Can Arthritis Be Prevented?

Senior Care in Sauk Centre MN: Can Arthritis Be Prevented?

Arthritis is a common ailment, affecting over 50 million adults in the United States. It causes painful joints and can make doing many daily tasks difficult if not impossible. In fact, it is the number one cause of disability in America. Symptoms of arthritis include stiff joints, swelling, pain, and reduced range of motion. Unfortunately, there is not a 100 percent fool-proof way to prevent arthritis. However, experts say there are ways that to reduce arthritis risks and delay the onset of some kinds of arthritis. If you’re concerned about arthritis affecting your parent’s quality of life, read on to find out how you and your parent’s senior care provider may be able to help your parent keep their bones and joints healthy.

What Can Be Changed?

Some of the risk factors for arthritis are things you cannot change. For example, a family history of arthritis is one of the risk factors, but there’s nothing you can do about the past. Being female and advanced age are also non-modifiable risk factors. However, risk factors you can help your parent to control are:

• Weight: Excess weight puts added stress on the bones and joints and is associated with the onset of osteoarthritis in the knees.
• Injury: Injuries to joints can set them up for arthritis pain later. Although you cannot change injuries your parent may have suffered in the past, you can help them to prevent future injuries.

Five Ways to Promote Bone and Joint Health

In addition to reducing risk factors, doctors have determined that there are some lifestyle and dietary changes that can help keep bones and joints healthy. Here are five ways you can help your parent make some bone and joint friendly changes:

1. Serve Fish: Research has shown that people who eat omega-3 rich fish, like salmon and trout, are at a reduced risk for rheumatoid arthritis. Try adding fish to your parent’s meal plan twice per week. If your parent has difficulty cooking, a senior care provider can prepare meals for them.
2. Encourage Proper Lifting: Improper lifting not only could cause your parent to injure themselves, over time, it could also cause arthritis by wearing down cartilage. Remind your parent to use their legs to lift instead of their back.
3. Promote Physical Activity: Exercise can help your parent to drop excess pounds, thus reducing one of the risk factors. In addition, it helps build up the muscles that support joints. If your parent is reluctant to exercise because they fear injury, a senior care provider’s presence can help relieve some of that fear. If your parent is interested in taking a fitness class, a senior care provider can drive them to the class.
4. Prevent Falls: Since injury is one of the risk factors for arthritis, preventing injuries due to falls will reduce their risk. Look around your parent’s house and remove or repair fall hazards like uneven surfaces, throw rugs, and clutter in walkways.
5. Increase Hydration: One of the major components of the cartilage in joints is water. When the body does not have enough water, cartilage becomes drier and more susceptible to damage.

Although you can’t necessarily prevent arthritis, helping your parent to take care of their bones and joints can reduce their risks and slow the onset of arthritis. If your parent should develop arthritis, hiring a senior care provider to assist them with daily tasks that may become difficult, such as
dressing, cooking, and cleaning, will make their lives easier and allow them to live independently for longer.

Sources
http://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/understanding-arthritis/arthritis-prevention.php
http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/arthritis-prevention
https://www.everydayhealth.com/arthritis/ways-to-help-prevent-arthritis-in-women.aspx
http://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/understanding-arthritis/what-is-arthritis.php
https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/basics/risk-factors.htm

If you or an aging loved-one are considering in-home senior care in Sauk Centre, MN, please contact the caring staff at Alternative Senior Care today. Providing Home Care in Central Minnesota and Surrounding Communities. Call us Today (320) 352-3350.