How a Caregiver Can Help Those with Arthritis
Arthritis impacts one’s daily life greatly, especially as their signs and symptoms begin to worsen.
For an individual with arthritis, tasks that once were menial or mindless may suddenly be painful and unachievable. Suddenly, an individual’s daily activities are impacted and heavily influenced by arthritis, such as walking, bathing, housework, eating, preparing meals, etc. An in-home caregiver can help those who are impacted by arthritis, allowing them to feel as back to normal as possible.
How Can a Caregiver Help?
An in-home caregiver can help individuals who suffer from arthritis feel as though they can accomplish their daily goals and activities, giving them freedom and the ability to live a happy life. A caregiver should be seen as an addition into an individual’s routine and lifestyle, rather than someone who may hinder their freedom and independence. Professional caregiving services allows individuals to live a full and happy life, with the help of a qualified professional!
When an individual starts to feel the signs and symptoms of arthritis, he or she may have trouble bathing and keeping up with their proper hygiene. With the help of a professional caregiver, personal care can be a breeze! A caregiver can help an individual with arthritis with bathing, using the restroom, dressing, grooming walking and with their over hygienic routine. Having a caregiver there to help with personal care tasks gives the individual the chance to remain healthy in their own home, while ensuring that they are being diligent to their personal hygiene routine. Hygiene is perhaps one of the most important aspects of life, as it will highly impact both quality of life and the overall well-being of an individual. When arthritis aches and pains get in the way of their ability to maintain their personal hygiene, a caregiver can simply step in to assist without making the individual feel incapable or lesser than due to their diagnosis.
Personal Assistance
In addition to personal care assistance, an in-home caregiver can also assist with tasks around the home that may become increasingly difficult for those with arthritis such as light housekeeping and meal preparation. These two tasks often go hand in hand, as they require someone to use their physical strength and abilities in order to accomplish these household tasks. For example, for an individual experiencing extreme swelling and pain due to arthritis, they may be unable to grip a sponge or a vacuum and thus are unable to clean their home with the same enthusiasm they once did. Additionally, with the inability to grip items or move their limbs with freedom, he or she may be unable to chop their food and take the time to cook the food in question. With a caregiver, they no longer have to worry about how they are going to get their next meal or how their house will remain clean. An in-home caregiver can give those who suffer from arthritis the ability to enjoy their favorite foods and to relish in a clean home, without having to strain themselves and risk injuries to accomplish these tasks.
Medication Reminders
Often times those with arthritis may be on a strict medication regimen that requires them to take certain prescriptions at certain times. For some seniors, this is no problem, as they can remember to take their medicine and have no issues retrieving their medicine in order to take. However, for those with arthritis, it may be more difficult to take medicine through out their day. For those who suffer from arthritis, the simple task of getting up to retrieve medicines or going to the pharmacy to fill prescriptions may be challenging and impossible. With an in-home caregiver to assist with medication reminders, individuals living with arthritis will have a second set of eyes to ensure that they are taking the proper dosage of their arthritis medication at the appropriate time. Peace of mind has never been easier with the ability of a caregiver to assist with medication reminders.
Companionship
Caregivers can also provide a service that most will find invaluable and important, as it will make the individual with arthritis generally happier in their life. In-home caregivers can provide companionship for those who need it the most, giving them the one on one socialization that they crave. By hiring an in-home caregiver for companionship purposes, he or she can ensure that the individual with arthritis is not allowing their diagnosis to impact their social life and their interests or hobbies. By giving them the little push that he or she may need, the caregiver can accompany them to their social calls, their favorite hobbies or events that encourage them to get out of the house. However, if the individual does not wish to participate in the activities that he or she once did, due to their complications with arthritis, their caregiver will simply keep them company in the comfort of their own home. Sometimes the most important services that an in-home caregiver can provide is their ability to simply be there for the individual during a time in their life when they need it the most. Having a warm body in their home to speak to and identify with can make a world of a difference in their attitude and overall happiness.
When an individual is suffering from arthritis and the complications that it brings, an in-home caregiver may be the perfect solution for finding a new balance in their lives. An in-home caregiver will not only allow the individual to be independent and feel as though they are safe but will be there when the person needs someone to talk to and to be there for them emotionally as well. Hiring a professional caregiver gives both the family of the client and the client themselves peace of mind that they both need and deserve.
