7 tips for making your home a safer place for osteoarthritis patients

Whether you're a caregiver for someone with osteoarthritis or you're coping with the condition yourself, you should know that the home environment can be a dangerous place.

Because of pain, muscle weakness, and joint stiffness, osteoarthritis may cause trouble with balance. And as osteoarthritis progresses, tasks like climbing stairs, getting into the tub, and even walking across the room can become a challenge, leading to a real risk of falling. Falls are the leading cause of trauma hospital admissions for people over the age of 65, and a recent study found that postmenopausal women with knee arthritis have a 27 percent greater risk of falls than women of the same age without arthritis.

Here are some tips you can use to make daily activities safer for someone with osteoarthritis:

1. Lighting.

Make sure there is adequate lighting throughout the house and that light switches are easy to get to. Keep working flashlights around the house in case of a power outage.

2. Stairways and doorways.

There should be a light switch at the top and bottom of all stairways as well as handrails on both sides of the stairs. Keep the stairway free of all objects. Put a nonskid strip on the edge of each bare-wood step and make sure carpeting on stairs is not loose. Never place loose area rugs at the top or bottom of a stairway or doorway.

3. Bathroom.

In addition to nonskid mats and grab bars, think about liquid soap dispensers to reduce the need to bend down in the shower to retrieve a dropped bar of soap. A shower bench can also be placed in the tub to make bathing easier on arthritic joints. Replace glass shower enclosures with a curtain that cannot shatter in the event of a fall. A special toilet seat with arm bars can also help someone with osteoarthritis to get up and down.

4. Bedroom.

Rails can be installed to make getting in and out of bed easier for someone with osteoarthritis. You should also make sure a flashlight and a phone are within easy reach from the bed in case they're needed.

5. Living room.

Besides looking out for loose rugs, watch out for low tables, exposed electric cords, and clutter, which all increase the chances of falling. Make sure there are clear walking paths throughout the house. Low soft chairs are harder to manage, especially for someone with knee osteoarthritis.

6. Kitchen.

Studies show that one of the most common causes of serious injuries in seniors results from standing on a chair. Store essential kitchen items in easy-to-reach places. Because many people with osteoarthritis also have problems with balance, cooking can sometimes be a danger. It is important to be careful with carrying boiling water, think of using microwave when possible.

7. Car.

Osteoarthritis pain and stiffness can make the movements required to get in and out of a car and to drive safely more difficult. Install a seat that swivels to make getting in and out easier, or have the person back into the car, and swing his or her legs towards the front of the car. A beaded seat cover can also help with sliding into and out of the seat more easily. Another addition that could help: running boards, an accessory car part that lies beneath the door and can make it easier to get in and out of the vehicle. You can purchase running boards in a car parts and accessories shops. Putting grab handles on the steering wheel can also help maintain balance while getting in or out of the car.

Source: everydayhealth.com

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