As people get older, looking after their own feet becomes harder. Bending down to reach the toes can be uncomfortable, eyesight gets weaker, and nails often become thicker and tougher to cut. Many older people simply stop trimming their toenails or start walking in old, loose slippers because shoes have become uncomfortable. If you help an elderly parent or relative, it pays to look at their feet every so often. Small problems found early are easier to sort out, and comfortable feet make walking safer.
Why feet need more attention with age
With time, the skin on the feet tends to become thinner and drier, and it heals more slowly after small injuries. Toenails can thicken, change colour or grow in an uneven direction. Some people lose part of the feeling in their feet, especially with diabetes or poor circulation, so they may not notice a blister or a small cut. Changes in the shape of the foot, such as bunions or curled toes, can make familiar shoes start to rub.
Usually none of this is serious on its own. The trouble is that an older person may not notice it for weeks, while a younger one would spot it and deal with it quickly.
What to look at during a quick check
You do not need any special knowledge for a basic look. Once a week or so, in good light, check both feet, including the soles and the spaces between the toes:
- dry skin, cracked heels, redness, blisters, small wounds, or any patch that looks different from the rest of the foot;
- hard, thickened skin on the sole, the heel or the tops of the toes (calluses and corns), especially if it hurts to walk;
- very long, thick, yellowed or crumbling nails, or a nail edge pressing into the skin;
- white, soft or damp skin between the toes, peeling, or an unpleasant smell;
- red marks from sock elastic or shoe seams, worn-out soles, and slippers that slide off the heel.
It is also worth asking simple questions. Does anything hurt when they walk? Do they find it hard to put shoes on? Have they stopped going out as much as before? Sometimes the answer leads straight to a foot problem.
What you can safely do at home
Gentle everyday care is usually enough to keep healthy older feet comfortable:
- Wash the feet in lukewarm, not hot, water and dry them carefully, especially between the toes.
- Apply a moisturising foot cream to the heels and soles, but not between the toes, where the skin should stay dry.
- Choose socks without tight elastic bands and change them every day.
- Make sure shoes and slippers hold the heel, have a non-slip sole and leave enough room for the toes.
- Trim nails straight across and not too short, after a bath when they are softer, if the nails are thin and the person has no circulation problems or diabetes.
Don't cut away calluses or corns with blades or scissors, and do not use corn plasters or strong products that soften skin without advice, especially if the person has diabetes. Do not try to dig out an ingrown nail edge. If a nail is so thick that ordinary clippers do not go through it, forcing it can damage the skin around it.
When it is time to see a podiatrist or a doctor
Book a podiatrist if your relative has:
- thick, hard or curved nails that cannot be trimmed safely at home;
- a nail edge growing into the skin, with pain or redness;
- painful calluses or corns that make walking difficult;
- deep cracks in the heels;
- nails that have changed colour or are separating from the nail bed;
- diabetes, even when the feet look fine, because regular professional care is especially important for them.
Some signs need a doctor, and quickly: a wound that is not healing, swelling, warmth and spreading redness, pus, a foot that suddenly turns pale, blue or very cold, or new pain at rest. Don't wait for a routine appointment then: call a GP or get urgent medical help.
What happens at a podiatry visit
A visit usually begins with a conversation and a look at both feet. The podiatrist asks about health conditions, medicines and any pain, and checks the skin, nails and shoes. Then they can trim and thin thickened nails, gently remove calluses and corns, and care for cracked heels using professional tools. The procedures are normally painless. At the end, you get advice on home care and on how often it makes sense to come back.
At PODOKOM in Rzeszów, we often see adult children who bring their parents in, because even trimming nails can become difficult with age. We work with sterile instruments, care for feet affected by medical conditions, and cooperate with doctors: a dermatologist, a surgeon, an orthopaedist and an endocrinologist.
You don't have to do everything for them. Notice changes early, help keep their feet clean and dry, and call in a professional when home care isn't enough.