While feet stay hidden most winter months, that doesn’t mean you can ignore them completely, and that’s especially important to remember with your elderly loved one. Many elderly individuals have a difficult time taking care of their feet properly because their feet are both hard for them to see and hard for them to reach. Due to those reasons, what can be a small problem like dry skin can easily become a larger and more painful issue when not treated. Personal care providers can assist your loved one with this problem.
Getting Footcare Help for Your Senior
If your elderly loved one struggles to care for their feet, having someone make regular visits to check on their feet and apply foot care can be a lifesaver for them. Personal care providers offer many different types of care for seniors who need a little extra help. A personal care provider can assist your loved one with many aspects of their foot care, from toenail care to skin care to observation.
Let’s look at some ways that your loved one can help reduce their risk of painful, cracked heels this winter, as well as some steps their personal care providers can assist with.
Top Four Causes of Cracked Heels in the Winter
- Having multiple calluses
- Standing for long periods on hard floors, such as in a kitchen or garage.
- Skin conditions such as eczema or athlete’s foot
- Obesity puts additional pressure on the heels when walking and standing.
Seven Tips for Preventing Cracked Heels
Stay hydrated. The skin gets most of its hydration from inside the body, so staying hydrated this winter is important to help skin stay supple and flexible. While cold water may not be especially desirable when the air is cold, your loved one can try to drink warm tea or enjoy plenty of broth-based soup.
Moisturize regularly. Look for a cream that’s made for dry feet. Now is not the time to buy that budget lotion that’s super watery. You want creams and ointments that can soak into every crevasse.
Try moisturizing socks. Winter is a great time to put on a pair of moisturizing socks right before bed. Look for ones that are also anti-slip so they don’t cause your loved one to slip and fall if they get up in the middle of the night.
Avoid hot showers and baths. Hot water can irritate skin that’s already dry and cracked. While cold weather may make your loved one want to turn up that water temperature, remind her to keep her showers warm, not hot.
Exfoliate dead skin. If your loved one can’t reach her feet, she may need some help with this. Exfoliating helps her get rid of dead skin that can provide a home for bacteria.
Wear supportive shoes. If your loved one is overweight, wearing supportive shoes can help relieve the pressure placed on her heels.
Use a humidifier, especially in the bedroom. Keeping the air moisturized can help reduce the drying effects it’ll have on all areas of her skin, including her feet.
Prevention is key when it comes to keeping your elderly loved one’s feet healthy this winter.
If you or an aging loved one is considering Personal Care Services in New Holland, PA, please contact the caring staff at Extended Family Care Lancaster today. Call (717) 391-6363
Extended Family Care Lancaster is a Trusted Home Care Agency in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, including Columbia, Elizabethtown, Ephrata, Hershey, Lebanon, Lititz, Manheim, New Holland, and Paradise.
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