Unfortunately, arthritis is a common malady among the elderly. It can range from causing minor pain that makes some activities more difficult to perform to becoming so overwhelming, it impacts a person’s ability to manage their daily living activities on their own. A helping hand from a home care provider can support your loved one’s desire to remain independent.
Many seniors don’t talk a lot about arthritic pain for several reasons. They may not want to be a burden to those around them; they might be scared that if they tell family members about it, they’ll lose some of their freedom, or they might just think it’s a standard part of growing old and thus doesn’t need discussion. No matter why your loved one doesn’t talk about it, watching it impact her life and affect the quality of it can be hard for a caregiver.
Symptoms of Arthritis
Arthritis can occur in just about any part of the body that has a joint. For some individuals, it will only affect one area of their body, like their hands or their back. For others, arthritis slowly begins to affect all of the joints, making many movements painful or downright impossible.
While the symptoms vary based upon where the arthritis is located, general symptoms you may notice as a caregiver include:
- Swollen and tender joints.
- Enflamed joint areas. They may feel warm to the touch or appear red or pink.
- Grimacing or groaning when trying to perform certain activities indicates that the area of the body is sore and painful.
- Avoiding certain activities that have become too difficult to perform.
- A change in daily habits because of the limitations arthritis is putting on them. Your loved one may no longer buy button-up shirts, or has stopped chopping up vegetables for a midday snack, because those activities are too painful to perform.
- An inability to move like she used to. Your loved one may walk more slowly, turn her head more slowly, or wash her hands more gently.
It’s Okay to Ask about It
Even if your loved one isn’t sharing with you how she feels or what her pain levels are at, it’s okay to gently ask how she’s doing and how she’s managing her daily living. She might worry that you are looking for an excuse to restrict what she does, but with gentle reassurance, you can help her see you want to find resources for your loved one to help her stay independent without always being in pain. By knowing what parts of her body are most affected, you can help her find the help she needs.
Finding Resources to Help Your Loved One With Arthritis
While you might be able to help her in some areas, it can become overwhelming if you are trying to do too much. When that happens, a trained home care agency can be just what your loved one needs to help her manage her days while living with arthritis.
A home care provider can assist her in areas that are difficult for her because of the arthritis. Home care providers can assist with daily care activities like combing her hair, getting dressed, and bathing. They can also step in and help in the kitchen if your loved one’s arthritis is making preparing a meal difficult. When arthritis interferes with driving abilities, home care providers can help with transportation needs.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Home Care Services in Massapequa, NY, please contact the caring staff at Star Multi Care today. Call (631) 424-7827
Star Multi Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving Long Island and NYC, including Dix Hills, Floral Park, Great Neck, Huntington, Manhasset, Massapequa, Northport, Plainview, Rockville Center, Stony Brook, Suffolk County, Nassau County, and Queens County.
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