When many people think of diabetes the first thing that comes to mind is increased blood sugar and the need to check insulin or control their diet. As a family caregiver it is important, however, that you understand that these are not the only aspects of the disease or the only ways that this disease can impact your senior and their health and well-being as they age in place. Diabetes can cause a wide variety of complications and issues, some of the most serious of which can impact your parent’s feet.

Some of the foot complications that are possible for those suffering diabetes include:

• Nerve Damage. This condition is characterized by nerve damage to the feet. The nerve damage can cause pain and discomfort, but it can also cause loss of feeling in the feet. This loss of feeling can cause your parent to not be able to tell when bath water is too hot, if they have cut or otherwise injured their feet, or if they are experiencing a wound of some kind. This can increase the risk of serious injury and infection.
• Dry skin. The skin on the feet of a person with diabetes can become extremely dry and fragile. The skin may even peel away from the feet. This can lead to cuts, splits, and other injuries that are not only painful, but can make your loved one more vulnerable to potentially serious infections.
• Calluses. A senior with diabetes is more likely to develop calluses on their feet. These calluses can be painful, but even if they are affected by neuropathy and do not feel these calluses, they can be dangerous for them. Calluses can cause openings in the skin, which can lead to infection, but can also impact your parent’s gait, increasing their risk of falling and potentially suffering a serious injury.

Starting home care for your aging parent can be one of the best decisions that you make for your them as their family caregiver. An in-home senior care services provider can be in the home with your parent on a customized schedule to fill care gaps, manage care tasks that you are unable to do or uncomfortable handling, and give your parent additional companionship and support that allows them to stay more active and fulfilled throughout their later years. In your role as their family caregiver, this eases your stress, reduces your care burden, and ensures that all of the efforts that you put forth for your senior, as well as for the other people and tasks in your life that rely on you, are as effective and efficient as possible. For your parent, this care means being able to live the lifestyle that they desire and deserve throughout their later years.

If you or an aging loved one are considering hiring home care in East Windsor, NJ or the surrounding areas, please call Independence Home Care today at 609-208-1111 for more information.

Sources

https://www.cdc.gov/features/livingwithdiabetes/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/data/statistics/statistics-report.html

http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/complications/foot-complications/