Rachel made her weekly visit to see her mother Emily. While everything in the house appeared the same as Rachel’s last visit, Emily did not. Rachel noticed her mother moving about more gingerly than she remembered, with slight grimacing when performing simple tasks like turning a doorknob or writing in her journal. Even stretching to put dishes into the cabinet seemed to put a strain on her mom. When Rachel asked her mom of her condition, Emily just brushed it off as “getting old.” Still, Rachel was worried about her mother.
Initial signs of arthritis
Rachel does not yet know, but her mother Emily is exhibiting a few of the early signs of arthritis. Arthritis is a chronic inflammation of one or more joints in the body. It affects over 28 million people in the United States, more than have of whom are elders over the age of 65. Its most common forms are osteoarthritis, which occurs through the normal wear-and-tear of cartilage in the joints; and rheumatoid arthritis, a disease that attacks cartilage and bone in a joint. Symptoms of arthritis can vary from person to person and in severity. When identified, arthritis can be treated by a physician and/or through exercise.
Early signs of arthritis include:
Fatigue: Feeling tired is a symptom that can be brushed off as a poor night of sleep or being over-extended during the day. It can also mark the onset of arthritis.
Joint stiffness and swelling: Joint stiffness can occur naturally due to poor sleep positioning, or inadequate body posture or support, but usually starts in the hands when associated with arthritis. Swelling indicates an inflammation of the joints that can vary in length.
Numbness and Tingling: Swelling due to arthritis can affect nerves leading to numbness and tingling in the hands or feet. Another name for this symptom is carpal tunnel syndrome.
Limited range of motion: As arthritis progresses, elders may experience a decrease in their range of motion to the point where it becomes difficult to fully extend some joints.
Elder care can be helpful for those with an onset of arthritis.
The next week Rachel accompanied her mother to a doctor’s appointment where Emily was diagnosed with the inception of arthritis. The doctor gave Emily suggestions on low impact exercises she could do at home to help loosen her joints and reduce potential inflammation. Rachel asked what she could do to help her mother manage the arthritis. The doctor recommended that elder care could help with some of these tasks.
Help with household tasks: Sweeping, dusting, and other household chores require varying amounts of bending, stretching, and turning. This can be problematic for someone with arthritis. Caregivers are proactive in completing these tasks when a senior cannot.
Meal preparation: Food preparation requires a level of dexterity those with arthritis may no struggle with or may no longer have. Elder care providers can cook for their aged loved ones or prepare meals to be microwaved with the push of one button.
Create an arthritis-friendly home: With range of motion limited, a caregiver can place important items within arms’ length or waist height and remove tripping hazards to ensure continued safety.
Provide mental support: Arthritis can be a life changing disability. Knowing there is a support system in place may make the transitions easier for seniors.
Rachel was happy to know that supporting her mother’s arthritis also meant she could spend more time with her. Even though Emily was still an independent senior, Rachel’s and an elder care providers help would prove valuable in keeping the symptoms of arthritis manageable.