FRANKLIN –   Your feet are like old friends, always there for you, dependable and sometimes overlooked. But we need to change that. No, your feet won’t unfriend you on Facebook, but if they are ignored too long, problems like bunions, ingrown toenails, or sores can develop making your once dependable feet painful and a risk to your health. If you have poor circulation, diabetes, or heart disease it’s even more important to take care of your feet.

A Philips Lifeline article estimates that 80% of older people are estimated to have foot problems. (lifeline.philips.com/resources/blog/2014/10/the-importance-of-foot-care-for-senior-citizens.html).  Foot pain in particular is a cause of falls, decreased mobility or total loss of ambulation, and can affect ability to travel to doctors’ appointments and seek care for other medical conditions.
With decreased ability to reach our own feet, or to see them due to age related changes to our eyes, it becomes harder to maintain foot health or to recognize complications arising from diabetes, gout inflammation, peripheral vascular disease, and the side effects from certain medications which can cause damage to the feet. These can all cause infections that result in hospitalization or lead to chronic wounds with potential for amputation. (nursingtimes.net/roles/older-people-nurses/foot-assessment-and-care-for-older-people/5077564.article)

Regular foot care can prevent the above complications and allow recognition of foot conditions which need further medical attention or intervention.

Good foot hygiene includes;
• Washing your feet every day, and drying gently – don’t forget to dry between the toes.
• Checking your feet daily for cuts, bruises, blisters, spots, lumps or bumps.
• Trim toenails straight across regularly. If you can’t trim them, a foot care clinic like Franklin VNA & Hospice’s Wednesday Foot Care Clinics are a great option.
• Wear clean socks, and change them daily.
• Wear supportive shoes that fit well. If the shoes cause blisters, pinch or make your feet sore, get rid of them and wear a different pair.
• Communicate with your provider. If you notice changes in your feet, or any injuries, let your health care provider know -this could be your visiting nurse, primary care provider or orthopedist.
You only get one pair of feet, so be a good friend and don’t neglect their care!
You have a choice in your homecare provider. Choose local. Choose Franklin VNA & Hospice.
For more information, call Franklin VNA & Hospice at 934-3454 or visit www.FranklinVNA.org Your choice, your local VNA.