Abbott Presents Do-It-Yourself Home Makeover Tips for Arthritis Awareness Month

ABBOTT PARK, Ill., May 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As any do-it-yourselfer knows, a good home improvement project has both style and substance, adding functionality with aesthetic appeal. For people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who may face difficulties around the house, adaptable options around the home are particularly important.  To celebrate National Arthritis Awareness Month, Abbott is highlighting an interactive "RA Home Makeover" tool on ra.com (Living with RA section) that gives people home makeover tips to help make living with RA easier.

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Rheumatoid arthritis is a life-long disease that affects more than 1.3 million Americans and occurs when the body’s immune system malfunctions, attacking healthy joints.  This causes inflammation, joint pain, stiffness, and swelling and may eventually cause permanent joint damage.

"A comfortable home environment is important for patients managing the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis,” said Martin J. Bergman, M.D., FACR, FACP, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. “The makeover ideas on ra.com are simple for do-it-yourselfers and generally can be very helpful for people who want to adapt their home to better accommodate their RA."

For rheumatoid arthritis patients who do not have the time and/or budget to bring a professional into their homes, ra.com brings the home makeover to them.  The tool showcases adjustments around the home in areas like the bedroom, kitchen, garage and more. Some tips suggest adding assistive devices, while others are simple ways to modify daily routines in order to avoid unnecessary joint stress.  For example, in the bathroom, adding everyday items, such as an easy grip toothbrush, can make a big difference.  Makeover tips for the outdoors include helpful approaches to planting and gardening, which may be therapeutic for rheumatoid arthritis patients with sore hands.

In addition to the RA Home Makeover tool, ra.com features other informative tips to help people learn more about rheumatoid arthritis, including a video depicting one woman’s story about living with RA.  Web site offerings also include a section on the importance of seeing a rheumatologist, educational information about RA and links to patient advocacy organizations.

About Abbott

Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs approximately 83,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.

Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the company's Web site at www.abbott.com.

SOURCE Abbott