Taking Care of Your Senior's Feet
It may not be the most glamorous or fun job to help your elderly parent age with grace, with foot care is extremely important and is often overlooked. Whether it’s because your parent’s feet are often covered with shoes or socks or because your parent can’t see his feet, sores and anomalies can easily be overlooked for too long, maybe even to the point where they cause permanent damage.
For those reasons, it’s good to have regular foot checks for your parent. This can be a task for yourself or a senior home care provider. Senior care providers can be excellent resources for tasks such as these, helping everyone feel more comfortable in the process.
Here are some areas of the feet to examine regularly.
The bottom of the feet
This is especially important if your aging parent has diabetes. Of the more than 29 million Americans who have diabetes, many will develop foot problems. You should look for cuts, scrapes, and cracks that don’t seem to heal. Any and all of these should be reported to your parent’s physician as soon as possible.
It’s also an excellent time to check for any blisters or calluses that may be forming because of ill-fitting socks or shoes. These can cause pain for your parent and cause him not to want to walk and get the exercise he needs.
Toenails
Toenails change shape and thickness as a person gets older. Seniors often develop ingrown toenails because of this. If your senior care provider performs nail care for your parent, she will be well versed in the best way to clip and shape your parent’s nails to avoid ingrown toenails.
The skin
Feet can quickly become dry and cracked. Create a routine to moisturize your parent’s feet with a good lotion. Generously cover the feet' top, bottom, and sides, but do not place any lotion between the toes.
Odor
If your aging parent has a foot odor, cleaning your feet regularly will help alleviate it. If he’s wearing shoes that don’t allow his feet to breathe, the odor can build up when they sweat. You might also consider using a foot spray.
While it’s not his feet, remember to check your parent’s shoes regularly to ensure they still provide the support your parent needs. Replace them as needed.
Keep your parent active and enjoying walking by keeping his feet in tip-top shape.