When it comes to healthy aging, we often focus on heart health, brain health and preventing falls. But one important area of preventative health is often overlooked: our feet.
Podiatrists can be an underused healthcare resource for older adults, yet maintaining good foot health can play an important role in mobility, balance and independence.
Healthy Feet Can Help Prevent Falls
When we think about fall prevention, we often think about removing area rugs, installing grab bars and making sure there is adequate lighting. But fall prevention can also start with something much closer to the ground.
Poorly fitting shoes, overgrown toenails, foot pain and changes in the shape or structure of the feet can all affect balance and gait. As we age, several natural changes can make foot care more challenging:
- The pads on the soles of our feet can thin, reducing natural cushioning.
- Toenails may become thick and brittle, making them difficult to trim as flexibility and eyesight decline.
- Dry skin and calluses can crack, creating potential entry points for infection.
- Bunions, hammertoes and other structural changes can develop or become more pronounced over time.
Foot pain is also an often-unrecognized reason older adults reduce their physical activity. Less movement can contribute to muscle loss and weight gain, which can lead to further declines in mobility — creating a cycle that can be difficult to break.
Regular visits with a podiatrist can help identify and address these changes before they interfere with comfort, activity and independence.
Your Feet Can Tell You More Than You Think
Our feet can also provide important clues about health conditions that may require medical attention.
Numbness or tingling can be an early sign of peripheral neuropathy, which is often associated with diabetes. Cold feet, changes in skin color or wounds that heal slowly can be signs of poor circulation and may indicate an underlying medical concern.
People living with diabetes are particularly vulnerable to foot ulcers and infections. Because reduced sensation can make injuries difficult to detect, daily foot checks are an important part of diabetes care.
A Little Help Can Make a Big Difference
For an older adult receiving care at home, maintaining good foot health can become part of everyday support. A Springpoint at Home Certified Home Health Aide can help an older adult while dressing and bring attention to changes such as a cut, sore or change in skin color. Communicating these observations to the client, their RN and family members can help ensure potential concerns are addressed early.
A home health aide can also help keep foot skin moisturized and identify when shoes or other footwear no longer fit properly.
Our Aging Life Care Advisors™ can provide another layer of support by helping coordinate regular podiatry appointments and connecting older adults with appropriate providers. For older adults with diabetes who meet Medicare requirements for covered diabetic foot care, our advisors can also help identify podiatrists who provide in-home visits when available.
Prevention Starts From the Ground Up
Many people don’t think about seeing a podiatrist until a foot problem becomes painful or difficult to manage. But regular, preventative foot care can help identify concerns early — before they begin to affect mobility, activity and quality of life.
Healthy aging starts from the ground up.
To learn more about how Springpoint at Home can support your older adult at home, call 609-366-1900.
