It is important to have healthy, happy feet to maintain an active lifestyle. Unfortunately, seniors sometimes neglect their feet due to physical limitations that leave them unable to reach them. Senior at home care providers suggest seniors can do the following to improve foot health:
- Begin with proper hygiene. Your mom or dad should wash their feet daily. It is critical to wipe between the toes. The area between the toes collects lint and dust from socks or the dirt from shoes. If it is not cleaned out daily, it will cause irritations or infections. Also, senior at home care providers reminds your parent that feet tend to sweat during the day and it is important to air out their shoes, wash their feet and dry them thoroughly so the moisture does not cause any additional infections. If your senior loved one struggles to thoroughly wash their feet, senior caregivers can provide assistance with this.
- Inspecting the feet is important too. Check for cuts, nicks or bruises. Open sores on the feet can be very dangerous to your parent’s health, especially if your mom or dad is diabetic or has another chronic illness. Foot ulcers can be very common among the senior citizen population and should be treated by a doctor. If your parent notices this problem, they should notify their senior at home care assistant.
- Toenail care is a must. If your mom or dad has a chronic illness such as diabetes, they may have insurance coverage to have their toenails trimmed by a podiatrist. Senior at home care experts agrees that having well-trimmed toenails is important to avoid ingrown nails. Also when toenails grow out and are uneven this may cause shoe pain. The nails may cut into the skin of the toes. Maintenance trimming can prevent a lot of potential problems.
- Proper footwear is essential. Fashionable shoes make a statement, however, if your mother or father’s feet are pinching or the bottom of their heels feel like they have spikes in them the fashion statement is outweighing the comfort and need. Shoes should support the foot and provide balance and comfort for walking and standing.
