Include a Foot Check as Part of Routine Senior Care
Did you know that three out of 4 Americans experience serious foot problems in their lifetime? Seniors have an especially difficult time with as simple a task as clipping toenails. With diminished eyesight and reduced flexibility and balance, seniors may neglect needed foot care. There are nurses who have businesses devoted to foot care for seniors. When in doubt, see a podiatrist.
* The foot contains 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments and 19 muscles.
* One-Fourth of all the bones in the human body are in your feet. When these bones are out of alignment, so is the rest of the body.
* Only a small percentage of the population is born with foot problems.
* It is neglect and a lack of awareness of proper care, including ill-fitting shoes, that cause most problems.
* Women have about four times as many foot problems as men. High heels are partly to blame.
* Walking is the best exercise for your feet. It also contributes to general health by improving circulation, contributing to weight control, and promoting all-around well-being.
* Your feet mirror your general health. Conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, nerve and circulatory disorders can show their initial symptoms in the feet. So, foot ailments can be a first sign of more serious medical problems.
* Arthris is the number one cause of diability in America, It limits everytday dressing, climbing stairs, getting in and out of bed and walking for about 7 million Americans.
Care givers in non-medical home care agencies like Seniors’ Choice at Home cannot clip nails, give baths/showers, or provides any hands on care. But they can provide a stand-by assist for showers (an arm for balance, set water temperature, hand products and towels, soap a wash cloth) and observe toenails that need trimming and alert family to the need.
For more information about Seniors’ Choice at Home in Minnesota, call 763-546-1599, or check out our website at: http://www.seniorschoicemn.com.
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