What is an arthritis care plan?
While there is no cure for arthritis, a treatment care plan should be in place for each person who is living with the condition. John’s Hopkins medicine in the US tells us that “The goal of treatment is often to limit pain and inflammation and help ensure joint function. Treatment plans often use both short-term and long-term methods.” Therefore, having a care plan in place is important for anyone living with arthritis, including the appropriate level of care and support at home where necessary.
Why is it important to have an arthritis care plan?
Having an arthritis care plan is important because it will contain everything you need to live well with your condition. Everyone who supports you will need to be able to access the care plan and see how best you can be supported, which is vital for you to live as well as possible. You’ll probably be supported by various different healthcare professionals, such as your GP, community nurse, carers, physiotherapist, and others, so it’s important that your arthritis care plan is up-to-date and completed accurately by all those who are working with you. That way you can be assured of a seamless continuity of care.
Do I need an arthritis care plan?
While it’s not essential to have an arthritis care plan, you will benefit from having a formalised document in place that your wider healthcare team will be able to edit and add to. This means that however many people are coming into your home to support you, they’ll be able to consult your care plan and make sure your wishes are respected at all times.
What should an effective care plan include?
An effective arthritis care plan should contain information on how you wish your routine to progress, the treatments and therapies being delivered and how to best support you. There are various ways that a person living with arthritis can be supported, both in their own home and in the community, and it’s important to get a plan in place before the condition progresses too far and your ability to live well is diminished. This way, your carer can help you to enjoy the things you always have done and support you with your short and longer-term treatments and therapies such as:
Medications
These could include anti-inflammatory medications and pain relievers, as well as DMARDs (Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs)
Immobilising the joint
Splints or braces may be used to keep the joint protected
Heat and Cold
Warm baths or showers, heating pads, or an ice pack may be recommended
Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
These devices utilise mild electrical pulses sent to the nerves and can be effective at blocking pain
Acupuncture
Natural, pain relieving chemicals may be released by inserting thin needles at specific points in the body
Massage
Can be effective to reduce pain in the muscles due to increased blood flow and warmth
Corticosteroids
These medications reduce swelling and inflammation and can be injected or taken orally
Hyaluronic acid therapy
This joint fluid that is lacking in people with osteoarthritis and can be injected to help symptoms lessen
Surgery
Can take many forms up to full replacement of the joint. Support and rehabilitation will be necessary after surgery
How can I create my own care plan?
While creating your own care plan is probably best done with the help and support of a medical professional, there are many things we can do as individuals to help ourselves when living with arthritis. These should always be discussed with your healthcare provider prior to embarking on them though.
Losing weight
Will benefit the joints because it will reduce the load that they have to manage. This will have a knock-on effect to arthritis pain and may help to reduce it without the need for any other treatments.
Losing weight isn’t always easy which is why it may be worth talking to your healthcare professional about your plans and ask for their advice and assistance
Exercise
Can also be beneficial in reducing stiffness and joint pain. Exercise that is non-weight bearing or low impact will be most effective, such as swimming, some aerobic exercise, and stretching. Regular rest between periods of activity can also help to protect your joints and reduce symptoms. Always chat to a healthcare professional before beginning a new regime
Assistive devices and adaptive equipment
Equipment such as walkers or canes can keep stress from impacting particular joints and improve balance and confidence through less risk of falls. Grabbers can mean you don’t have to overreach and aggravate painful joints if you need to pick up something that’s further away
Managing medication
It’s important to continually monitor the medications you’re taking with your healthcare provider, so that effectiveness can be observed as well as potential side effects. Your Helping Hands carer will be able to support you with all aspects of your arthritis care plan to make sure that your routine is progressing as you wish.
How Helping Hands can help
Helping Hands have been providing exceptional care in our customer’s homes since we were established in 1989. We support people to continue living in the place they love, with the people, pets, and possessions around them that contribute to their ongoing wellbeing.
If you’re living with arthritis and you’re finding it difficult to carry out your regular routine because of the debilitating effects of painful joints, our visiting or live-in care could make all the difference to your days. Whether you’d appreciate help with your housework, laundry, personal care, medication, or getting out into the community, we can help. Our dedicated carers will be able to help you with any number of tasks indoors as well as supporting you to enjoy the world outside your home too.
Fully regulated by the CQC / CIW
Because our care services are fully regulated by the Care Quality Commission and the Care Inspectorate Wales, you and your loved ones can have total confidence in our carers and managers to support you to have the very best life at home. If you don’t want to move out of the home you love and into residential care then why should you? Just talk to us about how you could be receiving all the support you need in the comfort, safety, and familiarity of your own home, whether you need us for an hour a day or around the clock.