Foot Care

When we are in love, we may be "swept off our feet." When we don't want to do something, we are said to have "cold feet." A sensible person "has both feet on the ground." Sometimes we even "vote with our feet."

It's important to put "your best foot forward." Be kind to your feet. Years of wear and tear can be hard on feet. So can disease, bad circulation, poorly trimmed toenails, and wearing shoes that don't fit right. Foot problems are sometimes the first sign of more serious medical conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, and nerve or circulatory disorders.

Step in the Right Direction

Practice good foot care. Check your feet often, or have a member of your family check them. If you have a problem with your feet, your family doctor can help or you can see a podiatrist (doctor who treats feet). Sometimes, the special skills of an orthopedic surgeon or dermatologist are needed.

One easy step to take is to remember to put your feet up when you are sitting down. This helps keep blood moving to your feet. So can stretching, walking, or having a gentle foot massage. A warm foot bath is also helpful, but make sure your feet are dry before you put on your shoes. Try to avoid pressure from shoes that don't fit. Don't sit for a long time or keep your legs crossed for too long. Don't smoke.

Make Sure the Shoes Fit

Protect your feet by wearing shoes whenever you go outdoors. Wearing comfortable shoes that fit well can prevent many foot problems. Here are some tips for making sure your shoes fit:

• Shoe size may change as you age so always have your feet measured before buying shoes. The best time to measure your feet is at the end of the day when your feet are largest.
• Most of us have one foot that is larger than the other; fit your shoe to your larger foot.
• Don't buy shoes by the size without trying them on first. The size marked inside the shoe may not fit you.
• Walk in the shoes to make sure they feel right.
• Choose a shoe that is shaped like your foot. Styles like high heels or pointed toes can hurt feet.
• Stand up when trying on shoes to make sure there is about ½ inch between your toe and the end of the shoe.
• Make sure the ball of your foot fits comfortably into the widest part of the shoe.
• Don't buy shoes that feel too tight and hope that they will stretch.
• The heel of the shoe should not slide up and down on your heel when you walk.
• The upper part of the shoes should be made of a soft, bendable material to match the shape of your foot.
• Soles should give solid footing and not slip. Thick soles cushion your feet when walking on hard surfaces.
• Low-heeled shoes are more comfortable, safer, and less damaging than high-heeled shoes.

Something's Afoot: Common Problems...To read the entire article click here: Four Corners

For more information about health and aging, contact:

National Institute on Aging Information Center
P.O. Box 8057
Gaithersburg, Maryland 20898-8057
800-222-2225
800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free)
www.nia.nih.gov

To order publications (in English or Spanish) or sign up for regular email alerts, visit www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation.

Visit NIHSeniorHealth.gov (www.nihseniorhealth.gov), a senior-friendly website from the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine. This website has health information for older adults. There are also special features that make it simple to use. For example, you can click on a button to have the text read out loud or to make the type larger.

National Institute on Aging; U. S. Department of Health and Human Services; Public Health Service; National Institutes of Health; May 2007

Leader Article on Four Corners

Massachusetts Groups Reach Out to Gay and Lesbian Elderly Population

Cathryn Domrose

Even in Massachusetts, which is considered a beacon of tolerance and diversity for many gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Americans, the older members of this group remain in the shadows, as in the rest of the country.

Many fear going into assisted-living or skilled nursing facilities, or getting home health care, say those who work in agencies serving gay and lesbian elders. They retreat into the closet rather than face scornful remarks of fellow residents or possible discrimination from caregivers.

But a growing number, led by aging gay and lesbian baby boomers, are starting to assert themselves. They are familiar with anti-discrimination laws and are not afraid to make sure those laws are enforced. They are looking for retirement complexes, assisted-living facilities, and skilled nursing facilities that not only tolerate them, but welcome them.

"I think people are gradually coming out more," says Linda S. George, RN, MA, CAN, executive director of Boston Senior Care, a home health agency that serves about 3,000 people in the city. "And young gay people are very much out. I think things will be equal in 50 years, maybe 40."

To read entire article please go to Connection for Caregiver

Massachusetts Groups Reach Out to Gay and Lesbian Elderly Population

Even in Massachusetts, which is considered a beacon of tolerance and diversity for many gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Americans, the older members of this group remain in the shadows, as in the rest of the country.

Many fear going into assisted-living or skilled nursing facilities, or getting home health care, say those who work in agencies serving gay and lesbian elders. They retreat into the closet rather than face scornful remarks of fellow residents or possible discrimination from caregivers.

But a growing number, led by aging gay and lesbian baby boomers, are starting to assert themselves. They are familiar with anti-discrimination laws and are not afraid to make sure those laws are enforced. They are looking for retirement complexes, assisted-living facilities, and skilled nursing facilities that not only tolerate them, but welcome them.

"I think people are gradually coming out more," says Linda S. George, RN, MA, CAN, executive director of Boston Senior Care, a home health agency that serves about 3,000 people in the city. "And young gay people are very much out. I think things will be equal in 50 years, maybe 40."

Agencies Join Efforts

In the meantime, some agencies and companies that serve the elderly - including Boston Senior Home Care - are actively working with staff and clients to become more welcoming to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender elders, including offering training for nurses and other healthcare workers. A skilled nursing facility in the Boston area, the Chelsea Jewish Nursing Home, plans to break ground next year for a unit specifically for elderly gay and lesbian residents.

About 2.4 million Americans older than 55 are gay, lesbian, or bisexual, according to researchers at the University of California in Los Angeles. But many hide behind a wall of fear and isolation, says Lisa Krinsky, director of the LGBT Aging Project in Massachusetts. The project's services include cultural competency training sessions for agencies and facilities that work with aging adults.

Gay and lesbian elders are more likely to live alone, without children or other family members to care for them. They may limit visits from friends for fear their neighbors may guess they are not heterosexual. "I know how older people have a secret life," says Michael Ridolfi, RN, BSN, MEd, director of health services at BSHC. "They weren't raised to be out in the open the way people are today."

Friendly Visits

Studies of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender elders show their greatest fear in going into retirement communities, assisted-living, or skilled nursing facilities is for their safety. The next greatest fear is they won't be cared for properly. If gay and lesbian elders know a facility will be friendly and welcoming to them, many of them are more likely to self-identify rather than return to the closet, say those who work with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender elders.

Krinsky says a lot of nurses want to know why they should care whether someone is gay or lesbian, if all they are doing is managing a patient's health.

"The fact is that folks may simply feel better about their treatment if they're not holding a secret and if they know that their provider knows and respects them."

If gay and lesbian elders know a facility will be friendly and welcoming to them, they are more likely to self-identify rather than to return to the closet, say those who work with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender elders. They are more likely to have friends visit and less likely to become isolated, lonely, or depressed.

On home-care visits, Ridolfi looks for certain clues - someone living alone with no children or photos featuring a specific person. They may never openly tell him they are gay, he says, but they often relax and start talking. "They are always glad to have somebody to talk to," Ridolfi says. "And they always look forward to my visits.