More than a million seniors live with rheumatoid arthritis or RA. RA primarily affects joints in the fingers, hands, and feet, but as it progresses, it can affect other joints as well. RA causes the lining of joints to become inflamed, causing pain, stiffness, and eventually immobility. Seniors who have RA can often live independently as they get older, but they may need help with activities of daily living from personal care at home providers in order to be safe at home.
Some of the things that can help your mom or dad continue living in their own home if they have RA are:
Personal Care At Home
Personal care at home is specialty care for seniors that have a hard time doing everyday tasks like washing their face, showering, getting dressed, or getting in and out of bed safely. With personal care at home services, seniors who have RA can get the support they need to brush their teeth, shower, get dressed, and safely get in and out of bed each day.
Assistive Devices
Assistive devices and equipment can help seniors do daily tasks safely and without making their pain worse. Devices like voice-activated assistants, smart plugs for appliances, electric jar openers, grab bars, elevated toilet seats, and rolling carts for moving things can help your mom or dad safely maintain their usual lifestyle at home.
Medication
There are medications that can help seniors relieve pain and stiffness during an RA flare-up. But it’s important to make sure that their medication is managed properly. A personal care at home provider can make sure that your senior parent’s medications are ready to go when they need them. And, they can ensure that your mom or dad takes the medication as prescribed.
Exercise and Physical Therapy
Occupational therapy and physical therapy can help seniors with RA work on increasing their flexibility, maintaining their mobility, and improving their grip strength. Both occupational therapy and physical therapy can be done at home.
A personal care at home provider can help your mom or dad go through their prescribed exercises each day so that they have as much mobility and flexibility as possible.
Home Modifications
If your senior parent wants to continue living at home, you may need to make changes to the home environment to enhance accessibility and safety, such as removing tripping hazards, improving lighting, and organizing frequently used items within easy reach.
Healthy Lifestyle and Self-Care
One of the best things seniors can do to manage RA is to prioritize a healthy lifestyle. Eating an anti-inflammatory diet, doing gentle stretches to move as much as possible, getting enough sleep, and managing stress can all help keep RA flares to a minimum.
It’s strongly recommended that seniors with RA have some type of home care. A personal care at home provider is a great support for seniors to have so that they won’t struggle to do things like make meals, shop, get dressed, or do other household tasks.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Personal Care at Home in Darien, CT, please contact the caring staff at Connecticut Nursing Services today. 203-730-2739
