for Arthritis

It is not easy for family members when an elderly gets diagnosed with such a debilitating illness as Arthritis. Some care tips for helping them can be followed to assist them.

1. Be well informed about the diagnoses as it will help understand the challenges that a loved one will or has been facing.
2. Family support can have a positive impact on a person and they should reach out first to help rather than the person with the illness reaching out for help.
3. Family members should stay positive.
4. Encourage the elderly to share their problems with the illness and seek medical intervention if they are feeling depressed.
5. Make sure that they are eating healthy, taking their medication and resting whenever possible. Live-in caregivers will make sure that the senior is taken care of.
6. Help them find the support they need for daily tasks such as hiring a live-in caregiver or hiring workers for gardening, cooking, cleaning etc.

Care homes for arthritis patients are no longer a good option. Home care for arthritis with a live-in caregiver, helps the elderly remain home and stay independent for longer. They will remain comfortable in familiar surroundings which can help in coping and managing the illness.