Tips & Tricks for Daily Tasks When Arthritis is a Problem

Arthritis, whether osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, is prevalent in older adults. Aches and pains and stiffness seem to be an almost universally accepted consequence of aging. Given that 49.6% of adults aged 65 and older have been diagnosed by a doctor with some form of arthritis, this is perhaps not surprising.1

In our younger years, we can easily take for granted how freely we can do daily tasks without the pain and stiffness that can be caused by arthritis. If you suffer from arthritis pain, you know all too well how present it is in everything you do from the moment you wake up in the morning and your feet hit the floor.

In severe cases, certain tasks can be nearly impossible to accomplish. It’s no wonder, then, that arthritis is the leading cause of disability in adults.2

There are, however, some practical tips and tricks you can use to help you get through your daily activities if arthritis is a problem for you. We’ll take a closer look here.

First, the basics

Common sites for the pain, stiffness, or swelling caused by arthritis are:

Hands- impacts grip strength, holding items, and lifting
Knees- affects walking, climbing, squatting, and getting in and out of a seated position
Hips- interferes with bending and moving
Spine- affects twisting, moving, bending, and more

Arthritis can also affect any other joints including ankles, toes, shoulders, and elbows. Of adults diagnosed with arthritis, 44% say their daily activities are limited.3 We’ll discuss each of these problem areas in more detail.

General strategies for managing arthritis

There are a few key self-care approaches you can take to help control your arthritis no matter what part of your body it is affecting. They include:

Talk to your doctor- it’s important to see your doctor regularly and discuss your symptoms and how to manage them medically. Anti-inflammatory medications, and in the case of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), immune-modulating drugs, can help to control symptoms and even joint damage. Sometimes cortisone shots can be used to target specific joints. And in severe cases, joint replacement and other surgeries can offer relief.

Start an exercise program- the CDC recommends that people with arthritis exercise for either 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly, or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity weekly. 4 Regular exercise can help reduce discomfort and improve balance and flexibility. Activities like walking, swimming, and bicycling are easier on joints. Yoga can help with muscle strength, flexibility, and balance. You can talk with your doctor about an exercise program that would be best for your situation.

Lose weight- if you are outside of your ideal BMI, the extra weight can put added wear and tear on your joints. Just 10 excess pounds can add 15-50 pounds of pressure on your knees, for example. 5 Also, fat stores in your body can contribute to overall inflammation that increases arthritis symptoms. The exercise discussed above can help you reach a weight loss goal. In addition, a healthier diet not only impacts your weight but your overall health and risk for other medical problems. Your doctor may be able to refer you to a nutritionist that can help you with a healthy diet plan.

If you are actively managing these self-care strategies and still struggling with daily tasks, there are some useful tricks and tools you can incorporate into your daily life. We’ll take a closer look below.

Tips for hand discomfort

Your hands get a lot of use every day, even if you’re not physically active. Gripping a book to read, holding the remote to flip through channels, and even using utensils to eat require mobility in your fingers and wrists. If you find this is challenging due to arthritis, here are some tools you can use:

Buttons, zippers, and otherwise getting dressed

To fasten clothing, your fingers need dexterity. This can become challenging with arthritis. Here are some workarounds:

Simplify your wardrobe– buy clothes that you can pull on, like t-shirts and sweaters, and pants with an elastic waist. Sports bras are comfortable and don’t require fastening. Slip-on shoes, or shoes that fasten with velcro, are also arthritis-friendly.

Use a zipper hook or button aid- these tools have a large handle for easy grasping and a special hook for grabbing zippers and buttons so you can fasten them.

Magnetic button covers are easy to fasten- these change your buttons into magnetized fasteners– no more fumbling required.

Keep a shoehorn handy- this makes sliding your foot into a shoe much simpler.

When grasping and twisting is a problem

Jar lids, other containers, doorknobs, and faucets can be difficult to manipulate without grip strength. Try these tricks:

Swap containers with small tops for pump tops- lotions, shampoos, and even salad dressings, can all have small, hard-to-open lids. These things can all be poured from their original containers into reusable pump-top bottles instead.

Give vacuum-sealed jars a tap- if you hit the edge of the lid of a sealed jar on the counter, the seal will pop and the lid is easy to turn.

Use a rubberized gripper- these can help turn lids, doorknobs, and even faucets.

Switch to a lever- swapping out doorknobs for door levers, and sink faucet knobs for faucet levers, can make using these items easier.

Use a jar opener- various styles use teeth or wrap around the lid with handles to give you leverage for twisting.

Try rubber bands- for very small lids, like nail polish or medication bottles, wrapping rubber bands around the lid can increase grip.

Switch to a pill organizer- for medications, there are push-button pill organizers that flip open with the touch of a finger. (Just be sure to keep medications away from children.)

Holding small items like utensils and toothbrushes

Managing basics like eating meals and tending to dental hygiene can be difficult with stiff, painful, or swollen fingers. Some easy tricks can help, though:

Use large-handled adaptive utensils- these are made with special rubber grips that are easier to handle.

Slide a foam tube or bicycle handle over your toothbrush- this works for some utensils, too.

A tennis ball is a great gripper- cut a hole in the center, and push a handle through the ball. Now you can hold the ball.

Rubber bands to the rescue- they don’t just work for small lids, they’re great wrapped around narrow handles, too.

Switch to electric- electric toothbrushes and kitchen knives have larger handles and require less repetitive hand motion.

When reaching, twisting, and turning are a problem

Large, whole-body movements that are difficult due to hip, knee, or spine arthritis can interfere with almost every daily task. Here are some ways to alleviate related problems:

Washing your entire body

This basic care need requires flexibility and balance. If you struggle with it, it can even increase your risk of falls. Take these simple measures to make bathing easier:

Use a shower chair- washing while seated means you can reach your lower half more easily, with less risk of losing your balance

Add a detachable showerhead- using a showerhead that can be held like a sprayer allows you to reach all the parts of your body with less turning or twisting

Long-handled brushes and sponges help with reach- no more painful stretching to reach your back or feet- let the tool do the work!

Reaching far-away items

Tidying up around the house, or retrieving items you’ve dropped, can require both reach and the flexibility to bend and/or squat. Rather than over-extending yourself, try this:

Use a grabber tool- the long handle means you can pick something up without bending.

Choose long-handled cleaning tools- a duster with an extension handle avoids excessive stretching to clean hard-to-reach areas

Change your environment- move your most frequently used clothing items to upper drawers or closet shelves. Swap out shorter hampers and trash cans for taller versions that you can pick up without bending. Hang pans on an eye-level pot rack, instead of inside a lower cabinet. Simple changes can reduce how much you have to bend and reach!

Getting in and out of a chair, bed, or car

Sometimes you just lack the strength to push your stiff joints into a different position. And getting in and out of the car requires a lot of twisting. Here’s how to make these tasks easier:

Ask your doctor about physical therapy- physical therapists can help you with exercises that will target muscle groups to increase strength, and change your leverage so you can move more easily. They can also suggest tools that can help.

Give yourself extra time- especially when you first wake up, being stiff and sore can get in the way of moving easily. Take some time to stretch, and slowly move in stages.

Use a chair lift- special inserts designed to help lift you off of chairs are available, or electric recliners that help give you a boost can be helpful.

Use a walker- this gives you something to push off on when standing, and helps your balance.

Seat belt hooks help in the car- these are attached to the shoulder belt and reduce the need for twisting to reach to buckle up.

A few final thoughts

Experimenting with the tricks and tools listed above can help you find what works best for you. Each time you are successful with a workaround, it’s a victory!

Remember, too, that asking for help is ok. Sometimes, the only thing standing between you and an extra pair of hands is sharing that you are having difficulty. A weekly meal-prep session, for example, can be a memory-maker and help you with opening containers and cooking food for several days at a time.

For some, having an in-home caregiver can relieve many of the challenges associated with daily self-care activities and chores. A caregiver can help with light housekeeping and meal prep, assist with mobility, and even help with bathing when necessary. If you’d like to explore this option further, you can read more about Caresify’s services here, or call 888-799-5007.

Providing personalized in-home care to seniors