Q. I have been recently diagnosed with arthritis. Sometimes it’s hard for me to stand, and my husband is having a harder time helping me around the house. Are there other resources that can help people in a situation like mine?  

A. I am so sorry to hear you are in pain. A new diagnosis can raise a lot of questions so it’s important to talk to your doctor about what you can do to manage the pain and decrease the uncertainty and loss of control you may be feeling.

May is Arthritis Awareness Month, and it’s a good opportunity to talk about the impact of the disease and what may help you and others who are living with it

Arthritis is more common than you may realize. One in four adults and hundreds of thousands of children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with some form of arthritis or related disease, according to the Arthritis Foundation

Millions of people with arthritis are unable to do everyday activities. That includes everything from walking to doing household chores or going to work.

The Arthritis Foundation says learning about your specific type of arthritis, creating a care plan with your doctor, and making healthy lifestyle choices can all help ease pain and symptoms so you can live your best life.

Another key is self-management. Health experts say it can play a big role in helping to control the disease in combination with medical care.

Through our Healthy Living Center of Excellence, we offer Chronic Disease Self-Management programming for adults with arthritis and other chronic conditions. Family members, caregivers, and friends can also participate in the workshop sessions.

The program provides information and teaches practical skills for managing these health issues. My Life, My Health: Chronic Disease Self-Management also gives people the tools and motivation they need to manage the challenges of living with a chronic health condition.

The overall goal of this program is to enable participants to build self-confidence to assume an active role in maintaining their health and managing their chronic health conditions.

For more information, contact the Healthy Living Center of Excellence at 978-946-1211.

Are you caring for an older adult or need help finding healthy aging resources? Our experienced staff is available to help. Visit us online at www.agespan.org. You can also call 800-892-0890 or email info@agespan.org.

Joan Hatem-Roy is the chief executive officer of AgeSpan, which serves the following cities and towns: Amesbury, Andover, Billerica, Boxford, Chelmsford, Danvers, Dracut, Dunstable, Georgetown, Groveland, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Marblehead, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover, Peabody, Rowley, Salisbury, Salem, Tewksbury, Tyngsboro, Westford, and West Newbury.

First published in the Eagle-Tribune.