Simple Foot Care Tips for Seniors & Its Importance
Since your feet are the foundation of your body, maintaining them is critical to your general health. Improperly fitting shoes and genetic factors can result in foot injuries and abnormalities that limit your movement. Apart from being super traumatic, some foot problems can also increase vulnerability to collisions and falls.
Foot Care for Seniors is Essential
The feet suffer as they age. Out-of-sight duties like foot care can be quickly overlooked with a lengthy caretaking to-do list. Feet straighten and widen over time, and the fatty layer degrades, exposing the bones and joints of the feet to even more wear and tear. A superficial blister injury can impede adult mobility, stability, and overall functional capacity. Skin cracks, torn ligaments, neuropathy, ingrown toenails, and injuries such as fractures could be the first domino to fall, resulting in a sequence of various medical problems.
Six vital senior foot care tips to lower the risk of foot health problems for seniors are given below:
1. Keep your feet tidy
Whether your senior bathes on their own or requires assistance, their feet may only be cleaned once or twice a week. Since good sanitation is essential in preventing bacteria, fungi, and microbial infections, regular foot cleaning may be required outside the shower. Simple foot wipes, body wash with hot water, and wet wipes on a routine basis will suffice. It could even help you calm down before falling asleep if done at bedtime.
2. Moisturise your feet
Dry skin is more susceptible to fracture, chipping, and splitting. Moisturising is essential in preventing open ankle sores, particularly in seniors with drier skin.
3. Nail clipping
Some other crucial component of gentle foot care is to keep toenails trimmed. They can lead to pain or interrupt steady walking if they become overgrown. You could cut your senior’s nails yourself or look for neighbourhood nail care clinics specialising in senior foot care. Podiatrists may provide these kinds of gentle foot care facilities. Seniors with foot-related medical problems, such as diabetes, may require specialist care.
4. Keep track of open wounds
Did you notice that the soles of the feet are a common site for chronic wounds? Constantly relaxing the feet on a ground such as a blanket, footstool, or bedding during the day can lead to pressure and itchy skin, which gives rise to tissue breakup in seniors who spend significant amounts of time in bed or a chair. Prevent this possibly deadly condition by paddling the heels and shoring the ankles up.
5. Purchase properly fitting sneakers
Footwear can significantly influence the well-being of your senior’s feet. When is the last time they used to have their feet assessed and sized by a professional before purchasing shoes? Shoes that are too small or too large impact more than just comfort; they can end up causing blisters and other foot diseases and impair movement. Seniors should avoid wearing high heels that are greater than 1 inch in height and instead opt for closed-toe footwear that is relaxed and assists their arch form, foot spacing, and ankle support.
6. Require medical help
Bunions, hammer toes, discoloured toenails, corns, and calluses could appear innocuous. However, if the senior one has any of these symptoms, it’s worth picking up an assessment from a podiatrist to avoid further complications, such as infectious diseases. A foot specialist may recommend simple conservative steps such as wearing orthotic aids such as toe separators, bunions pads, and ankle straps.
Conclusion
To summarise, definite steps and preventative measures must be taken to maintain good foot care, prevent or treat serious foot issues, and properly maintain the feet’ health. Seniors must pay attention to the health of their feet to stay strong and fit in their glory days. Foot care will enable seniors with good healthy feet to maintain an active lifestyle and appreciate a long, happy old age.
FAQ
Why is foot care significant for seniors?
Seniors with poor blood circulation in their feet are much more likely to sustain a foot injury that can result in infectious disease and, if not correctly treated, surgical excision. A senior’s foot can be protected from harm by wearing moisture-wicking socks and foot care shoes.
What exactly is the significance of foot care?
Since your feet are the foundation of your body, keeping them fit and healthy is critical to your overall physical health. Years of wear and tear on your feet could be taxing. Overuse, improperly fitting shoes and even genetic inheritance can result in foot problems and illnesses that limit your mobility.
What is the involvement of the podiatrist in the care of senior patients?
Podiatrists play a vital role in the mobility of many seniors, disabled, and other people. This is accomplished through continuous monitoring of foot care, particularly in those with nerve damage issues and diabetes.
