With more than 54 million adults throughout the United States having already been diagnosed, arthritis is one of the most common health issues in the country.
Even with this many diagnoses, however, experts believe there are many more who are, in fact, living with the disease but have not yet been diagnosed. Because this disease can worsen dramatically over time if not managed, it is important to identify it as early as possible so your senior can get on the course of treatment and management that can protect their joints and prevent the condition from worsening significantly. An important first step in this for you as a family caregiver is to recognize the personal risk your parent faces.
Some risk factors for arthritis include:
-Family history. For some of the 100 types of arthritis, a family history of the disease can increase a person’s chances of developing it. This means if your senior has a parent, child, or sibling who has been diagnosed with arthritis, this should be noted in their medical information. This allows them to provide full and accurate information to their doctor if they go in for an exam regarding arthritis concerns.
-Sex. Many more women have been diagnosed with arthritis than men. In fact, approximately 26 percent of adult women have been diagnosed with the condition as compared to 18 percent of adult men.
-Age. Children can and are diagnosed with arthritis. There are even babies who are living with certain forms of the disease. The most common form of arthritis, however, is osteoarthritis. Characterized by damage to the cartilage around the joints, osteoarthritis is generally caused by wear and tear or as a result of lasting effects from an injury. This means the older a person gets, the more likely they are to develop the disease.
-Joint trauma. If your senior has experienced a joint injury in the past, they are more likely to experience arthritis in that joint.
-Obesity. Being overweight places excessive strain and pressure on the joints. This can lead to the breakdown of cartilage in the joints and the development of arthritis.
Mobility support, assistance with activities of daily living, transportation, personal care help, medication reminders, and more are just some of the ways senior care can be valuable for your aging parent as they live with arthritis. This condition may be very common, but that doesn’t mean your senior should just have to “deal” with it. Instead, a senior home care services provider can help your parent cope with the symptoms, address the challenges, and make good choices to support their health, safety, and quality of life as they age in place.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring Home Care Services in Piedmont, CA, call the caring staff at Aviva In-Home Care. Call today: (415) 795-2203
Source
Arthritis.org
Arthritis.org/statistics-facts
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