Caregiving and staying healthy
How does the family caregiver
care for him or herself? In most
instances, they don’t.
There is no doubt that caring for
a person with dementia can be challenging
and exhausting. Too often,
caregiving responsibilities become
the priority and self-care is placed on
the back burner. The idea of self-care
is a foreign concept. Vacations aren’t
taken, meetings with friends are limited,
and seeing a doctor may occur
occasionally.
Many caregivers report feeling
exhausted, overwhelmed, and rundown.
However, like the airplane
safety instructions, CaringKind encourages
caregivers to put themselves
fi rst.
In order to provide the best care
for the person with dementia, it is
important to maintain good physical
and mental health.
If you’re currently caregiving, below
you will fi nd some suggestions
that may help during your journey:
Prioritize your health. Caregivers
are at risk of becoming ill. Make
it a goal to schedule and keep doctors’
appointments. Avoid skipping meals,
and try to eat healthfully and regularly
in order to give your body the
energy it needs.
Ask for help. Ask a friend or family
member to pitch in a few times a
week. If you do not have a friend or
family member that can help, consider
hiring a professional caregiver.
Allow that person to learn about you
and the person with dementia in order
to manage some of their needs
when you are gone. Eventually, you
will be able to develop a good working
and trusting relationship.
Give yourself a break from time
to time. Plan activities that you enjoy
like watching a movie, meeting
friends for coffee, reading a book, or
listening to music.
Stay active. Exercise is extremely
important for both physical and mental
health. Having the opportunity to
go for a run, a walk, or take a yoga
class can help relieve some of the
stressors that come with caregiving.
Exercising can also serve as a distraction
COURIER L 20 IFE, MARCH 15–21, 2019 PS
especially during diffi cult
days.
Process your feelings. Being able
to talk about the stress of caregiving
in a safe environment is extremely
important.
It is completely understandable
that the feelings of frustration, stress
and anger sometimes arise. Speaking
with a professional may help you process
these feelings and come up with
options for self-care. A support group
is the perfect opportunity to share
your thoughts with people in similar
situations.
Be kind to yourself. Know that
there is no such thing as “perfect”
and that you are doing the best you
can given the challenges associated
with Alzheimer’s and dementia. It’s
important to not judge yourself for
not completing a task or sometimes
“losing your cool.” Give yourself permission
to not be perfect all the time.
Let CaringKind support you!
Whether you need assistance with
care planning, searching for counseling
services, joining a support group
or brainstorming other ways to take
care of yourself, CaringKind is here
for you. Calling our Helpline can be
the fi rst step to putting your needs
fi rst. Please give us a call at (646) 744–
2900 or send an email to helpline@
caringkindnyc.org. You will be glad
you did.
Jed A. Levine is the President and
CEO at Caring Kind.
Wellness
The most common chronic condition
of the joints in both the
United States and Canada, osteoarthritis
affects roughly 30 million
people in just those two countries
alone.
While osteoarthritis can affect
people of all ages, it’s most common in
men and women over the age of 65. Understanding
osteoarthritis and how to
prevent and manage the disease can
help men and women over the age of 50
reduce their risk and live more comfortably
even if they develop it.
What is osteoarthritis?
According to the Arthritis Foundation,
healthy joints are covered by
cartilage, a fl exible connective tissue
that covers the end of each bone. Cartilage
facilitates motion of the joints and
serves as a cushion between the bones.
When a person has osteoarthritis,
cartilage breaks down, causing swelling
and pain and affecting the mobility
of the joint. Over time, it can worsen
and cause bones to break down and
develop bone spurs, which form when
bones meet each other in the joints.
Osteoarthritis can even advance to a
point where cartilage wears away and
bone rubs against bone, creating even
more pain while damaging the joints
even further.
What causes it?
Once considered a byproduct of the
wear and tear the human body naturally
endures over a lifetime, it is now
viewed as a disease, notes the Foundation.
The following are some potential
causes of osteoarthritis:
Genes: The Foundation notes that
certain genetic traits can increase a
person’s likelihood of developing osteoarthritis.
Collagen is a protein that
makes up cartilage, and, while rare, a
genetic defect that affects the body’s
production of cartilage can lead to osteoarthritis
occurring in people as
young as 20 years old. Researchers
have also noted that the gene FAAH is
more commonly found in people with
osteoarthritis of the knee than in people
who don’t have the disease. FAAH
has been previously linked with pain
sensitivity.
Weight: Being overweight increases
a person’s risk for a host of
ailments and diseases, and osteoarthritis
can be counted among them.
Extra weight puts additional pressure
on hips and joints, and over time
those extra pounds can cause cartilage
to break down more quickly than
it would if the body was not carrying
extra weight.
Injury: Men and women who have
suffered injuries to their joints may be
at greater risk of developing the disease
than those with no such injury
history.
Overuse: Overuse of joints, tendons,
and ligaments can accelerate
the breakdown of cartilage and increase
a person’s risk of developing osteoarthritis.
Cartilage also can break
down more quickly in the bodies of
athletes and people whose careers require
them to stand for extended periods
of time, bend over frequently or lift
heavy items.
Preexisting conditions: Conditions
such as rheumatoid arthritis,
hemochromatosis, and acromegaly
may also contribute to the development
of osteoarthritis among people
diagnosed with such disorders.
Prevention and
management
Men and women who maintain
healthy weights and exercise regularly
and appropriately may be able to
prevent the onset of osteoarthritis. Appropriate
exercises include strength
training that focuses on building muscles
around the joints, even if those
joints are already affected. Strong
muscles around the joints can reduce
the pain associated with the disease,
while range-of-motion exercises can
improve fl exibility of the joints and
reduce stiffness. Aerobic exercise
also helps men and women maintain
healthy weights.
Those already diagnosed with it
should speak with their physicians before
beginning an exercise regimen,
and such conversations can also include
discussions about the various
medications that can be used to reduce
symptoms of osteoarthritis.
You can fi nd more information
about osteoarthritis online at the website
www.arthritis.org.
Care
Chronicle
Jed Levine
Understanding, preventing, and managing osteoarthritis
Men and women who maintain healthy
weights and exercise regularly may be able
to prevent the onset of osteoarthritis.
In order for caregivers to provide the best
care for a person with dementia, it is important
for them to maintain good physical and
mental health by staying healthy and taking
part in their favorite activities.
/www.arthritis.org
/caringkindnyc.org
/www.arthritis.org