Prescribed orthotic devices that may decrease painful movement are also available. The therapist sets up a program that considers the resident's lifestyle and exercise preferences. Care is taken to assure that exercise occurs when the resident is most pain free and that overexertion does not occur. As the prescribed therapy comes to an end, the therapist will instruct the EdenCare community staff on a maintenance program of exercise that is then blended into the resident's customized plan of care. EdenCare encourages its residents to be active participants in health care decisions and to make informed choices regarding products and services.
Residents periodically receive information on newer therapies such as glucosamine and chondroitin.
And suggestions regarding beneficial nutritional changes, such as lower fat, more complex carbohydrate meals or the introduction of fish oil therapy may also be provided by consulting nutritionists or the community's nursing director of resident care. No element of care is ever added to the resident's customized plan of care without the approval of their primary physician. Many assisted living residents experience stress, fatigue and sometimes depression as a result of living with arthritis. EdenCare's philosophy to help heal the spirit as well as the body compels them to seek alternative ways to care for arthritic residents. An application of camphor, a well documented treatment for arthritic conditions, may also be suggested.