Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Coping with Joint Problems in Seniors

Aging can come with aches and pains, especially if your older loved one has arthritis or other joint conditions. But there are many ways you can help them maintain their independence and live more comfortably. By putting emphasis on senior health care, you can assist your older parent, family member, or friend in managing their joint pain and continuing to enjoy the activities they love. Consider these key tips in assisting your loved one in maintaining a more comfortable, enjoyable lifestyle.
Medications. If your relative or friend is prescribed medications, specifically for a joint condition, take special care to ensure they are following the prescription instructions. Taking medications as prescribed can help reduce the pain. If your loved one only takes their medication when they are in pain, they may not be receiving the full effects of the prescription. Rather than taking on an as-needed basis, consider talking to them about taking the medication as directed. Some medicines need to be taken regularly to reduce the burden of pain and avoid exposing your loved one to more discomfort than necessary. 
Heat or cold packs. Depending on your loved one’s individual condition, a heat or cold pack may be able to provide a certain level of relief from joint pain. Talk with your loved one and his or her doctor about alternating between heat and cold applications. In many cases, this routine offers more relief and can be better tailored to individual needs.
Modifying activities. When joint pain strikes, your loved one may not be able to do the activities that they want or need to do. You can help provide senior care by assisting them in these activities or by finding ways to modify them. For example, if going up or down stairs has become too difficult, consider looking into stair lift rentals to make moving around the house easier. In other cases, arthritic hands might make it difficult to open door knobs or turn on light switches. There are many great aging-in-place alternatives like lever doorknobs and rocking light switches that can make it simpler to get around the house without overexerting joints. 
Diet. For some people, their weight might be worsening their joint conditions. Putting too much pressure on joints makes the body work harder to do simple activities, as extra weight can strain the joints. Consider if your loved one might benefit from a modified diet. Talk with them and their doctor about possible dietary changes your loved one can make to help relieve pressure on their joints and alleviate pain. 
Exercise. Like diet, changing an exercise routine should always be done under the care of a physician. In some cases, a physical activity routine might be able to help relieve pain. By building up muscle strength, your loved one may be able to reduce the pressure that is put on their joints. Stronger muscles can better support the body, meaning joints can work more efficiently and with much less stress.
Having joint pain doesn’t mean your older loved one has to stop doing the things they love. While some activities may need to be reduced or modified, there are many ways you can help a family member or friend continue to do their favorite hobbies, maintain their independence, and enjoy a more fulfilling lifestyle. 

41 comments:

  1. My grandfather has recently begun to have sever joint pain. He moves a lot slower, and needs help with more things. We're thinking about getting a home care service for him, that way he's got the help he needs, and we can still work things out with our kids. http://www.alliancehome-careservices.com/home.html

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  2. These tips are great. My dad's arthritis has been acting up a lot over the past two months. The pain has increases and he cannot move as well as he use to. I do not have time during the day to make sure that he does everything on this list. I will have to hire a senior care service to help me out. http://comforcare.com/pennsylvania/lowerbucks

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  3. My grandpa is getting his hip replaced soon. I have a 70's era home that has the one step down into each room of the house. How can I make my grandfather's senior care more bearable?

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  4. I tell my grandma all of the time that she shouldn't live at home by herself because there would be no one there to assist her if she got injured. Maybe if she looked into living at a senior care she would realize how much safer it would be for her. This would be convenient for family members to visit her and not have to worry about her getting hurt.

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  5. Thanks for such types of ideas and precautions regarding our senior health problems. I am very glad and these gentle got ideas.
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  6. These joint pains are common in most seniors and an effective pain management is crucial for caring the elderly. Especially when they start feeling pain they will find difficulty in enjoying their life and this slowly tends them to depression or any other mental pressure. I know some assisted living communities who cares these kind of people in well manner and they are pretty sure on not to make these people disappointed.

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  8. I think senior care is important. I know it's hard for older people knowing they don't have the strength they used too but it'll keep them safe. I hope I can do that for my dad. http://www.comforcare.com/new-jersey/southern-middlesex-county

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  9. I am excited to see what this new senior care is going to offer my grandma. I sure hope that it won't be too much more expensive. I hear that is has a hot tub there. http://www.comforcare.com/pennsylvania/montgomery-county

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  10. Heat and cold packs help so much. My mother needs ice packs for her hips, and they help so much! It definitely offers relief and helps them from day to day.

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  11. I had no idea diet could affect joint pain. My grandma has a lot of trouble with her fingers these days-- do you think it's affected by the amount of caffeine she drinks? I wouldn't want to bring up the question if I weren't more sure that it was a cause.

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  12. Life is rarest thing in the world. Care and love make the life beautiful. People realize life when they need a care and look for lift and expect to stay with them through everything. We wanted to be with the people who wants care and wanted to see the happiness in their faces.


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  13. I am so worried about my mother. She is getting so old and she is living at my house and with me and my wife working I am worried something is going to happen to her while I am gone. I am looking in to an assisted living program but they are so expensive. http://comforcare.com/north-carolina/north-wake-county

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  14. I think that senior care is great. A lot of the time, the kids are extremely busy, and it'd be great if someone could really give them the proper attention they need. I think that it'd be a really rewarding job. http://comforcare.com/north-carolina/north-wake-county

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  15. Thank You for taking time to writing this blog. Very interesting tips that those who want to prefer a homecare services.

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  16. Thanks for the great information. I'll have to show this to my grandfather, because over the past few years he's been having some serious joint pain. I bet this would really help him out.
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  17. We have been debating about sending my grandmother into a care center or have someone come to her house. The consensus ended up being to hire a home care service for now. Grandma seems to be okay with it and it is really helpful for the family.

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  18. My grandma has arthritis, and if she'd lose some weight, she'd be in less pain. We can't get her to change her diet though. Do you have any tips on helping her make the transition to healthier foods?

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  21. I think that keeping the elderly active is something that also improves their quality of life much more than other things that can be done. It's great to see a group of seniors who are out exploring on a field trip together. Being stuck in their room all day shouldn't be an option. http://www.comforcare.com/california/roseville

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  22. Senior care is really important. I really like this post because it gives me tips to help my ailing mother. One day we will have to put her in a care center, but for now, I can do the best that I can.
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  23. My brothers and I are looking into putting our mom into a nursing home, or getting in-home care. There are so many options, so we don't know what to do. I really like this list of things that we should look for. They are very clear, which is exactly what we need!

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  24. I've been taking care of my mom for a few years now. She just started having these joint problems and I wasn't really sure how to treat them. It sounds like there are quite a few solutions that I haven't tried yet. She could probably use some more exercise. That's why I'd rather her have in-home care instead of a nursing home as well. She'll be able to get up and move around. http://www.inyourhomecares.com

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  25. Wonderful article. I think you are correct in many respects because according to my experience, at one stage after age 50 people got problems relatedto their health. At age 50 people need care, attention etc. I read your article, you give the excellent tips. Keep it up Todd. Saskatoon insurance

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  26. It can be really difficult to have to deal with something like this. My grandma has struggled with all of these issues for years, and sometimes it seems like she's always going to have a difficult life. I wish she would try to help herself though. She thinks that she's permanently hurt, and doesn't do anything to help herself. I know that if she just did some of these exercises it would help her immensely.
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  27. It can be really difficult to have to deal with something like this. My grandma has struggled with all of these issues for years, and sometimes it seems like she's always going to have a difficult life. I wish she would try to help herself though. She thinks that she's permanently hurt, and doesn't do anything to help herself. I know that if she just did some of these exercises it would help her immensely.
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  28. Thank you for adding your information. After reading this, I can help my grandfather, who is suffering from joint pain for long time. His weight is normal and he always prefers an evening walk with our dog. Still, I would love to share this information with him. He is likewise suffering from memory loss and so we prefer him a nursing home in Spokane ( http://www.prestigecare.com/index.php ) I think, with their interactive events and care, he would be better at this age.

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