What Are the Best Things You Can Do as a Family Caregiver for a Loved One with Arthritis?

Senior Care in Framingham MA

When you’re a family caregiver, you want what is best for your loved one, but you may not always be aware of everything that entails. Sometimes you need to do a little bit of research to figure out what your loved one needs most. A loved one with arthritis can have several issues impeding her progress.

Talk to Her Doctor about Diet, Exercise, and Other Factors

One of the first things that you can do for your elderly loved one as she struggles with arthritis is to take the time to talk with her doctor. He can help you to figure out a plan for her care, including changing up her diet, helping her to start exercising, and any other variables that might help. If your loved one is having any particular issues, such as sleeping well at night, make sure that you bring those up. They may be related to the arthritis or they may be a separate issue that requires different levels of management.

Check Her Home for Safety

If your elderly loved one’s home isn’t safe for her, then her arthritis is only going to complicate that issue. Make sure that you’ve looked at all of the major safety concerns, such as lighting, tripping hazards, and general security.

Something as simple as increasing the number of hand rails in her home or adding knob turners to all of her door knobs can make a huge difference for your elderly loved one’s safety and peace of mind. Talk with her about what she has trouble with to make sure that you don’t miss anything.

Make Assistive Devices Easy to Access

Your elderly loved one could have every assistive device known to medical science and yet if she can’t access them, they do her no good at all. If your loved one has an assistive device, such as a toilet riser, that isn’t in use, find out why. If it’s because she needs someone to install it for her, get on that. If she’s not using a device because it doesn’t feel right or it’s really not all that helpful, check the device for fit. In some instances, such as a cane or a walker, if the device isn’t adjusted properly, your loved one will have more difficulty. Work with her doctors and physical therapists to find the right solution for your elderly loved one.

Consider Non-Medical Caregivers for Extra Help

In some cases, your elderly loved one may need an extra set of hands when you can’t be there. That’s when non-medical caregivers can really make a huge difference for your elderly loved one. She may only need help once in a while when her arthritis is acting up or she may find that having someone there when you can’t be there solves all of her problems.

Take the time to really analyze your elderly loved one’s needs and what is currently working, and not working, for her.

Source
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/arthritis/home/ovc-20168903