Joint pain is bad enough on its own, but it can create other issues and situations for your elderly family member that make her life a lot more complicated. Being aware of these potential complications allows you to find solutions before they become much worse.
Chronic Pain Creates Issues
Chronic pain from joint issues means that your elderly family member might not have as much control over her movements as she would like. Also, treatments for chronic pain, like medications, often have side effects which may not be as pleasant as you’d hope. Dizziness, drowsiness, and trouble concentrating are all common.
Balance Is Often a Problem
Pain and side effects can also lead to balance issues. That’s above and beyond the balance issues that your senior might experience because her joints aren’t working the way that they once did. Walking may be more difficult for your senior, which can cause her to stop walking as much as she should. Unfortunately, the next stage there is that not walking as much makes walking even that much more difficult. It’s all a vicious cycle.
Daily Routines Become More Difficult
Your elderly family member may find that it’s much more difficult to accomplish her daily routines, like bathing, cooking, and other aspects of taking care of herself. That can all be difficult for her to deal with on an emotional level. She’s been able to take care of herself for quite a long time and now that independence may be in jeopardy from her point of view. This is where hiring home care providers can help her to be as independent as she wants to be while also having some of the help that she needs.
Physical Activity Isn’t as Easy as it Was
Even if your elderly family member was very physically active in the past, her joint pain may make that almost impossible now. As her joint pain and balance issues worsen, she might even experience feelings of fear around moving that she didn’t have before. That can keep her from moving as much as she should in order to keep her joints lubricated and mobile.
Talk to your elderly family member’s doctor about how you can help her with complications related to joint pain. There may be lifestyle changes or other treatment methods that you can try for her. In the end, you’ll need to have a comprehensive plan in place for helping her to cope.
IF YOU OR AN AGING LOVED ONE ARE CONSIDERING HOME CARE SERVICES IN LAS VEGAS, NV, PLEASE CONTACT THE CARING STAFF AT GOLDEN HEART SENIOR CARE OF SUMMERLIN. 702-800-4616.