Foot complications are some of the most common issues among those living with diabetes. These complications can be painful and uncomfortable, and can lead to serious consequences including infection and even the loss of feet. Fortunately there are ways that you as your parents family caregiver can help them to prevent foot complications such as infections, ulcers, and nerve damage. Taking these steps throughout the time when your parents is dealing with diabetes is critical to protecting their health, their well-being, and their ongoing function and quality of life.
Elder Care in Brookhaven NY: Diabetes and Foot Complications
Use these tips to help prevent foot complications in a senior with diabetes:
- Make sure that your parent is taking the proper steps to manage their diabetes every day. Properly controlling their disease is critical to supporting their body and reducing the risk of serious complications. This includes eating a healthy balanced diet, getting enough physical activity, and remaining compliant with any prescriptions or other treatments that the doctor prescribes for them.
- Ensure that your aging parent wears shoes that fit properly and do not create areas of pressure on their feet. Pressure can lead to calluses and open sores as well as compromise gait. If your aging parent is already dealing with nerve damage that reduces the feeling in their feet, shoes that fit in properly can further increase problems with mobility and increase the chances that they will suffer a fall.
- Discourage your parent from walking barefoot. This can lead to injuries to their skin that can rapidly turn into infection, and increases the chances that they will experience blisters and calluses. This is particularly important among those who have neuropathy or poor circulation and cannot properly detect pain or temperature changes.
- Make sure that your parent washes their feet carefully each day and dries them thoroughly.
- Inspect their feet regularly to detect any issues such as calluses, blisters, injuries, or ulcers so they can be tended to promptly and effectively.
- Ensure that your aging parent uses a high-quality moisturizer on their feet to help prevent serious dryness and cracking. They should not put creams or lotions in between their toes as this increases the chances that they will experience a bacterial or fungal infection.
If you have been looking for a way to enhance your aging parents lifestyle and improve their quality of life as they age in place, now may be the ideal time for you to consider starting elder care for them. An elderly home care services provider can be in the home with your parent on a schedule that is fully customized to them and their needs. This means that they will have access to the care, support, and assistance that is right for them according to their individual needs, challenges, and limitations. The highly personalized set of services provided by an elderly home care services provider is tailored to helping your parents stay healthy, safe, comfortable, and happy while also pursuing a lifestyle that is as independent, active, engaged, and fulfilling as possible throughout their later years. These services can include safe and reliable transportation, assistance with running errands, help with activities of daily living and personal care tasks, meal preparation, medication reminders, and more.
If you or an aging family member are considering professional elder care in Brookhaven, NY, please call the caring staff at A Gentle Touch Senior Home and Health Care at 631-647-7622 today.
Sources
http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/foot-complications/?loc=lwd-slabnav