Arthritis in Australia: Key Facts, Research Investment and What Families Need to Know

Arthritis in Australia: Fast Facts

The scale of arthritis as a health and daily living issue is often underestimated.

Arthritis Australia reports that:

• More than 4.1 million Australians are living with arthritis
• This is projected to rise to around 5.4 million by 2040
• More than 7 million Australians live with arthritis and/or a musculoskeletal condition
• There are more than 100 different types of arthritis
• Arthritis affects people of all ages, including children and young people
• More than 20% of people living with arthritis need assistance with a daily activity
• Arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions account for 12.7% of Australia’s total burden of disease

There are many different types of arthritis, and each can affect mobility, pain and daily routines in different ways.

These are not just statistics. Behind each number is a person managing pain, stiffness, reduced mobility and the daily effort to stay independent.

Why arthritis can affect mobility

Arthritis is often described as joint pain, but for many people, it affects everyday movement in a much broader way.

Depending on the type of arthritis and the joints involved, a person may experience:

• Pain when standing, walking or bending
• Stiffness after sitting or sleeping
• Swelling in the hands, knees, hips, feet or ankles
• Reduced grip strength
• Fatigue
• Reduced balance or confidence
• Difficulty using stairs, showers, toilets or outdoor paths

These changes can build slowly. A person may start by walking less, avoiding social outings, holding onto furniture or taking longer to complete normal daily tasks.



Over time, this can create a cycle: pain leads to less movement, less movement can reduce strength and confidence, and reduced confidence can increase the fear of falling.

How arthritis may increase fall risk

Falls are one of the biggest causes of injury for older Australians, and they can have long-lasting effects on health, confidence and independence. Falls prevention is not just about removing hazards. The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care’s Preventing Falls in Community Care fact sheet notes that successful fall prevention involves a combination of interventions tailored to the person’s needs and individual falls risk. It also identifies areas such as balance and mobility, medicines review, vision, feet and footwear, environmental risks, monitoring and post-fall management. 

Arthritis may contribute to fall risk in several ways.

Painful knees, hips, ankles or feet can make walking less stable. Stiff joints may make it harder to react quickly if someone trips. Arthritis in the hands or wrists can make it harder to grip rails, walking aids or bathroom supports. Fatigue may also affect concentration and strength.

Some people with arthritis also change the way they move to avoid pain. They may shuffle, lean, favour one side, avoid bending properly or rush through uncomfortable movements such as getting to the bathroom.

The risk is not only the fall itself. It is also what happens afterwards.



A person may be unable to get up. They may feel frightened, confused, embarrassed or unsure whether they are injured. If they live alone or fall in a bathroom, bedroom, garden or hallway, it may be some time before anyone knows they need help.

Warning signs families should look for

Families often notice small changes before a major incident occurs.

It may be time to review safety and support if your parent, partner or loved one is:

• Holding onto furniture or walls while walking
• Avoiding stairs, showers or outdoor paths
• Taking much longer to get out of chairs or bed
• Having difficulty standing from the toilet
• Wearing unsuitable footwear around the home
• Reporting dizziness, weakness or near-falls
• Showing unexplained bruises
• Avoiding social outings because walking is painful
• Becoming anxious about being alone
• Keeping a phone nearby “just in case”
• Saying they are fine, while clearly moving less confidently

These signs do not always mean someone needs residential care or a major lifestyle change. Often, they mean the home environment, support plan and emergency response options need to be reviewed.

The gap between research progress and right now

Increased national investment in arthritis research is an important step. Better prevention, diagnosis and treatment could make a real difference for Australians living with arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions in the years ahead.

But many families are managing the immediate reality now.

They are watching a parent slow down. They may already be wondering how to talk to an elderly parent about getting a personal alarm without making them feel less independent. They are also thinking about what would happen if something went wrong when no one was home.

For these families, the research timeline is not the most pressing concern. What matters is: what can be done today?

Practical ways to reduce risk at home

Arthritis-related falls are not always preventable, but many risks can be reduced.

Families can start with simple changes:

• Improve lighting in hallways, bedrooms, bathrooms and entrances
• Remove loose rugs, cords and clutter from walkways
• Add non-slip mats or flooring in wet areas
• Install handrails near steps, toilets and showers
• Keep commonly used items within easy reach
• Encourage supportive footwear indoors
• Review walking aids with a health professional
• Ask a GP or pharmacist to review medications that may affect balance
• Encourage gentle strength and balance exercises where clinically appropriate
• Make sure help can be called quickly from anywhere in the home. For someone who lives alone or has become less confident with mobility, a personal alarm for the elderly can provide an added layer of reassurance 

A GP, physiotherapist, occupational therapist or other health professional can help assess mobility, home safety and fall risk.

Why personal alarms matter for people with arthritis

A personal alarm does not replace fall prevention. It adds an important layer of protection when something still goes wrong.

For someone living with arthritis, a personal alarm may help if they:

• Fall and cannot get up
• Feel sudden pain, weakness or dizziness
• Become stuck in a chair, bathroom or garden
• Need reassurance during a flare-up
• Feel unsafe or unsure what to do
• Cannot reach their phone
• Live alone or spend long periods alone

This is especially important because arthritis can affect the hands and wrists. In an emergency, using a mobile phone may be difficult. The phone may be in another room, the person may not be able to stand, or pain and panic may make it harder to call the right person.

A wearable personal alarm, such as a pendant, wrist, or mobile alarm, or a monitored smartwatch, provides a simple way to call for help.

For people who prefer a smartwatch option, INS LifeGuard offers Apple and Samsung smartwatch personal alarms, which are supplied and monitored by our 24/7 nurse-monitored Emergency Response Centre. These can provide an extra layer of protection through features such as fall detection, GPS location support, safety check-ins and access to nurse support.

Personal alarms do not replace exercise, home safety changes, or medication reviews arranged through a GP, pharmacist, physiotherapist or occupational therapist. But with INS LifeGuard, alarms are monitored 24/7 by trained responders who are also qualified healthcare professionals, including Registered and Enrolled Nurses. If someone presses their alarm or a fall is detected, they are connected to people who can assess the situation, provide reassurance, contact family or carers, and escalate to emergency services when needed. On compatible premium smartwatch plans, gait, movement, and walking steadiness monitoring can also add another layer of fall-prevention support. 

The INS LifeGuard difference: technology backed by nurses

Many families think of personal alarms as simple emergency buttons. But who answers the alarm matters.



INS LifeGuard’s Emergency Response Centre is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week by trained emergency responders who are also qualified healthcare professionals, including Registered and Enrolled Nurses.

That means when someone presses their alarm, they are not only connected to a call centre. They are connected to people who can listen, reassure, assess the situation, provide clinical care, contact family or carers, and escalate to emergency services when needed.

For people living with arthritis, this can be especially reassuring. Some calls may be urgent. Others may involve pain, uncertainty, fear after a near-fall, or concern about whether medical attention is needed.

A human nurse response can help families feel more confident that their loved one is not managing those moments alone.

When should families consider a personal alarm?

It may be time to consider a personal alarm if your loved one:

• Lives alone
• Has already had a fall or near-fall
• Has arthritis affecting their knees, hips, feet, hands or spine
• Has difficulty getting up from chairs, beds or toilets
• Is worried about showering or moving around the home alone
• Has reduced confidence when walking
• Has recently returned home from the hospital
• Has other health conditions as well as arthritis
• Wants to stay independent, but family members are concerned



A personal alarm can also support people who are still active and independent. It is not only for people who are frail or unwell. For many families, it is a practical way to protect independence rather than take it away.

Supporting independence without taking over

One of the hardest parts for families is knowing how to help without making a loved one feel less independent.

Arthritis can be frustrating. A person may already feel they are losing freedom because of pain, stiffness or slower movement—conversations about safety need to be handled with respect.