If your patient is suffering from arthritis, it certainly does not hurt you to know a few suggestions from medical professionals’ experience of providing proper care.
Arthritis has a detrimental effect on the musculoskeletal system and can become an insurmountable obstacle, even with fine motor skills. Keep in mind that your main task is to help the elderly person remain independent and reduce internal tension due to a complex physical condition.
Understand Senior’s Condition
Try to learn more about the type of arthritis and other features of the condition to better understand your patient. For example, a person may suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. This adversely affects the movement of the arms and upper limbs of the body. You may need to help with even minor tasks such as taking medication or opening a bottle of juice.
Try to Maintain a Conversation More Often
Don’t focus on talking about arthritis or a patient’s severe condition. Try to distract an older person with an informative story from your life. Nothing prevents you from learning exciting facts from the patient’s life or asking advice on an important issue.
Feel free to share your feelings. In this way, you provide care and attention to a person who is in dire need of emotional support.
Don’t Be Too Persistent
Some arthritic patients struggle to prove their independence and refuse the help of their caregivers. You may find that helping with walking or other tasks would be appropriate. However, this is not always the case.
Therefore, try to find out what tasks an elderly person can solve independently and remain functional and independent, and where your help will be indispensable.
Help Control Medication
In some cases, arthritis treatment involves the systematic administration of medication. If your patient has difficulty adhering to the dosage or timing of medication, then the medication reminders are on you. Remember that experienced caregivers always keep track of the patient’s medication and follow a precise schedule.
Use Effective Exercise Complex
Some exercises are great for people with arthritis. Smooth movements not only help lubricate joints but can also strengthen various muscle groups. This is an excellent opportunity to improve the functionality of an elderly person with arthritis.
Finally, remember that there are times when your care and help are genuinely irreplaceable and times when seniors want to act on their own. Be flexible in your daily home care and provide emotional support for your patients.