Are retirement home employees aware of the many disease processes that affect their senior population?

Education and support are ongoing between the health professionals and support staff at our retirement home. This is usually triggered either by the need to assist a Resident and or their family or by taking the opportunity of monthly awareness campaigns. This month is Arthritis Awareness Month and we took this opportunity to present the topic of Arthritis, the methods of prevention, its symptoms, and approaches to living with it. 

Arthritis causes pain and fatigue, which are the symptoms of the disease process. Inflamed, damaged joints are responsible for most of the pain. The energy your body uses to fight back is the source of the fatigue. This can make everyday activities difficult or painful. When joints are damaged, people tend to presume that reducing movement will reduce pain. The fear of pain usually leads to inactivity and loss of strength; this only worsens the situation because strong muscles are needed to support damaged joints.

There are ways that a person with Arthritis can prevent needless pain and have more energy to do what they want or need to do. Maintaining a healthy weight and regular physical activity will improve joint flexibility. We incorporate exercises that are approved by the Arthritis Society in our daily chair exercise classes and support the use of Dr. approved medications and therapies to ease the pain, so that our residents can remain as active and independent as possible.