Aging • Caregiving • Safety Understanding Arthritis: Symptoms, Types, and How In-Home Arthritis Care Can Help

Did you know that 1 in 4 adults have a type of arthritis?  

Arthritis is joint inflammation; joints are places where two bones meet, like your knee. Common symptoms of arthritis include pain, redness, heat, and swelling in your joints, according to the National Institutes of Health. 

Arthritis Foundation says the common arthritis symptoms include swelling, pain, stiffness and diminished range of motion in joints. The symptoms may come or go and they vary from mild to severe.  

 If seniors have arthritis, they may have chronic pain, difficulty performing daily activities and trouble walking and climbing stairs. 

 There are 6 main types of arthritis, according to the Arthritis Foundation: 

• • Osteoarthritis – most commonly associated with aging, it’s a “wear and tear disease” on the joints 
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis – an autoimmune condition that affects joints, organs and eyes 
  • Psoriatic Arthritis – an inflammatory autoimmune condition that typically occurs with psoriasis and attacks joints, internal organs and eyes 
  • Axial Spondyloarthritis — several inflammatory arthritis diseases that affect the spine  
  • Gout – an inflammatory type of arthritis causing sudden and intense attacks of pain in the joints 
  • Juvenile Arthritis – autoimmune diseases that affect joints, skin, eyes and internal organs   

How can in-home care help with arthritis? 

HouseWorks Caregivers can help ease the burden of living with arthritis in a number of ways. Because arthritis can make it more difficult for seniors to perform activities of daily living without pain, having reliable help at home can make it easier to age at home.  

Caregivers can help in a number of ways: 

• • Light housekeeping 
  • Grocery shopping and preparing arthritis-friendly meals 
  • Personal care, from a few hours a week to 24-hour and live-in care 

• • Help with showering and dressing 

• • Medication reminders 
  • Transportation to and from doctor’s appointments 
  • Assistance with range of motion exercises recommended by a licensed physical therapist 

• • Companionship and conversation to prevent social isolation 
  • Coordination for transitions to home after a hospital or rehabilitation stay 

• • Evaluating your home for safety and risk of falls 

 Why choose in-home arthritis care? 

• • Familiar surroundings are comforting and welcoming during physical changes 
  • Caregivers can monitor for any physical changes that could indicate a worsening condition 

• • Close monitoring can reduce the risk of falls 
  • Being around loved ones can provide motivation to complete rehabilitation activities 

 HouseWorks provides individual attention that helps seniors with arthritis live at home safely and comfortably. Call us today at 617-928-1010 or hit the request info button at the top of the page.