What provides all of us with the major physical support and mobility that we rely on? Yes, our FEET! These feet of ours provide us, most often, with a foundation to hold up the rest of our body and allow us to move – one foot at a time – in a direction of our choosing. Most often one of our most recognized concerns is when our mobility and/or posture shifts. As a result of some aches and pains, we begin to compensate more and more in our posture and our walking. This impedes our mobility and begins to cause us to struggle with our day-to-day activities.
How does this start? Often it is due to some signs of aging such as the skin becoming thinner and less elastic which results in corns, blisters and foot infections. From these sources of problems with our feet, we either seek help or ‘endure’ our pain. Obviously, ‘enduring’ is not a great answer. Seeking help is.
As we watch others and/or become aware of our own pains and mobility issues, the quality of our life is affected. We can at this point make one of three choices:
1. Ignore the pains and cope with the situation.
2. Be angry at our bodies and often with others.
3. Find a podiatrist or footcare specialist and begin to practice proper footcare.
What happens when we ignore the situation? As with most things we face in life, we know that eventually the challenge becomes too pronounced and painful that we find it shouting at us – Get help! This hurts and I can’t ignore it any longer!
How does it work for us if we get upset about our issues and take it out on ourselves and others? When I answer that question, I find that it changes my demeanor, my attitude, my social life and my relationships. And not for the better. As we are aware, getting upset never solves the problem but only makes things worse. Dealing with footcare challenges is no different.
What is proper footcare? It involves some of the following:
• Inspect your feet looking for cuts, bruises, blisters, red spots, lumps and bumps.
• Washing feet daily, rinsing them completely and drying them thoroughly.
• Trimming toe nails straight across and not too short. Don’t cut or dig at corners.
• Do not trim, shave or use over-the-counter medications to dissolve corns/calluses – see a foot specialist.
• Wear clean socks and change them daily. Wear proper shoes. If you have diabetes, the foot specialist may add to this list.
Footcare clinics are provided monthly through Seniors Outreach at the Three Hills Drop In Centre and through other providers across the County – go see them! [http://www.ipfh.org/foot-care-essentials/why-preventive-foot-health-is-important]
Seniors Outreach provides opportunities to learn, to interact, to socialize and to volunteer in order to keep one’s mental and physical abilities supported and engaged.
Seniors Outreach Activities: Call Seniors Outreach Main Office (403-443-2555 or toll free from Carbon at 1-888-443-2555) to sign up/purchase tickets or for more information for the following:
Photography Contest: Call in or stop in at the Seniors Outreach office to get sign up forms for your photography submissions. We are looking for 2-3 pictures from each senior (65+) photographer by May 16, 2019. Judging will occur in early June.
RED DEER BUS TRIP – (Appointments/Shopping/etc.) – Wednesday, May 15, 2019. Call Seniors Outreach to book your space on the bus. Please call early.
FINAL REMINDER: Up to April 30/19 For Basic Income Tax preparation and submission for Seniors 2018 Income tax – contact Kneehill Regional Family and Community Support Services at 403-443-3800.
Seniors Outreach Program Society is thankful to Alberta Culture and Tourism for their support through the Community Initiatives Program Operating Grant for 2017 and 2018!
