As others have said, it's a very personal choice - whichever will work for you.

I personally use Roxanne quilting betweens - usually a size 11 or 12 but they are very tiny. I, too, tend to rock/accordian my fabric onto the needle vs rocking my hand/wrist...More comfortable for me and easier to maintain a consistent stitch that way. I also prefer a metal, open-ended thimble. I have a stainless steel 'Thimblelady' thimble. Very deep dimples and you push with the pad of your finger vs the tip, which I also find more comfortable.

I'm blessed to not have arthritic hands yet but I doubt that's too far around the bend. Just set a timer for yourself and don't overdo. You might also like to have a small practice sandwich nearby to start on to get your rhythm going again before starting on your actual quilt.

I use a hoop most of the time because it makes it easier to find where I've left off my quilting. If I'm working on a very large (queen/king) quilt, I will tend to thread baste vs pin baste (to reduce the weight I'm shifting around all the time. There are also times I use no hoop. When I do use the hoop, my quilt is very loose in the hoop so there is really not much difference in the tension vs not using a hoop.

Go for it and have a grand time. Remember it's a journey on which we're supposed to be having fun!