For the comfort and good health of the person in your care:
- Provide properly fitting low-heeled shoes that close with Velcro or elastic and have nonslip soles. Avoid shoes with heavy soles, running shoes with rubber tips over the toes, and shoes with thick cushioning.
- Provide cotton socks rather than acrylic.
- Trim the person’s nails only after a bath when they have softened.
- Use a disposable sponge-tipped toothbrush to clean or dry between the toes.
- Check feet daily for bumps, cuts, and red spots.
- Call the doctor or other health care provider if a sore develops on the foot. The person who is diabetic must have special foot care to prevent infections. Serious infections may result in the amputation of a foot.
- Foot pain can cause a person to lean back on the heels and increases the chance of a fall, so keep toenails trimmed and feet healthy.
