FAQs About Arthritis in Aging Adults

Posted in Arthritis, Home Care in Ozark AL, Home Health Care in Ozark AL, Senior Care in Ozark AL, Senior Health |

July 16, 2018

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Affecting millions of elderly adults across the United States, arthritis is one of the most common diseases around. Characterized by stiff and painful joints, arthritis is definitely a condition that most people are familiar with. If you are a family caregiver that looks after an aging relative with arthritis, you should learn everything you can about the condition so that you can help them manage it effectively.

 

Home Health Care in Ozark AL: Arthritis in Aging Adults

Home Health Care in Ozark AL: Arthritis in Aging Adults

 

Here are some frequently asked questions about arthritis in aging adults that can help you become more familiar about the disease and some of the most effective management strategies:

 

Q: What exactly is arthritis?

A: Arthritis describes more than 100 different joint-related conditions. Arthritis relates to stiffness, swelling, and pain in the joints, the cushioned areas where bones come together. Arthritis ranges from mild to severe and generally progresses over many years.

 

Q: What causes arthritis?

A: There is no known cause of arthritis, although there are many risk factors that may increase the likelihood that someone would develop it. Risk factors include age, obesity, genetic and family history, previous injury to bones and joints and bone abnormalities. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for arthritis.

 

Q: How does arthritis affect aging adults?

A: Arthritis usually starts out mild with light pain and swelling. It may affect an elderly person’s ability to do some basic tasks, such as open cans or write. As the disease progresses, aging adults may be limited physically in what they can do, such as clean the house, prepare meals, drive and get dressed. Many families hire senior care providers to help their relatives with arthritis accomplish daily tasks.

 

Q: How is arthritis treated?

A: Seniors should talk about a treatment plan with their doctor. They usually recommend anti-inflammatory medicine, pain relievers and any other drugs that may help with the symptoms. Lifestyle changes like a healthy diet and regular exercise can also help an elderly person’s body live with arthritis.

 

Q: What can seniors do to minimize the symptoms?

A: Seniors can maintain a proper weight and exercise. Experts agree that those are some of the best things that can be done to minimize the impact of arthritis. Massage, physical therapy, heat treatments and even acupuncture may also help elderly adults live better with arthritis.

 

Q: How can family caregivers help?

A: Managing arthritis isn’t easy and family caregivers can play a big part in minimizing the effects of arthritis in their elderly loved ones. Besides being on hand to help them with day to day tasks, family caregivers can ensure they have proper senior care providers in place when they are needed. Keeping up with regular doctor appointments is critical in keeping arthritis under control.

 

Q: Can seniors still have a good quality of life with arthritis?

A: Yes, aging adults can still live the kind of life they’ve always wanted with arthritis. Many people find the balance of senior care assistance, medicine, exercise, diet, and more to enjoy aging in their own home and doing what they want, despite their arthritis.

 

If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Health Care in Ozark, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

How Routines Can Help with Lewy Body Dementia

Posted in Home Care in Ozark AL |

June 7, 2017

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Home Care in Ozark AL: How Routines Can Help with Lewy Body Dementia

Home Care in Ozark AL: How Routines Can Help with Lewy Body Dementia

Lewy body dementia (LBD) is a challenging condition for both the person who has been diagnosed with it and for their caregivers. One of the things that makes LBD so difficult is that the patient may have differences in cognitive function from one day to the next. In addition, their physical abilities can change with no notice. This makes the tasks associated with daily living, such as dressing, bathing, eating, etc., exceedingly difficult to plan for and carry out.

The Importance of Routine

Sticking to a daily routine can make life easier and more meaningful for a person with LBD. This is because following a routine involves habits that the person has formed over years, and habit memory sometimes stays with a person longer than other memories. For example, if your dad always walked down to the mailbox at 11 a.m. each day to get the mail, he should be allowed to continue to do that even if he needs supervision from you or a home care provider to ensure he is safe. Following a daily routine can help give your parent a sense of purpose and help to maintain their dignity.

As your parent changes due to the progression of LBD, maintaining a routine in actions as well as in where things are placed in the home can make them feel more secure. Sometimes people with LBD find a simpler, quieter life easier and more peaceful. It may be necessary to limit the amount of stimulation your parent encounters, such as too many people visiting at one time or situations that may be loud or busy.

Establishing a Routine

The people who know your parent best, namely family members and close friends, are probably the best sources for determining what your parent’s normal daily routine looks like. It may be helpful to observe daily routines before the disease progresses to a point where your parent is severely debilitated. You may find it helpful to write down a schedule that can be passed on to other family caregivers and professional home care providers. The daily routine should include things like:

  • Personal Hygiene: People follow certain patterns surrounding the way they take care of themselves. Some people may prefer to shower in the morning, and others at night. Perhaps your parent likes to eat breakfast in their pajamas and then wash and dress.
  • Dressing: If clothing and personal appearance have always been important to your parent, allow them to continue to have some say in what they wear. You may find it helpful to limit clothing options by giving your parent a choice between just a few outfits.
  • Household Chores: If your mom has always kept a certain day of the week as “laundry day,” continue to honor that tradition. You may wish to ask her home care provider to help her do laundry on that day, even if it means that she simply hands clothing out of a basket to the home care provider to put into the washer.

Family caregivers and home care providers will find it necessary to make some changes to routines as the disease progresses. It will probably become necessary to simplify some tasks as the capabilities of your parent change, but keeping to a routine can still be comforting and may make the job of all caregivers involved easier.

If you or an aging loved-one are considering home care in Ozark, AL, please contact the caring staff at Wiregrass HomeCare today. Call us at 334-539-5900.

Sources

https://www.lbda.org/content/understanding-behavioral-changes-dementia

https://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/lewy-body-dementia/caring-person-lewy-body-dementia

https://www.lbda.org/node/1308

https://www.lbda.org/node/203#Using_Routines