Late 70s mum struggling with loss of mobility, very depressed

[Isthisitnow55]

My lovely mum is a shell of her former self and I don't know what to do.
She has always been very active and her and my dad go out every day.
For the past couple of years she has developed an auto immune condition which causes arm and shoulder pain/inflammation and she has bad knees. It's affecting her mobility and doing things like gardening. She is in pain.
She has become very depressed and anxious. She rarely laughs or smiles now and gets upset over the smallest things.
It's very sad to see and I don't know what the family can do to help her.
As much as I feel incredibly sympathetic towards her I do struggle to relate a little as I have a life long chronic pain condition, so I am used to not being able to do things. This change has hit her like a tonne of bricks
Any advice on how to handle this? Would anti depressants be the answer?

Is it RA? Is she medicated for it?

It's a form of RA. she's been trying different medications but they are not suiting her and one caused liver damage so she is off them at the moment

Has she tried playing around with her diet.
cutting out tomatoes (acid) and potatoes (deadly night shade gamy) has made an enormous difference ti me.

Getting out and about - a mobility scooter. Gardening - raised beds and pots. In other words - help her plan for a fulfilled life despite her limitations. Speaking from experience, it's much better than medicating. It's perfectly natural to grieve the loss of what was, but there are ways and means of making that into "what comes next" and being full of opportunity rather than restrictions.

Is there a council run pain course offered near you? It's a 6(?) week course explaining about how our bodies react to pain and how we can still live a decent life but in different ways if we adjust our mindset, it's usually done as a group so you can chat to others suffering from chronic pain. It's about letting go of the past you and figuring out the new you. Pp suggested gardening in pots, perhaps investigate mobility chairs even if only for a day out at the zoo etc.

I've suffered from auto immune pain for thirty years and it still sends me into frustrated depression sometimes at how limited my life is compared to how it was. I don't know how I would cope starting that journey at 70.

Edit - look at disability aids such as a tipper for a kettle, special tin openers, adapted knives and forks to make them more comfortable to hold etc. Ask her what small things she wants to do independently and start there. Can she cope making a cup of tea for herself, and carrying it, or making a sandwich?

It is a huge wrench when your physical abilities start to limit your life and diminish its quality. My neighbour has got herself a personal trainer who tailors exercise to her needs - it has given her lots more confidence, but her bank balance is looking a bit sick .......