How to be supportive when your parent or loved one has Rheumatoid Arthritis

Being the child of a parent who has RA, I have put together some helpful tips of how to cope, while being supportive of your friend or relative.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Compassion
• Knowledge of the disease
• Love
• Understanding

1. When someone you know has Rheumatoid Arthritis, it is not only difficult for them, but it effects everyone around them. Knowledge is key when it comes to a chronic pain illness. Simply put, Rheumatoid Arthritis is inflammation around the joints, causing chronic pain and tenderness.
   Get the info to help yourself, and your loved one.
2. Be there for them, talk with them as often as you can and be sympathetic. I have witnessed more broken relationships due to skepticism of the illness than I would have liked to. This disease is real, and degenerative. The disease is also disabling, leaving the sufferer with loss of function, and a diminished quality of life.
3. Be prepared to run more errands than normal. After a while, this may become a daunting task, but know that even the smallest thing to someone suffering from RA is a huge task. If they are having a "bad day" with pain, just brushing their teeth can be extremely painful and exhausting.
4. Symptoms vary, and it is very important to get a good doctor. A good doctor is an RA patient's dream. The syndrome is still in its scientific stage, not well known to the masses, so skepticism is common, and very hard to overcome.
   Knowing more about it will not only help you with coping, but it will help them in knowing that you truly care and that they are not alone.
   This currently afflicts more than 2 million people, and has no known cause.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the internet to its fullest. There are many great web sites and forums to guide you.
• Get them involved with the research. The more they know, the better!
• Be encouraging when they have their bad days. Remind them that it will pass, and they are doing great
• Attend doctor visits once in a while, write your questions down on a piece of paper and ask the doctor. This will give you a better understanding of medications and possible exercise regimes that your loved one has.
• If your loved one does, in fact have an exercise regime, do it with them. It would help with bonding, as well as their functionality.
• Try to be strong. It is completely healthy to cry and be sad, but refrain from doing this in front of them, the last thing you want them to feel is guilt.
• If you, yourself is having a bad day, let them know. They can help you too! Especially if its a parent.
• Be cautious if you are helping them with medication. Be sure that you know exact dosages and times to give them. Consult their doctor for a detailed list of what, when and why.
• Also, if they are seniors, be careful to keep the medication away from them if necessary. You wouldn't want them to forget that they took their meds, and take to much!