Families and arthritis.

Last updated Monday, January 03, 2005

Families and arthritis

Loving and supporting someone with arthritis

There are 37 million Americans with arthritis--and that means a lot of families are affected.

One of the challenges of being a close to someone with arthritis is finding ways to live as normally as possible. Regardless of the degree of change that arthritis has brought into your life, you can help make the difference! Family and friends can provide companionship, support, assistance, human contact and love.

It is possible for your family to lead a full, rewarding life despite arthritis. However, it is up to you to make it happen.

Learn to be courageous and experience your feelings--whether they be of anger, sadness, or grief.

Then move beyond the unfairness of arthritis. Focus on the positive. Make your family's life as normal as possible. Do your part to see that the treatment plan is followed. Learn to communicate well, and make adjustments, not necessarily big changes, in your routines.

After all, it's the good times and the bad times that make up the experience of being a family. Although it can be difficult, living with arthritis has enabled many family members to cherish each other even more.

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