It’s the winter holiday season and time for the time-honored tradition of giving gifts! Whether you’re shopping for an older friend, relative, or neighbor, Dr. Eric Ricefield, Dr. Mark Yagodich, and Dr. Aliza V. Eisen of greater Philadelphia’s Your Next Step Foot and Ankle Care Center have some thoughtful gift suggestions. These gifts will show you care while serving as pleasant reminders that every senior needs to take special care of their feet, especially during the cold winter months here in Philadelphia.

We find many senior patients tend to overlook their foot health as the weather gets colder in our office. Because of this, they are more in jeopardy of disregarding changes in their feet or indications of an issue.

Today we’re sharing our top 3 gift ideas for the seniors in your life while considering their foot health:

• Encouragement and Company: During the holiday season, you might need to encourage or persuade a senior loved one to schedule an appointment with their podiatrist because they may be apprehensive about what’s causing their reduced mobility. But supporting their decision to go and even offering to go along with them can be very helpful.
• Comfortable Socks: Walking while not wearing shoes increases your risk of having cold feet and increases the chance of stepping on an object without that additional protection. When senior diabetics suffer from peripheral neuropathy, they may not even know they’ve suffered an injury. Choose socks that provide just enough warmth and cushion without the tightness of an elastic band, limiting circulation and aggravating the skin.
• High-Quality Moisturizers: Not using a moisturizer during cold winter months can affect your skin, and for diabetics, this can be even more dangerous. Cracked dry skin can be painful, and if bleeding occurs, an infection can develop. Giving them a good moisturizing lotion or cream can help keep skin smooth and soft.

If you’d like to learn more about senior foot care or need more gift suggestions, don’t hesitate to meet with one of the experts at greater Philadelphia’s Your Next Step Foot and Ankle Care Center. If you find out that a senior in your life has fallen, or is feeling pain when walking, recommend a visit with us. Click here to find the office nearest you.