Does your elderly loved one have a family history of arthritis? If so, they have probably seen at least one family member struggle with this condition. It can be painful for the person who has it. Arthritis can lead to difficulty moving around, completing tasks, and even socializing. If your elderly loved one is trying to prevent arthritis, there are some tips that you should share with them to help.
Weight Management is Crucial
One way that your elderly loved one can lower their risk of arthritis is through weight management. Research shows that when someone is overweight or obese, the extra weight puts strain on the joints and bones. When this becomes a chronic problem, the strain can lead to arthritis.
If your elderly loved one is overweight or obese, you and elder care providers should help them to make a weight management plan. The first step is to find out how much your elderly loved one should weigh. Then, you can assist them in making small goals from there to achieve their goal weight. Even losing 5 pounds to start can make a huge difference on releasing some stress from the joints.
Staying Safe from Injuries
Is your elderly loved one usually active? Maybe they like to walk outdoors. If this is the case, that is great. However, elderly people are much more likely to fall than younger adults. For this reason, you or an elder care provider may want to be with your elderly loved one when they are being quite active such as during their walks or when they are exercising. This way, you can help to lower their risk of falling and getting injured. If your elderly loved one can stay safe from injuries, they can keep their bones and joints stronger. The stronger these are, the less likely they will be to get arthritis.
Limit Repetitive Activities
Research also shows that repetitive activities can lead to arthritis. For example, does your elderly loved one play computer games that involve them having to tap keys over and over again. If this is the case and your elderly loved one plays them often, it could lead to arthritis in their hands. This is not to say that they shouldn’t or can’t play these games at all. However, they should be done in short time frames and not every day.
Conclusion
Is your elderly loved one trying to prevent arthritis? If so, the tips here today can be a great start to help lower their risk of getting arthritis. Keep in mind that with many of these tips, you or elder care providers may need to be around to help your elderly loved one.
Sources
https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/index.htm
