Blog > Four Things to Remember about Dealing with Arthritis

Four Things to Remember about Dealing with Arthritis

Your senior can manage arthritis, even really severe cases of arthritis, by developing a care plan. There are a lot of factors that can go into this plan and some of them might take her a little by surprise. Your senior doesn’t have to do all of this by herself. Her medical team, you, and other people can all be there for her every step of the way.

Her Doctor’s Care Plan Is about Helping Her to Be as Comfortable as Possible

Your senior’s doctor may have given her a care plan that your elderly family member finds frustrating. It might involve adding exercise to her routine, changing her diet, or taking medications. She might not want to do some of these things. If those things don’t work for her after she tries them, she and her doctor can change the care plan. But she needs to follow the plan as closely as possible, especially at first, to see if she can get any relief.

Learn Tips and Tricks from Other People

A lot of people in the world are dealing with arthritis. Your senior may feel right now as if she’s completely on her own. But she doesn’t have to be. Joining support groups and talking to other people who are dealing with arthritis can be a huge help. They can teach her what they’ve done and experienced that’s provided relief. Eventually she might find herself doing the same for someone else.

Assess What’s Working and What Isn’t

Over time it’s important to take a look at what is working and what isn’t. Slow and careful changes to her daily lifestyle and to other habits her doctor has recommended can give her real benefits without leaving her feeling frustrated by rapid changes. Hang onto the changes and the solutions that are working for her and release the ones that aren’t working.

Employ Conservation of Energy More Often

Some days are going to be better than others for your senior. Some days she may have all of the energy and the range of motion that she needs to tackle everything that she wants to do. Other days might not go as well. Having someone she can rely on, like elder care providers, allows your senior to conserve the energy that she does have on any given day to do what she’s able to do.

Your senior doesn’t have to go through this alone. Having an arthritis management plan that’s effective for her can take some trial and error, but it’s definitely possible.

If you are considering elder care in Kettering, OH, for an aging loved one, please contact the caring staff at Touching Hearts At Home of Dayton today at 937-558-9394.