Managing Life’s Aches and Pains

Do you regularly experience a sore back, stiff knees or achy hands?  According to the Arthritis Foundation, 75% of adults age 65 and older report persistent pain from arthritis and other chronic conditions.  We all feel pain from time to time, but chronic pain is different and can last months or even years.  If you've ever had aches or pains for prolonged periods, you've experienced chronic pain, which is one of the most common conditions addressed by physicians in the United States. In fact, amongst older adults, pain is the most frequently reported symptom and the number one reason for hospitalizations. The most common medical conditions associated with chronic pain reported by older adults include: arthritis, cancer, fibromyalgia, post-stroke pain, diabetes, musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular and neurological diseases.

The effects of longer term pain can be debilitating. Chronic pain has been shown to decrease function, increase the incidence of depression and worsen other chronic diseases. Furthermore, chronic pain may lead to isolation, cognitive impairment and feelings of helplessness and anxiety. Pain can also affect one's sleep, which often results in less energy to do the activities you need or want to do throughout the day. All of these factors affect an individual's emotional and psychological wellbeing, but there is a growing body of research pointing to the efficacy of various pain management techniques that can help you live a fuller life.  Lifestyle practices and pain management strategies, such as exercise, postural adjustments, meditation and relaxation techniques, stretching, and modalities like heat and ice, have all been shown to reduce pain and improve one's ability to comfortably participate in daily activities. 

beatitudes campus will be partnering with the NAU Occupational Therapy Department starting january 20th to offer an eight week pain management workshop on Mondays at 3PM in the Agelink Great Room.  During this series, a variety of strategies will be introduced and practiced in class. Participants will be encouraged to share ideas and interventions with one another, and the latest pain management research will be discussed.  If you'd like to learn more about the most effective ways to manage life's aches and pains, call Jessica in Success Matters at x16110 to register.

Author Info: Beatitudes Campus

At the foundation of Beatitudes Campus is the vision of Church of the Beatitudes pastors and congregation members to create a better alternative for older adults than the nursing homes of the early 1960s. The type of community they imagined was the first of its kind in Arizona. Beatitudes Campus is proud to continue the legacy of our founders, by being a leader in the field of aging services for over 50 years.