Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the more complicated, and yet very common, maladies that impacts senior citizens. RA is a chronic disorder, characterized by inflammation in the joints. There’s no cure for the disease, but there are many different ways to treat it, all of which have various impacts on different people. If RA is a problem for you or someone you love, be sure to see a doctor first to see what advice they have as far as treatment goes. From here, you can start investigating other techniques that may bring relief.
The hands, and specifically the fingers, are one of the most heavily impacted areas of the body. The inflammation can lead to stiffness, clumsiness, and eventually, deformity within the hands. This can make dexterity almost impossible, and that breeds its own set of problems for seniors. There are a few tricks that you can take advantage of to help alleviate these symptoms, but heating packs (not too hot!) have been shown to help loosen up joints and make it easier for people to regain some use of their hands. Tylenol can also help reduce the inflammation and take away some pain.
If you are going to use acetaminophen for yourself or an elderly loved one, it’s important that you consult a doctor first, especially if that medication is going to be used on a prolonged basis. For most people, this over the counter prescription causes little to no complications, but it is smart to check first, just in case. As we age, medications and the side effects that they may present become more drastic in their impact over time.
Many seniors benefit from an extra set of hands around the house, especially if they are beginning to show signs of RA taking a negative toll on their quality of life. An in-home care service can be of great help here. Not only are in-home care professionals helpful when it comes to getting simple tasks around the house completed, they can increase the safety of your loved one. Caregivers should be fully trained when it comes to basic emergency actions, whether it be that they slip and fall while bathing, they suffer from a stroke or heart attack, or some other accident. This is a valuable tool to have at your disposal for the health of the people that you love.
What’s more, a trained caregiver provides companionship. No one likes to sit around the house by themselves all day, and if this is the situation that your parent or grandparent finds themselves in, then there is a chance that their mental health could be impacted. Having a caregiver in the house gives them someone to talk to, and eventually, it gives them a new trusted friend. This in itself is a wonderful thing, and the importance of these types of relationships cannot be overstated. It warrants a whole series of articles unto itself, but it is just one additional benefit that comes along with a trained caregiver becoming a part of your family.
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