Arthritis describes a group of conditions that cause pain and inflammation in the joints. It may be that only a single joint is affected by arthritis or multiple joints can be affected. Of the many different types of arthritis, you may already be aware of the two most common: osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. [1]
While there are certain risk factors involved in developing arthritis (e.g. a family history of the disease) it’s not always clear as to why someone develops the condition and the cause of it can vary depending on which type of arthritis a person has. It’s thought that over 10 million people in the UK are living with some form of arthritis.[2]
While we often think of arthritis as being an older person’s ailment, it’s something that can affect anyone at any age. While age is a risk factor for certain types, there are specific types of arthritis that affect children and younger people, such as oglioarthritis.[3]
The most common symptoms of arthritis are joint pain, tenderness, or stiffness. The affected joints may even be inflamed or appear red. Your loved one may also be experiencing muscle weakness.[4]
It’s worth remembering that there are many, many different types of arthritis that present in different ways. You can find out more about the different types of arthritis on the Versus Arthritis website.
Depending on the type of arthritis a person has and how advanced it is will have an affect on their day-to-day life. They may have days where they don’t feel too bad and therefore be able to get on with their usual activities or they may have days where the pain is especially bad and so they’re unable to do what they’d like to do.
There is no cure for arthritis,[5] but there are treatments available to help and equipment that could help make their day-to-day life easier when they’re having a bad pain day or need extra support.
Depending on the type of arthritis your loved one has and what symptoms they’re experiencing, will affect which practical aids will be best to help them. However, here are some ideas to get you started.
Warmth can be incredibly soothing for someone living with arthritis and so being able to enjoy a nice hot bath or shower could really help make a difference to their day. However, stiff joints can sometimes make it very hard to get in and out of a bath safely or, while bathing, to reach every part of the body – like their feet. To help with this, it may be worth considering bathing aids such as:
Getting dressed on our own is something that we may all take for granted, however, for someone living with arthritis, stiffness and reduced manual dexterity can make this extremely difficult. There are a variety of aids available that may help them regain their independence when getting dressed and make this daily task less frustrating, including:
Painful, swollen fingers can make it almost impossible to use conventional cutlery and mean that cooking a meal or preparing food becomes that much harder. To help with this, there are a variety of aids and equipment available to help make mealtimes and food preparation less of a struggle, including:
Arthritis can make it tricky to get around but it’s important to try and keep moving, as exercise can be really beneficial for people living with the condition.[6] Luckily, there are a variety of walking and mobility aids available to help keep people on the move, such as:
If you have any questions about a product’s suitability, please speak with our free Expert Advice Service and they will help you out. Alternatively, if you would prefer more personalised product recommendations and tips to help them with their daily life, you may want to look into our Home Living Consultation Service, which offers an assessment by a qualified Occupational Therapist.
There are a variety of charities and places of support dedicated to helping those living with arthritis, here are a selection to get you started:
[1] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/arthritis/
[2] https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/arthritis/
[3] https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/conditions/juvenile-idiopathic-arthritis/
[4] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/arthritis/
[5] https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/arthritis
[6] https://www.versusarthritis.org/about-arthritis/exercising-with-arthritis/why-is-exercise-important/
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