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7 tips for an arthritis-friendly home

Ease pain, avoid falls and increase maneuverability with these DIY strategies.

senior couple outside home, house
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From hard-to-open jars to dimly lit staircases, almost everything in your home is a hazard when you have rheumatoid arthritis (RA). That's why it pays to alter your environment, optimizing your living space to prevent falls, ease pain and increase maneuverability.

Bigger fixes like installing chairlifts and constructing ramps can help movement, but they require more thanShow More

rug
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Make a path

People with RA have a higher risk of falls, and the worse your RA, the more likely you are to take a tumble. That's why it's important to declutter, keep walkways clear and rearrange furniture to make moving from room to room as easy as possible.

Begin by clearing your floors of tripping dangers:Show More

light, light bulb, hands
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Light it up

Having a clear visual of your environment is crucial to navigating obstacles and avoiding injury. That's why people with RA should prioritize good lighting, and make absolutely sure dark paths and corners are lit, inside and out—especially around stairs and landings. Nightlights and touch lamps areShow More

d-shape handles in kitchen
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Get a handle on things

Hand and wrist issues affect two-thirds of people with RA, making knobs and screw-top containers especially hard to operate. Alternately, things like levers, handles, pumps and push-button lids provide comparatively comfortable ways of opening everything from cabinet doors to jars of jam.

So, goShow More

senior couple cooking kitchen
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Keep your stuff on the level

To reduce strain and the potential for injury, place oft-used items where you can reach them: between hip and shoulder height at the fronts of counters, cabinets and closets. Daily-use items should get priority; toiletries can live in a basket on your bathroom counter, keys can hang on a hook byShow More

jar opener
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Get gadgety

From zipper pulls to garden gloves, there's a vast array of helpful gadgets made specifically for people with maneuverability issues. Electric can openers are helpful, as are big-buttoned universal remotes, key turners, hand-held shower hoses and anything with a thick, rubbery or extended handle.Show More

railing in bathroom
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Rise up

While exercise can alleviate some joint stiffness and pain, getting out of beds and chairs can be tough for people with RA, putting extra stress on knees, hips, ankles and hands. To help, place a sturdy chair next to your bed, or buy risers to raise the bed itself and minimize bending. Change extra-Show More

woman helping mother with luandry
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Delegate!

If you can swing it, have other people take on the work you find particularly difficult. Hire housecleaners to come periodically, and ask if they'll do laundry. Enlist a neighborhood kid to mow the lawn or shovel your driveway. Seek out a handyman for small repairs.

Finally, if your RA is worsening,Show More

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