Arthritis is one of those conditions that can quietly creep into everyday life. At first, it might just be a bit of stiffness in the morning or the odd ache when the weather turns cold. Over time, though, it can begin to affect almost every aspect of daily living, from getting dressed to making a cup of tea.

If someone you love is living with arthritis, it can be hard to know when coping turns into struggling. Many people do not want to admit they need help, and others simply adapt without realising how much their quality of life has slipped.

Here are five common signs that a loved one with arthritis may need additional care, along with why early support can make such a difference.

#1. Everyday tasks are becoming a real struggle

One of the clearest signs is difficulty with routine daily activities. Arthritis can make even simple movements painful or exhausting, especially in the hands, knees, hips, or shoulders.

You might notice they are struggling with things like:

• Buttoning clothes or fastening zips
• Standing up from a chair or getting out of bed
• Cooking meals or carrying shopping
• Bathing, showering, or using the toilet safely

If tasks that were once second nature now take much longer, or are being avoided altogether, it is often a sign that extra support is needed. Practical help at the right time can reduce frustration, preserve independence, and prevent accidents.

Read more: How to stay healthy as you age

#2. They are avoiding activities they once enjoyed

Arthritis does not just affect the body. It can slowly shrink someone’s world. Pain, stiffness, and fatigue often lead people to cut back on hobbies, social events, and even short trips out of the house.

Perhaps they have stopped:

• Going for walks
• Meeting friends
• Gardening
• Attending clubs or family gatherings

This withdrawal is sometimes brushed off as just getting older, but it is often a coping mechanism to avoid pain or embarrassment. Additional care can help by supporting mobility, managing discomfort, and encouraging gentle activity that keeps both body and mind engaged.

#3. Pain and stiffness are poorly managed

Living with constant pain can be draining, both physically and emotionally. If your loved one’s arthritis pain seems to be getting worse, or they are relying heavily on painkillers without much relief, it may be time to consider extra help.

Warning signs include:

• Complaining of pain most days
• Difficulty sleeping due to discomfort
• Missing medication doses or taking them incorrectly
• Becoming irritable or low in mood

A trained carer can help with medication reminders, pain management routines, and monitoring symptoms. Working alongside healthcare professionals, they can help ensure pain is managed as effectively and safely as possible.

#4. Their home environment is becoming unsafe

Arthritis increases the risk of falls, especially when joints are stiff or painful. If your loved one is moving more slowly or unsteadily, their home may no longer be as safe as it once was.

• Things to watch out for include:
• Holding onto furniture to walk around
• Avoiding stairs or struggling with them
• Bruises or minor injuries that they cannot quite explain
• Fear of falling, even if it has not happened yet

Additional care does not just mean hands-on help. It can also involve assessing the home environment, suggesting small changes, and providing reassurance. These adjustments can make a big difference in helping someone feel confident and secure in their own space.

#5. Their emotional wellbeing is declining

Arthritis is a long-term condition, and the emotional impact is often overlooked. Loss of independence, ongoing pain, and reduced mobility can all contribute to feelings of anxiety, frustration, or depression.

You might notice:

• Low mood or tearfulness
• Loss of confidence
• Increased loneliness
• Resistance to asking for help

This is where compassionate, consistent care can be invaluable. Having someone there regularly does not just support physical needs. It also provides companionship, reassurance, and a sense that they are not facing everything alone.

Why additional care can make a positive difference

Needing extra care is not a failure, and it does not mean giving up independence. In many cases, the opposite is true. The right support can help someone with arthritis stay in their own home longer, remain active, and enjoy a better quality of life.

Professional carers understand the challenges arthritis brings and can tailor support to individual needs, whether that is help for a few hours a week or more comprehensive daily care. Many families find peace of mind knowing their loved one is supported by people who genuinely understand the condition.

If you are exploring specialist options, it can be reassuring to know that Mountbatton Care is an established arthritis care specialist that offers bespoke support designed specifically for people living with arthritis.

Is now the right time to consider additional care for a loved one with arthritis

Spotting the signs that a loved one may need additional care is not always easy, especially when changes happen gradually. Trust your instincts. If you are feeling concerned, it is usually for a reason.

Starting the conversation early allows your loved one to be involved in decisions about their care, rather than feeling it is being imposed later during a crisis. With the right support in place, living with arthritis does not have to mean losing comfort, dignity, or independence. It simply means adapting in a way that puts their wellbeing first.

silvermagazine

If you’d like to receive a regular mini-magazine direct to your inbox with a selection of editorial features to read at your leisure, please sign up for our newsletter. We also run the odd competition and offer and whatnot, and newsletter members get the heads-up first.

The post How do you know when arthritis is becoming an issue? appeared first on Silver Magazine.

None of us want to admit to getting older, and your parents are no different. Watching your parents struggle with age and mobility can be hard, especially when they’ve always been the ones taking care of you. But as time goes on, stairs, long walks, or even simple daily tasks can become more of a challenge.

Helping doesn’t mean taking over, but it means finding ways together to support their independence, comfort, and safety, without making them feel like they’re losing control.

Here’s how you can approach it in a way that feels respectful, practical, and positive for everyone involved.

Start with an open conversation

Before you buy anything or make changes to the house, have a chat and ask how they’re feeling. What’s getting harder? What would make life easier?

This conversation matters more than you might think and it’s a real chance to show that you’re on their side, not just making decisions for them.

You don’t need all the answers straight away. Listening is the most important part.

Spot the small things that add up

Not all mobility issues are dramatic, and often, it’s the little things that begin to wear people down:

• Avoiding stairs
• Taking longer to get in or out of chairs
• Skipping outings because “it’s too much”
• Holding on to walls or furniture while moving

These signs are easy to miss unless you’re looking for them, so keep an eye out when you visit, and gently check in if you notice changes.

Make everyday movement easier

You don’t always need major renovations to help someone move more confidently in their home. A few well-placed changes can make a big difference:

• Install grab rails in the bathroom or hallway
• Add brighter lighting to reduce trip hazards
• Use non-slip mats in key areas
• Rearrange rooms so essentials are easier to reach

These adjustments are often affordable, fast to set up, and help reduce risk without making the home feel clinical.

Think about the stairs of the home

Stairs can become one of the biggest obstacles as mobility declines, especially in two-story homes.

If your parents are already avoiding going upstairs, or struggling to manage it, now is the time to think about stair support.

While some choose to relocate bedrooms or bathrooms to the ground floor, many families opt for a trusted stairlift company that blend in with the home and provide a safe, comfortable solution without a major remodel.

Modern models are surprisingly compact, quiet, and easy to use, often becoming something people wish they’d considered earlier.

A guide to helping without overstepping

Helping your parents with mobility isn’t just about products. It’s about the approach. Here are a few principles that can make the process smoother:

1. Offer, don’t push – Let them know what’s available, but give them time to decide.
2. Make it a team effort – Research solutions together, share ideas, and just generally respect their preferences.
3. Keep dignity at the centre – Avoid phrases like “you can’t” or “you shouldn’t.” Instead, focus on what would make things more enjoyable or less tiring.
4. Be patient with them – Changes can be emotional, and people often need time to accept support.

This isn’t a one-time fix. It’s a journey, and your role is to walk alongside them, not drag them forward.

When to involve a professional

There may come a point when you’re not sure what type of support your parents need. This could be physical therapy, occupational advice, or even small home modifications.

In these cases, speaking to a GP, care coordinator, or mobility specialist can offer useful guidance. Many assessments are free and can open doors to support you didn’t know was available.

Helping them in the right way for their future

Helping your parents stay mobile is about more than avoiding trips and falls, it’s about helping them keep the life they enjoy, with as little disruption as possible.

Small changes, open conversations, and the right tools can make a world of difference. And when it’s done with care and respect, it brings you closer, while giving them the confidence to keep living on their own terms.

silvermagazine

If you’d like to receive a regular mini-magazine direct to your inbox with a selection of editorial features to read at your leisure, please sign up for our newsletter. We also run the odd competition and offer and whatnot, and newsletter members get the heads-up first.

The post How to help your parents with mobility issues appeared first on Silver Magazine.

Dying with dignity on your own terms has historically usually meant a trip to Switzerland. But there is an alternative for those who want some control over their ending. Meet the ‘Living Will’.

To some, death can be a scary concept. However, for many people, the thought of being kept alive in a state where you are unable to move, communicate, and/or recognise yourself and loved ones can be equally or even more terrifying.

…if ending your days on this planet hooked up to a ventilator, feeding tube, or oxygen mask isn’t something you’d choose, there is something you can do about it

There are a number of conditions that can affect your brain and body, including dementia, degenerative diseases, or those that affect the central nervous system, such as motor neurone disease. People with terminal illnesses like cancer can also end up having their lives prolonged way past the point anybody would wish.

There are also traumas, such as a catastrophic brain injury, car accident and so on. You get the picture. Any or all of these could leave you in a state where life is never going to improve, but you’re kept alive because that’s the law.

But if ending your days on this planet hooked up to a ventilator, feeding tube, or oxygen mask isn’t something you’d choose, there is something you can do about it.

Read more: Swedish death cleaning – get your affairs in order before you die

Have you heard of a Living Will?

Many people are unaware of Living Wills. In fact, according to a  2020 report, only 13% of UK adults have a written Living Will.

It’s also a good idea to discuss your options with healthcare professionals

A Living Will, also known as an ‘advanced decision’, is a form that allows you to refuse medical treatment if you do not wish to have it in the future.

It is legally binding in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and allows you to outline your treatment choices to your family, carers, and health professionals if you don’t have the mental capacity or are unable to communicate your wishes yourself. You plan this in advance, when you’re still fit and able. And it’s logged, ready to be activated when you can no longer advocate for yourself.

This means today you could protect the future you from having to endure the indignity of being helpless whilst you genuinely just wait to die.

It might sound brutal, but people may opt for a Living Will for many reasons, including:

– Not wanting their life artificially prolonged
– Want to make it easier for their family
– Wanting to be prepared and in control of their own choice
– Been diagnosed with a serious illness

How does this all work?

Whilst there are several ways to set something like this in motion (ask your solicitor), Compassion in Dying is the UK’s most recommended and trustworthy Living Will service provider.

Their main goal is to improve the dying experience in the UK by allowing people to take charge of how they want to end their lives.

To be clear; this is NOT the same as euthanasia. The refusal of treatment is not the same as asking someone to help you end your life.

Euthanasia and assisted suicide are the acts of deliberately ending a person’s life to relieve their suffering. They are illegal under British law. However, creating a Living Will allows you to make your own choices ahead of time, and is perfectly legal.

How to set it up

With a step-by-step guide, Compassion in Dying has helpfully made it easy. You must be over the age of eighteen and have the mental capacity to make a Living Will.

Their service includes a card, which you carry with you, a bit like the old organ donor cards

What should I think about?

Consider the circumstances where you’d want to be able to opt out of living if you could. Getting diagnosed with a terminal illness, for example, being catastrophically injured and left helpless or catatonic. But think also about the lives of those who care about you. It’s a journey that you and the loved ones surrounding you will face together, so it’s important to discuss this with them too.

It’s also a good idea to discuss your options with healthcare professionals. Explore the risks and benefits of different treatments that are available in the future, and consider what refusing treatments can mean.

In the end, your decision is yours and should be respected. If you have the mental capacity to think about how you want to be treated or not, then you should have the right to do so.

“What matters most is ensuring my family don’t have to make hard decisions about me and my health.”
Compassion in Dying

Elena Harris

Elena is one of Silver’s interns. She has a love for illustrating, reading, and all things media-related. She is a self-proclaimed coffee connoisseur who spends her free time in coffee shops sketching and journalling.

The post Dying with dignity: choosing your own exit strategy appeared first on Silver Magazine.

As we all grow a bit older and those aches and pains get a bit more frequent, especially in the morning or in the cold, spare a thought for your four legged friends, because this happens to them too. You could have a dog with arthritis.

The dog you’ve loved and grown up with is also getting on a bit, and needs your love and support as they slow down and get those aches and pains, just like you.

Dogs – and cats – can suffer from age or injury related arthritis and could be suffering in silence if you don’t know what to look for. They don’t display pain in the same way we do, and often without realising it, you can be allowing your furry pals to suffer.

Most people don’t understand what to look for, so often they don’t even realise their dog is in pain

The good news is that with a bit of know-how there are things you can do to help. Canine arthritis specialist Hannah Capon is passionate about helping enable people to understand how to spot the signs, and what to do about it.

“The thing is, most people don’t understand what to look for, so often they don’t even realise their dog is in pain,” she explains. “They don’t behave the same way as us. They don’t necessarily cry out and they can’t tell you in words, so it’s not always obvious.

“I had one client, a guy who just couldn’t understand why his dog was slow, and kept sitting down and not wanting to move. When I told him it was because she was in pain, he was really upset. It had never occurred to him. He thought she was just being difficult.”

HOW TO SPOT IF YOUR DOG IS IN PAIN

Not every dog is the same, but these are some signs to look out for…

• Walking slowly / being less enthusiastic about walks
• Scuffing claws during walking, not lifting the legs properly
• Arching the back or hunching whilst walking
• Having difficulty getting up from lying down – and lying down again
• Struggling to squat for the loo
• Struggling to jump up on things or do stairs

THINGS YOU CAN DO TO HELP

Obviously a reliable diagnosis by a professional is important. But unless you see a vet who understands or specialises in the treatment of arthritis you may sometimes struggle to get the best advice. An arthritis specialist can really make a big difference – check out the resources and advice HERE.

• Doggy diet! Extra weight puts pressure on their limbs, so keep them at a healthy weight to enable easier moving around with less stress on the body
• Get healthy! A healthy diet can not only help keep weight to a healthy level, the right nutrition can make a big difference. Go for clean, healthy foods without additives. Try some natural remedies such as turmeric.
• Supplements can really help, such as Yumove, but get some vet advice before picking the right ones if possible
• Make adaptions around your home. Remember it’s your dog’s home too, and he or she ought to be comfy there! Do stuff like secure rugs so there’s no slippage. Get the dog a decent, supportive bed. And put in shallow ramps where possible to avoid stairs. It’s not rocket science. Look around the house and have a think about how you can make it better for your lovely doggie.
• Treatments. So – get a decent vet who can give you the medical support you need, whether it’s anti-inflammatories, painkillers, supplements etc – but it’s worth investigating complementary stuff too. Not everything works for every dog, but massage, osteopathy, acupuncture etc can all be positive for some animals. Just go gently at whatever you do.

More than anything take a good long look at your dearly loved friend and just have a proper think. Is the dog moving around easily? Does it prefer parts of the house? Are there warm areas that the dog likes to sit? Does the dog want to get up later in the day or more slowly?

The bottom line is that this stuff is intuitive and caring at its heart, so go at it with love and just make sure you question everything. Then question it again

#WorldArthritisDay
#Itsmyhometoo
#DogArthritis

For more info check out Canine Arthritis Management

silvermagazine

If you’d like to receive a regular mini-magazine direct to your inbox with a selection of editorial features to read at your leisure, please sign up for our newsletter. We also run the odd competition and offer and whatnot, and newsletter members get the heads-up first.

The post Doddery dogs – could your dog be struggling with arthritis? How can you help? appeared first on Silver Magazine.