By following their doctor’s advice for managing rheumatoid arthritis (RA), your aging relative is already doing a lot to relieve pain and retain mobility. The good news is that there’s a lot more than just taking medications that can reduce pain from RA and improve the quality of the older adult’s life. Below are two healthy habits that you and your senior home care provider can do to help make life with RA better.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Following a healthy diet can help with RA in many ways. The nutrients in foods support the health of muscles, bones, and joints, which can keep joints healthier longer. Certain foods can even help to reduce inflammation in joints. In addition, by eating healthy foods, people with RA can help to maintain a healthy weight or lose weight to take some of the pressure off their joints.
One healthy habit that the Arthritis Foundation recommends people with RA adapt in regard to the way they eat is to eat breakfast at home. Experts say that starting the day with a meal at a restaurant that is more likely to be high in calories and fat starts the day off on the wrong foot and increases the likelihood that the senior will make more unhealthy choices throughout the day.
A senior care provider can prepare healthy meals, including breakfast, for your aging relative that focus on vegetables, whole grains, and fruits as well as good sources of protein like fish.
Be Wise About Activity
Exercise is important for keeping joints healthy and the muscles that support them strong. Exercise can also help with weight loss. By staying active, your aging relative will prevent or lengthen the time they have before the disability.
While it’s important for seniors with RA to exercise, it’s also important that they be wise about their activity. Getting enough rest is also important to joint health. Older adults should take breaks throughout the day and think about ways they can conserve energy and be easier on their joints. For example, instead of making multiple trips upstairs to put things away, place a basket at the foot of the stairs and place items in it throughout the day. Make just one trip to put items away.
Senior home care can help older adults to conserve energy, too. By having a senior care provider assist with the more strenuous tasks involved in keeping the house clean, your aging relative can save their strength and energy for doing more of the things they enjoy.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Senior Home Care in Litchfield Park, AZ, please contact the caring staff at Blessings for Seniors Companion Care at (623) 594-0819
Sources
https://www.webmd.com/rheumatoid-arthritis/ss/slideshow-you-and-ra
Blessings for Seniors makes it possible for older adults to enjoy the comforts of their own home for as long as possible. We offer a customized care plan that includes services such as; Hourly Senior Home Care, 24-Hour Home Care, Dementia Care, Personal Care and Companion Care. Also ask us about our Veterans’ Home Care program.
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