Tips for a Better Life with Fibromyalgia

For older adults living with fibromyalgia, pain can be a daily occurrence.
In addition, they may experience frequent fatigue and a feeling described as brain fog, which makes it hard to concentrate. Put all of those symptoms together, and it can certainly affect a senior’s quality of life. However, there are ways to cope with the symptoms and even lessen them. Below are some tips to help your aging relative live a better life with fibromyalgia.

Home Care Services in McLean VA: Better Life with Fibromyalgia

Don’t Give Up on Treatment

About 50 percent of people with fibromyalgia either stop taking their medications or don’t take them as instructed. One reason people stop following the doctor’s treatment plan is that they get frustrated when they still experience pain and other symptoms. Although it can be frustrating to feel like treatment isn’t working, seniors should not stop taking medication. Instead, keep a log of how they feel from day to day, so they can talk to the doctor about their symptoms. That way, the doctor can determine if treatment needs to be changed.

Some people with fibromyalgia fail to follow their treatment plan simply because they forget. That can be a result of the brain fog caused by the disease or other factors. If that’s the case for your aging relative, a home care provider can remind them when it is time for their medicine. A home care writer can also write down symptoms in the log.

Rest as Needed

When things need to get done, it can be tempting for your older family member to just keep pushing through the pain and fatigue. However, that can lead to symptoms getting worse. Instead, they should take a break and rest when they need to. Of course, without help, that can mean they aren’t able to accomplish the daily tasks that keep their house running smoothly. A home care provider can step in and take care of the tasks that tire your loved one out. Just a few things a home care provider can do are clean the house, do laundry, make beds, and cook meals. That way, the senior has the energy they need to do the things they enjoy.

Don’t Let Fibromyalgia Be the Focus

It can be easy to let life revolve around fibromyalgia and its symptoms. That can increase stress and make the older adult feel even worse. It can be helpful to place the focus on something other than the disease. Encourage your aging relative to engage in hobbies or activities or to volunteer at an organization with a cause they believe in. A home care provider can help them to focus more of their time on enjoyable activities by driving them to stores to purchase the supplies they need for their hobby, helping with steps that might be difficult, or driving them to the place where they volunteer.

Are you or a loved-one considering hiring Home Care Services in McLean, VA? Please call the caring staff at Medical Professionals On Call today. Contact: 703-273-8818

Sources
https://www.webmd.com/
https://www.fibrocenter.com/
https://www.everydayhealth.com/

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Michelle DeFilippis

I graduated with a BS degree and had been selling medical equipment to hospitals, clinics and technicians. More recently, a family member was diagnosed with dementia and we, as a family, realized we were not prepared t care for her. We were thrown into that whirlpool of hospital stays, 24/7 live-in care, skilled care, caring for mom ourselves and finally, now daily home care. This was such a stressful time that I started thinking there had to be other people, other families as overwhelmed and unprepared as we were.

Medical Professionals On Call has such a caring, professional staff who are available to step in with whatever level of care necessary for loved ones and to relieve you of that stress.

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