In the article “Adapting Your House When You Have Arthritis” from the Arthritis Foundation, the focus is on making everyday activities easier and safer for people with arthritis. The key message is that simple adjustments at home can greatly enhance comfort and independence without requiring costly renovations.
Scott Trudeau, PhD, emphasizes, “The goal is to use adaptations to preserve your ability to perform and participate in activities of daily living” (Sayre, 2024). This means making changes to your home that help you carry out daily tasks more easily, like cooking and bathing. For instance, an occupational therapist can identify which modifications to the home are best and will be most effective.
The article suggests several practical tips. For example, “It’s important to conserve as much energy as possible so you can use it later in the day,” says Rawan Alheresh, PhD (Sayre, 2024). To conserve energy, keep items within easy reach, use a grabber tool, and consider preparing meals at times when you feel less pain.
Safety is also crucial. “The biggest hazard is the bathroom,” warns Trudeau (Sayre, 2024). To avoid falls, install grab bars, use a seat in the shower, and place slip mats in the tub. Additionally, adapting kitchen habits by using ergonomic tools and placing frequently used items on the counter can ease the strain on hands and wrists.
Overall, the goal of these modifications is to improve safety, comfort, and efficiency, helping individuals with arthritis manage their daily lives with greater ease.
Sayre, C. (2024). Adapting your house when you have arthritis. Adapting Your House When You Have Arthritis. https://www.arthritis.org/health-wellness/healthy-living/daily-living/life-hacks-tips/adapting-your-house
Whittaker, J.L. (2021). “A lifespan approach to osteoarthritis prevention” [Image]. ScienceDirect. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1063458421009110
OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT (Sept 19 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat
