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EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) -- Arthritis in seniors is no joking matter. Thats why Dr. Alicia Arnold talked to Courtney Everett about things older Americans can do around the home to help ease the pain. Their question and answer can be found below and you can watch the video above to learn more.

Dr. Alicia Arnold, The most common kind of arthritis in seniors is osteoarthritis, also called degenerative joint disease. Normally we have cartilage protecting our joints by acting as a cushion in between our bones. In osteoarthritis, our cartilage breaks down, resulting in pain and swelling. Osteoarthritis is most common in people older than 65. About half of people will get knee arthritis in their lives, and about 1 in 12 seniors have hand arthritis.

Arthritis is known for being painful.

Dr. Alicia Arnold, Arthritis is known for being uncomfortable, but one of the best ways to manage osteoarthritis is by staying active. Building muscles and stay flexible can help you be more comfortable. You can find ways to adjust your movements, such as pushing open doors with your shoulder or the sides of your arms.

Lets look at a few items youve brought in that may be helpful to anyone suffering from arthritis. Wed like to say thank you to Synergy Home Care, who contributed some of the ideas for these hacks.

Drinking glassesone lightweight and bumpy for gripping, --one with rubber band around it for grip

Gardening gloves with rubber coating to help open jars.

Foam hair roller over knife handle to help improve grip.

Round key rings or bobby pins or a paper clip through zipper pulls to help gripping zippers easier

Upside down ice cube tray to hold playing cards

Coffee mugpick your coffee mug up with two hands instead of using the handle. Similarly, pick a milk or juice jug up with both hands instead of using the handle.

Toilet cleaner tabletsanything you can use for pre-cleaning, like these automatic toilet bowl cleaner tablets or daily shower cleaner will lessen the amount you have to scrub and be easier on your joints

Scissorshaving scissors around will help you avoid ripping things open like a plastic bag or packet

Talk to us about arthritis and falls.

Dr. Alicia Arnold, Elderly adults with arthritis are more likely to have a fall injury than those without arthritis. Common places to fall include the bathroom and stairs. Slippery surfaces in the bathroom cause many falls. Grab bars and nonslip mats are helpful for the bathroom and you can consider using brightly colored tape along the edges of stairs to help seniors judge the distance and depth of the steps. You can also consider adding a second railing to the other side of the stairs to give seniors something else to hold onto.

See the original post:
Health Beat with Dr. Alicia Arnold: Arthritis Help - WEAU

This entry was posted on May 8, 2017 at 6:45 pm and is filed under Arthritis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed. |