Good skin care is important for all seniors, but it’s especially important for seniors who have diabetes. Personal care at home can help your parent keep their skin healthy. With personal care at home, your parent will have the support they need for hygiene tasks like showering, putting on clean socks and shoes, and other tasks that will help support healthy skin.
Good skin care is important for diabetic seniors because diabetes can cause a lot of skin problems that can lead to infections or even eventual amputation of toes or feet. People with diabetes tend to have dry skin, and small cracks or sores caused by dry skin can let in bacteria, which causes infections.
If your parent doesn’t notice the early signs of infection, they could develop hard-to-treat infections or skin conditions that can eventually cause amputation.
A personal care at home provider trained to help seniors with hygiene tasks safely can also help your senior parent take appropriate care of their skin so they don’t develop diabetes-related skin illnesses or sores.
How A Personal Care at Home Provider Can Help
Basic skin care like bathing, moisturizing, and wearing clean, dry socks can go a long way towards keeping your parent healthy. But, seniors who have mobility problems, balance problems, or trouble reaching may not be able to do those things for themselves.
A personal care at home provider can help your parent protect their skin by:
Checking Their Feet for Cuts, Blisters, and Sores
Foot care is especially important for seniors with diabetes. Nerve damage can cause numbness or reduced sensation, making it difficult for your parent to notice a small injury.
A home care provider can help your parent visually check their feet for cuts, blisters, redness, swelling, bruising, or other changes. They can also look between the toes and around the heels, where problems may be harder for your parent to see.
If a personal care at home provider notices a concerning change, they can notify family members and encourage your parent to contact their healthcare provider. Catching a potential problem early may help prevent a minor injury from becoming more serious.
Wash and Dry Their Feet Carefully
Keeping feet clean is an important part of maintaining healthy skin. A home care provider can assist your parent with washing their feet using warm, not hot, water and a mild cleanser.
After washing, the provider can help dry the feet thoroughly, paying particular attention to the spaces between the toes. Keeping the skin between the toes dry can help reduce excess moisture in an area where fungal infections may develop.
Seniors with diabetes may have difficulty bending down to wash and dry their feet safely. Having assistance can make this routine easier while helping your parent maintain good hygiene.
Help Keep Dry Skin Moisturized
Diabetes can contribute to dry skin, which may become cracked and uncomfortable. Cracks in the skin can create openings where bacteria may enter.
A personal care at home provider can help your parent apply an appropriate moisturizer to dry areas of the skin. For the feet, moisturizer is generally applied to the tops and bottoms rather than between the toes, where excess moisture can be problematic.
A provider can also help your parent maintain a regular moisturizing routine for other areas that tend to become dry, such as the hands, arms, legs, and elbows.
If your parent has persistent cracking, irritation, or other skin problems, the home care provider can alert family members so the appropriate healthcare professional can provide guidance.
Assist With Compression Socks or Stockings
Some seniors wear compression socks or stockings as part of a healthcare provider’s treatment plan. However, putting them on and taking them off can be challenging, especially for someone with limited flexibility or mobility.
A personal care at home provider can assist your parent with putting on and removing compression socks or stockings as directed by their healthcare team.
Because compression garments aren’t appropriate for everyone with diabetes or circulation problems, your parent should use them only when recommended by a healthcare professional.
A home care provider can follow the prescribed routine and notify family members if they notice redness, irritation, swelling, or other concerning changes.
Help Your Parent Choose Safe Footwear and Socks
The right footwear can help protect a diabetic senior’s feet from injuries. A home care provider can encourage your parent to wear comfortable, properly fitting shoes and clean socks rather than walking barefoot.
A provider may also help your parent check shoes before putting them on to make sure there are no objects, rough areas, or other problems inside that could rub against the skin.
If your parent has reduced sensation in their feet, they may not immediately notice that a shoe is causing pressure or friction. Regularly checking footwear and paying attention to signs of irritation can help reduce the risk of unnoticed injuries.
If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring Personal Care at Home in Davis, CA, contact the friendly staff at HomeCare Professionals today.
Call (866)-940-4855
