Managing Your Parent’s Arthritis

If your parent has developed arthritis in her joints, you are probably investigating ways to help her protect those joints that are affected and give her more pain-free days. Arthritis occurs when there is swelling and tenderness around one or more joints. It can cause the joint area to have pain and be stiff, which unfortunately, gets worse with age. There are two main types of arthritis. Osteoarthritis is caused by the cartilage in a joint breaking down and rheumatoid arthritis occurs when the immune system attacks the lining of the joints. Either one can cause a lot of discomfort and make some everyday tasks painful.  

Helping your parent with her at-home care will greatly improve her ability to live with her arthritis. 

Home Health Care Faith, NC: Managing Arthritis

• Physical therapy. Your parent’s doctor may recommend physical therapy and targeted exercises to help her joints stay flexible and reduce the swelling around them. A certified home health care provider can be hired with physical therapy training to help your parent perform her daily exercises, so she doesn’t need to make that extra trip to the physical therapist’s office. In times like these with the current pandemic, having someone come into the home can really ensure that your parent isn’t exposed to any viruses or germs from others at a clinic.  
• Medication. Many doctors will recommend your parent either take an anti-inflammatory or painkiller daily or when the arthritis flares up. A home health care provider can help administer the medication or simply oversee and ensure that your parent is taking what she needs when she needs it.  
• Healthy diet and weight loss (if appropriate). Excess weight causes excess stress on the joints so if your parent is suffering arthritis in a weight-bearing joint (such as her knees or ankles) losing weight can slow down the progression of the disease. Eating a healthy diet packed full of nutrients and low in fat will help your parent’s body stay healthy and keep any extra weight from creeping in. When evaluating your parent’s diet, it’s also a great time to also evaluate the amount of non-caffeinated liquids she is drinking each day to stay hydrated. Your home heath care provider can help your parent come up a great list of foods to buy and consume to help her live with her arthritis better.  
• Assistive and Supportive Devices. Your parent’s doctor might suggest your parent wear a brace on the affected joints or use a crutch to help her get around more easily and not injure herself. You can also research buying devices that will help her perform household and self-care tasks more easily with her arthritis. Simple items like an electric can opener or a zipper pull on her jacket can keep your parent live independently when no one else is home with her.  
• Rest as needed. It’s okay for your parent to rest between activities or do things a bit slower than before. She’ll need to ask for help when she can get it from you, her home health care provider or other family members. She’s done a ton for others her whole life, it’s now time for others to do things for her.  

If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Health Care in Faith, NC, contact the caring professionals at TenderHearted Home Care today. Call us at (704) 612-4132