In-Home Care Leader Offers Suggestions for Managing Arthritis

Your doctor is your best source of medical advice regarding arthritis. However, from our work with seniors as a leading provider of in-home care, we have seen how self-care strategies can help minimize the effects of the condition.

Great Ways to Keep Arthritis at Bay

Use these proven tips to help keep your arthritis in check:

  • Stay active. Regular movement and stretching help increase flexibility and decrease pain and stiffness. Gentle activities like walking, swimming, yoga and tai chi can provide relief without placing excessive strain on your joints.
  • Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese can exacerbate arthritis, especially in knees and ankles.
  • Use cold and heat as needed. Placing a cold pack on an arthritic joint can help to minimize pain and swelling by constricting blood vessels. Heat serves the same purpose by relaxing muscles and decreasing the tension in and around a joint. Be sure to apply cold or heat at appropriate levels and for short intervals.
  • Consume the right fats. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish may help reduce pain and inflammation. Saturated fats in foods like butter and fatty red meats have the opposite effect and should be avoided.
  • Practice relaxation techniques. Meditation and other intentional relaxation methods can reduce overall tension in the body, which helps decrease pain.
  • Wear the right shoes. Flat, flexible shoes are ideal for people who have arthritis in their knees, ankles or feet. High heels, shoes or boots that come to a point and many athletic shoes may not provide the kind of support that seniors need.

In-Home Care from Seniors Who Understand Life’s Challenges

At Seniors Helping Seniors, our caregivers understand what the people they visit are going through. Sharing their own experiences with things like arthritis self-care can encourage other seniors to do the same for themselves. It’s one of the many ways that caring and compassionate in-home care can make a difference.

Contact us today to learn more about our offerings in a free consultation! We’re honored to provide quality care for seniors by seniors in Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Johnstown, Berthoud, Ault, Firestone, Wellington, Windsor, Frederick, Firestone, Laporte and surrounding areas.