Does your elderly loved one have diabetes? If so, it is vital to make sure they get the foot care needed to keep themselves healthy. There are far too many diabetic foot issues that can occur including infections, swelling, sores, and more. You and Home Care Services providers can help your elderly loved one to learn more about diabetic foot care information.
Checking the Feet Daily
If your elderly loved one has diabetes, you or in-home care providers should be checking their feet daily. Some of the things that you should be looking for include:
- -Sores
- -Calluses
- -Corns
- -Blisters
- -Swelling
- -Redness
- -Cuts
- -Other changes
If your elderly loved one wants to check their feet on their own, they can do so with a mirror. That will make it easy to see whether they have any issues with their feet.
Washing the Feet
If your elderly loved one has diabetes, they need to make sure to wash their feet every day in warm water. They shouldn’t soak their feet, though, because bacteria breeds on wetness. It is very important that they completely dry their feet and put lotion on the bottom and top of their feet, but avoid between the toes, to help prevent an infection.
No Being Barefoot
It is important that your elderly loved one doesn’t go barefoot. They could easily get a foot injury that takes too long to heal because of their diabetes. Any open cuts can lead to an infection which could get worse quickly.
Wear Proper Fitting Shoes
Your elderly loved one needs to wear shoes that fit them well. If they get a new pair of shoes be sure they slowly break them in and not just wear them all day the first day they get them. That could lead to blisters and other open sores on their feet.
Get the Blood Flowing
There are numerous ways to get the blood flowing to your elderly loved one’s feet. They can do this by putting their feet up on a chair when they are sitting down. They can wiggle their toes many times each day. They can ride a bike or go for a walk. If your elderly loved one wants even more ideas on what to do to get the blood flowing to their feet, you or an in-home care provider can take them to their doctor to get other recommendations.
Conclusion
This is some of the most important diabetic foot care information. Now that you have this information, you or an elder care provider should share it with your elderly loved one. The more of these tips that your elderly loved one follows, the better it will be for their foot health if they have diabetes. If your elderly loved one has any concerns about their foot health regarding diabetes or for any other reason, it is important that they see their doctor as soon as possible.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering hiring Home Care Services in Glen Ellyn, IL, please contact the caring staff at A Mishle Group Services, Inc. today. 630-888-6644
Sources
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/healthy-feet.html