If you have diabetes, regardless of your age, you likely know that it can lead to a number of health problems. One issue that it can lead to is foot problems. If you end up with diabetes-related foot complications that are not addressed, they can result in serious infections and health problems, such as diabetic nerve damage. The older you get, the more serious these complications and health problems become. This is why it is so important that you pay special attention to any foot problems, such as fungal infections, blisters, bunions, hammertoes, etc. While these can happen to anyone, they are particularly serious for those with diabetes, and even more serious for diabetic seniors. Here are a few things that seniors with diabetes can do to help maintain a proper diabetic foot care regimen and ensure that they are taking proper care of their feet (and ultimately their overall health) on a regular basis:
1. Look Over Your Feet Frequently.
On a daily basis, you need to make sure that you examine your feet for blisters, sores, calluses, as well as any other type of problem. If you notice any of these, you need to treat them immediately so that they don't get out of control.
2. Make Sure You're Wearing Proper Socks and Shoes.
Your socks should always fit well enough that they don't slide down your foot to where they bunch up around your toes. You need to select shoes that fit comfortably and are not too small. Your shoes should have a thick sole that will give your feet plenty of support. It is also extremely important that you don't walk barefoot -- especially outside the home, but this is true even inside your home.
3. Maintain Moisturized Skin.
As a diabetic, when your skin becomes dry, it is more prone to cracking, blistering, becoming infected, etc. Therefore, it is imperative that you keep your skin moisturized. Choose a quality moisturizer and apply it to your feet daily or - at the very least - when your the skin on your feet seem dry.
4. Visit Your Doctor Regularly.
Aside from everything above, the best thing that you can do is to make appointments on a regular basis with your family physician and/or a podiatrist to have your feet examined by an expert. If you notice any complications that aren't healing or are worsening, make sure that you schedule an appointment with a health care professional or podiatric sports medicine specialist immediately and seek adequate treatment.
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