Arthritis can be a painful condition that interferes with your elderly loved one’s ability to enjoy and participate in life. When it attacks their feet and ankles, it can make one of life’s most common forms of transportation – walking – difficult and even dangerous. Finding techniques to manage the disease will help your loved one remain independent in their home and still enjoy many of the activities that life offers. Having a senior home care provider come to the home regularly to help with home chores that have become too difficult for your loved one is one great way to help them remain independent while providing much-needed support.

Symptoms of Arthritis in the Ankles and Feet

Senior Home Care Visalia CA – Care Tips for Arthritic Ankles and Feet

The symptoms may vary for your loved one. Common symptoms include:

• Difficulty with walking or other activities that rely heavily on ankle and foot strength
• Feet and ankles become stiff, swelled, and pain-filled after resting or inactivity for an extended period
• Joints that swell and warm and red
• Aching in the feet, ankles and toes
• Tenderness around all of the joint areas of the feet, making shoes or pressure uncomfortable

Tips To Avoid Surgery for Ankle and Foot Arthritis

Surgery may become a necessity with ankle and foot arthritis but many elderly individuals choose to try to manage their symptoms before having surgery. Your loved one may find that with some less invasive treatments as well as lifestyle changes, they can manage her arthritis and not have to have any surgery shortly. Connecting with a healthcare professional who can offer advice and guidance will greatly improve their chances of not needing surgery. The healthcare professional can also connect them with others who are trained in assisting people with arthritis management.

Four Non-surgical Options for Ankle and Foot Arthritis Care

Pain Medication and Anti-Inflammatories. Taking the proper medications – both over-the-counter and prescriptive can help your loved one manage her pain levels so they don’t interfere with their quality of life and enjoying the world around them. If they have other medications that they take for other health conditions, they should share those with their primary doctor to ensure they are safe to take together.

Losing Weight. If your loved one is overweight, losing weight can help reduce the pressure that excess weight is placing on her ankle and foot joints. The pressure creates a lot of pain and discomfort so losing weight might help reduce a lot of pain your loved one feels when on their feet.

Use bracing and compression. Compression will help reduce swelling which should improve range of motion and reduce pain. Braces help limit painful movement and provide additional support to surrounding areas.

Work with a physical therapist. Working with a physical therapist will help your loved one learn new ways to move that reduce the pain that they feel.

A Little Help from a Senior Home Care Provider Can Go a Long Way

As your loved one manages their foot and ankle arthritis, they might find some activities or movements make the pain worse or perhaps even put them in danger of falling or having an accident. A senior home care provider can assist with chores that require going up and down stairs or navigating uneven surfaces such as walking the dog.

If you or an aging loved one are considering Senior Home Care Services in Visalia CA, please get in touch with the caring staff at Everlight Home Care today. Call us at 559-353-2847.

Private Duty Home Care in Fresno, Madera, Kern Counties, and surrounding communities. Call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

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Gina Kendall

Gina Kendall has over 25 years of work experience serving the aging and the disabled. Her extensive experience in care and management began as a Social Services Coordinator in skilled nursing facilities. While working in this capacity, she became aware of the need for, and the importance of, good, quality, home care. Gina worked with families to keep their loved ones home and avoid a return visit to the hospital. As she continued her career of service, she began working with the disabled population helping to expand and improve their independence throughout all aspects of life.

This combination of experiences has afforded Gina a unique view of the needs of the aging and the disabled and how to best serve those needs in a home setting.

Gina’s Central Valley roots run deep. She earned her BA degree from Fresno State in 1993 and has lived and worked in Fresno for the past 20 years. In addition to raising her family in Fresno, she is actively involved in her local church and is a volunteer for various local community organizations.

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