Conquering Joint Pain

The Villas Senior Care Community in Sherman cares for seniors affected by joint pain arising from osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions. While the causes of painful joint conditions vary, seniors have options for coping with the symptoms. The nursing team at The Villas helps seniors reduce the effects of joint pain in late life. Below are some suggestions for seniors to manage joint pain, or stave it off before it disrupts their daily life.

Get Moving!

One way seniors prevent and treat joint pain is through regular exercise. Although moving around is the last thing seniors experiencing joint pain prefer to do, pushing through the initial pain bears great reward. Seniors who maintain a steady exercise program enjoy a decrease in pain and increase in range of motion.

Walking is a great inflammation-reducing, bone-building exercise at every life stage, but it is especially helpful to seniors. Our activities team organizes plenty of exercise- and movement-based activities to alleviate senior joint pain and stiffness. We support active senior living!

Yoga, pilates or other low-impact movement programs are also powerful ways to keep joints mobile and pain free. These workouts can be adapted for elderly patients by using a chair for support, or other props.

Eat Well!

Another way seniors can fight back against joint pain is by eating sensibly. High-starch foods exacerbate inflammation whereas a Mediterranean diet reduces inflammatory pain. Fish, vegetables and berries, nuts, beans and high-fiber foods are best for seniors looking to reduce inflammation from their diet. Green tea also curbs inflammation.

Our Dietary Department proudly serves our seniors nutritious meals. Whether a senior needs to monitor sugar intake or cut out inflammatory foods, the dieticians at The Villas are well versed in providing optimal nutritional needs for each resident.

Shed Those Extra Pounds

A third way seniors address joint pain is by losing extra weight. When anyone carries too much body weight, they overload their joints, increasing pain and discomfort. Seniors who combine exercise and sensible eating habits often experience healthy weight loss.

Supplements can Help

A fourth way seniors can reduce pain from joint conditions is taking by supplements or medication. Some well-known joint care supplements that treat moderate joint pain include glucosamine and chondroitin. Seniors can often find these supplements at the grocery store, health food store or online. For seniors who require a higher level of pain management The Villas nursing team can connect them with a top-level long-term care pharmacy. We partner with Green Tree Pharmacy to provide pharmaceutical care specialized to meet the needs of seniors.