When easing arthritis pain, it is crucial to keep your senior’s joints moving and their muscles strong, but this can be difficult. Here are a few key ways in which you can help your senior loved one ease their arthritis pain even further.

According to the CDC, in the United States, 1 in every four adults has arthritis.

 

What is arthritis?

The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis. Other forms include gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus. Symptoms of arthritis are pain, aching, stiffness, and swelling in or around the joints. Rheumatoid arthritis and lupus can affect multiple organs and cause widespread symptoms.

Symptoms include early morning joint stiffness, tiredness, swollen joints, weight loss, and skin rashes. If you think your senior loved one may have arthritis, take them to their GP for an immediate and official diagnosis.

OFSL-Blog-Ease-Arthritis-Pain-Inside-Image-1

How to ease arthritis pain

Arthritis pain can change from day to day and week to week as it is prone to ‘flare-ups.’ However, most forms of arthritis are long-term conditions that will require attention as they get worse.

There is no cure for arthritis, but there are ways to ease the pain arthritis causes. Here are the key ways you can help your senior loved one manage their condition.

Rest and exercise

Regular exercise will help your senior keep their muscles and joints strong. This usually means they will have less pain in that joint.

Try taking your senior one for walks regularly, but make sure there are places to stop and rest if they need to. If a joint is inflamed, a short rest period may reduce the swelling and ease arthritis pain. Yoga is also a no-impact form of exercise.

Swimming is an excellent form of exercise for those with arthritis as the water supports your senior’s weight and puts less pressure on muscles and joints that may already be throbbing.

Encourage your loved one to put their joints through a full range of motion at least once a day. They can do this by circling their arms, ankles, and wrists, then extending their knees and elbows. This will prevent the joints from stiffening up.

However, remember that rest is important too. It’s vital to exercise for short periods and often rather than cause more damage with an extensive workout.

OFSL-Blog-Ease-Arthritis-Pain-Inside-Image-2

Healthy eating

If your senior has arthritis and is overweight, this will cause more strain on their joints.

While healthy eating cannot cure arthritis, it can help your loved one’s general health and well-being. In addition, maintaining a healthy weight goes a long way in allowing your senior to be independent and mobile for as long as possible.

Managing stress

Help your loved one with the tasks that are made difficult by having arthritis. Their weekly grocery shop, for example, or gardening and other housework.

This will decrease the amount of stress caused by the condition and help them lead a more positive life.

If your senior loved one finds ADLs too stressful due to their arthritis pain, it might be a good time to consider a part-time caregiver or skilled nurse to come and assist your senior on a semi-regular or as-needed basis. This may be a difficult conversation to have at first. Still, the following article provides some top tips to ensure effective communication with your senior around topics that are more sensitive.

Alternating hot and cold treatment

Heat treatments include:

  • starting the day with a warm bath or shower to relieve stiffness
  • placing a heating pad or hot water bottle on aching joints

People should limit cold treatments to 20 minutes at a time. These treatments include:

  • wrapping a bag of ice in a towel and applying it to painful areas
  • submerging the affected joint in ice water
  • using a cold pack

Regularly consult with your doctor

Recommendations from health care providers can motivate seniors to be physically active and join a self-management education program. Seniors with inflammatory arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis, have a better quality of life if they are diagnosed early, receive treatment, and learn how to manage their condition and pain.

OFSL-Blog-Ease-Arthritis-Pain-Inside-Image-3

How can Options for Senior Living help?

Remember that you can reach out to us at Options for Senior Living for a complimentary consultation with one of our local experts. We provide advice, guidance, and even a trusted referral to ensure you have complete peace of mind that your senior loved one is receiving the care and attention they deserve.






     



    Excellent
    Based on 37 reviews
    Sharon Boivin
    Sharon Boivin
    2022-07-21
    We needed immediate assistance with placing our family member into assisted living. The staff was amazing! Kim took down all the information and put us in touch with Tammy. She was so fast but yet very efficient in getting some tours set up right away. The process was so easy and effortless. We are so pleased! If you need help finding just the right place for your loved one, I highly recommend using Options for Senior Living. Both Tammy and Kim followed up with us to be sure everything went smoothly after placement. Thanks again Ladies for all your help!
    Daniel Tinlin
    Daniel Tinlin
    2022-07-16
    This is an outstanding placement service and they have gone above and beyond to assist me with appropriate placements for my mother as her needs changed. I highly recommend them.
    Diane Sepanski
    Diane Sepanski
    2022-07-08
    This is an essential service and so well done. Thank you so much.
    Dave Murray
    Dave Murray
    2022-07-07
    Working with Erica Martinez was amazing. She was extremely knowledgeable and quickly provided us with numerous options explaining the benefits of each. We picked a private room in a group home at a reasonable price. Prior to talking to her we were picturing having to go to the dreaded Skilled Nursing Homes... I am more than pleased and highly recommend you ask for her by name. Thank You Erica!!
    Tracy Martens
    Tracy Martens
    2022-07-06
    I wanted to take the time to tell you that Amanda is a great addition to the Options for Senior Living Team, I met her at a lunch and learn today at the doctors office I work for and she was very professional and knowledgeable and cannot wait to work more closely with her.
    Gregory Baisden
    Gregory Baisden
    2022-06-30
    Ramie provided assistance in the best possible way: expertly knowledgeable, expertly communicative, abundantly kind, entirely pleasant, deeply personable. All of these qualities joined with efficiency, responsiveness, and patience during a process made trying and difficult by health concerns and, admittedly, a fussy primary client, assured us an excellent result. We bless her heart, and thank heaven for her guidance, both crucial to our satisfaction.
    Jaime Ryum
    Jaime Ryum
    2022-06-30
    We have been blessed to work with Erica and have her help our patients find placement. She has such a kind heart and goes above and beyond!
    Pat Fox (Nanny)
    Pat Fox (Nanny)
    2022-06-10
    I needed help finding my stepmom a better safer living option when her dementia/alzheimers accelerated rapidly. Suncrest Hospice group recommended and put me in touch with Erica. Once I spoke with her about what I thought we should look for it was only a couple of days before she had a list of places for us to see. We found a great one in our first day! Erica has continued to provide support which I find invaluable. Highly recommend at least calling her and explaining your concerns for your loved one(s). You won't be disappointed!
    dennis clair
    dennis clair
    2022-05-23
    Scott helped my brother in law during an extremely difficult situation. Within a few days, Scott located the care facility, set up conference calls with the facility, the hospital and my brother on law to make sure everyone was satisfied the facility she was being placed met her needs. Scott and his team are amazing and there is no way we could have done this without him. Thank you so much!!

    How our service works

    Options for Senior Living is a referral service committed to placing your aging loved one in the best possible care for their needs. Since 2003, we have helped thousands of families find the right senior living community and care for their loved ones. Our Certified Placement Experts have years of experience and can provide localized expertise and referrals based on your area.

    All at no cost to you

    Our services are completely free of charge with no hidden fees. Guaranteed. We are paid by the facility you choose once you and your family have decided on the best option for your aging loved one. Our Certified Placement Experts are here to help.

    GIVE US A CALL TODAY

    602-845-1320

    how-our-service-works