OUCH. Arthritis hurts; not only that, but it keeps us from being as flexible and mobile as we used to be. Arthritis refers to many types of joint diseases that affect 53 million adults in the United States. Osteoarthritis is the most common, and it refers to the degeneration of joint, cartilage and underlying bone. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability among adults in the US, but we seniors are not going to go down without a fight. Join us now at Senior Lifestyle News as we discussed seven ways to help seniors suffering from arthritis.
Knowledge
It’s true what they say; knowledge is power. There is research, development and progress made with arthritis almost every day, and keeping up with the changes may mean discovering an intervention that will improve your quality of life. Those of us at Senior Lifestyle News will be keeping up with arthritis information as well.
Exercise
We know that it sounds like an oxymoron; joints hurt when they are moved. The fact of the matter is that exercise with attention to range of motion improves mobility and reduces pain. Muscle strengthening exercises increase stamina around the joints, improves mobility, protects the joints and reduces pain.
Medication
The use of medication is tricky. Anti-inflammatory medication is sometimes the only thing that stands between a decent and a poor quality of life due to pain, but these medications do have side effects. Anti-inflammatory medications keep the swelling and pain down and reduces damage to the joints. There are other medications, as well. As with all medication, careful medical supervision and effective communication between doctor and patient is crucial.
Diet and Hydration
Diet is important in terms of weight management. Obesity wears down joints, aggravates arthritis and renders medication less effective. Diet is also about the foods that go in and the compounds that are released in the body through digestion and metabolism. Foods that are inflammatory in nature aggravate arthritis swelling, pain and loss of mobility. As for hydration, joints need adequate water. Chronic dehydration aggravates the arthritic process and contributes to inflammation, swelling, pain and loss of mobility.
Optimizing the Environment
Seniors who suffer from arthritis are already paddling upstream in terms of working against gravity. The simple act of walking up stairs can be excruciating. Senior Lifestyle News suggests making alterations to your environment in order to make movement a bit simpler. Common things that you use often should be downstairs and close by. Safety is also a priority, because seniors with arthritis have reduced mobility, and are prone to losing balance and tripping over rugs, cords and furniture.
Assistive Devices
Assistive devices are any mechanical device that provides extension, grabbing, stability, safety and convenience. The grabber, a metal device that has pincers on the end is a godsend. Canes and walkers are sometimes the only way arthritis sufferers can get around their house and outdoors. Grab bars, shower chairs and elevated toilet seats provide safety and help to diminish the pain upon effort to perform the activities of daily living.
Assistance
We seniors have lived long enough to be set in our ways and we don’t really want to have someone coming into our homes to give us a helping hand. Sometimes though, it just cannot be helped; you need assistance with your activities of daily living. We at Senior Lifestyle News suggest that you embrace the opportunities that having an assistant brings to help you get on with your day and living your life to the fullest.
Senior Lifestyle News
We have to admit it; we have arthritis too, and OUCH; arthritis hurts. We are going to follow our own advice and we invite you to join us as we employ these seven ways to help seniors suffering from arthritis.
