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Good foot health of seniors
Good Foot health is very important for our loved ones. Poorly maintained feet are more susceptible to infections of various kinds. Furthermore, ignoring any kind of foot pain is also not advisable. It can indicate serious underlying health conditions. After a certain age, it becomes difficult for our loved ones to bend over and take care of their own feet. They would need someone to help them with their daily foot cleaning regime. Poor foot health can trigger the onset of several foot disorders. Which makes life miserable for our elderly loved ones. Therefore, it would be wise to take proper care of foot and keep it healthy, clean, and free from dirt and infections. Foot problems can affect our walking and exercising.
Common foot disorders
Foot disorders, seem to become a common part of an elderly’s life. Blame the inability of our seniors to take good care of their own feet. When our feet are not cared for properly, we can run into all sorts of problems.
- Poor blood circulation,
- Advancing age
- Diabetes
- Loss of collagen
- Arthritis
- Hammertoe
- Tendons tighten
- Skin dries out
Foot disorders seem to become increasingly common during old age. With age, our elderly lose the cushioning, and the skin, as well as their toenails, become dry and brittle. The common foot disorders include:
- Ingrown nails
- Diabetic ulcers
- Fungus
- Calluses
- Corns and bunions
Learning about the various foot disorders
Bacterial and fungal infections
The cause of this is when our elderly wear shoes for longer durations. A warm, humid and dark place is a perfect environment for the fungus to grow and thrive.
Ingrown toenails
It is a pretty common condition and happens when a part of the nail breaks into the skin. This occurs when our seniors don’t cut their nails regularly.
Corns and calluses
Corns and calluses develop when there is a constant friction between the bony part of the foot and the shoes. Discuss this condition with the doctor for the right kind of treatment.
Bunions
Bunions are basically bony bumps that develop at the joint of the big toe. It occurs, when the big toe pushes the next toe, which in turn forces the joint of the big toe to get bigger and out of shape. The affected area of the skin becomes red and swollen.
Advantages of a healthy foot
Keeping your elderly’s foot healthy is advantageous in many ways. Let’s take a quick look at the benefits.
Physically active
Staying physically active is the best way to remain healthy. Sore and unhealthy feet, make walking difficult for your health. This will cause your loved ones to lead a sedentary lifestyle. A healthy foot enables your elderly to stay physically active.
Maintain balance
Feet that are healthy, free from infections and pain, also help in keeping balance. And ultimately prevent consequent falls and accidents.
So, the next time your elderly is reluctant in allowing you to keep their foot clean. Tell them about the advantages of good foot health.
Tips to take care of the elderly’s foot
Taking care of the elderly’s foot can be a daunting task for the caregivers. This is a very important task, as foot health is important for keeping infections and diseases at bay. Many seniors are often reluctant in allowing others to touch their feet. This is important to keep them clean when they can’t do the job themselves. However reluctant your senior may appear. It is necessary to keep their foot clean and healthy. Here are certain tips for caregivers, to help them accomplish the task in a better manner:
Always check for signs of infection
Look for sores that are not healing for several days. Redness in the affected area, accompanied by pain and swelling. If you notice any of these signs, it is best to consult the doctor.
Wash their feet daily with warm water and soap.
After they are back home after a long walk, let them soak their feet for about 10 minutes in warm water. Use a mild soap to gently clean the foot of your elderly. Do not use harsh brushes to remove dead skin. Regular cleaning will help remove the dead skin cells. Pat dry their feet with a soft towel and moisturize their foot after the cleaning process. Make sure you wipe off the excess water in between the toes. This is the place that harbors germs and gives way for fungal infections.
Cut their toenails as often as possible
Make sure, you cut their nails straight and remember not to curve at the edges. This way, we could prevent the development of ingrown nails. The nail clip should be clean and changed after a few uses.
Pay proper attention to their shoes
Poor fitting shoes give way to the development of various foot disorders. And therefore, you need to get the shoes that are comfortable to wear and fit properly.
Get your senior comfortable socks to wear
Tight fitting socks give little room for breathing. And also promotes deposition of sweat and dirt. Pay special attention to the material of the socks. Poor quality socks would also make your seniors uncomfortable. Wash the socks with warm water and soap after each use.
Seniors with diabetes need to pay extra attention to their feet
As they are at an increased risk of developing foot ulcers and other disorders which do not heal fast.
Prevent many foot disorders by elevating your loved one’s feet daily
By doing so, the blood circulation improves to a great extent. This will improve their overall foot health. Therefore, encourage your loved one, to keep their feet at an elevated level whenever they sit.
Keep feet warm
The lack of warmth can slow the circulation of the feet. Causing more problems, like weaken your immune system. So wear comfortable fleece sock to keep your feet warm.
Make sure to keep feet well moisturized
Feet lose so much moisture and it is necessary to keep feet supple. Apply some type of moisture to them every day with lotion, cream, or petroleum jelly. Do not put any type of moisture between your toes. You will want to keep the skin between your toes dry to prevent infection.
Conclusion
Healthy feet are happy feet, so keep your foot health up. By following the above tips and suggestions, your feet will thank you! Also, check out this past post on knee health. https://theultimatecaregivingexpert.com/2017/09/05/undergone-knee-surgery/
I frequently get pain on my feet after walking for a few hours. I’m not sure why, but it’s quite painful. Thanks for these tips!
After many years on my feet too, I feel the same way. This is why I wrote the post to helps us all. take care and best wishes.