You've managed your condition well for years—checking your blood sugar, monitoring your eating plan, and staying as active as possible. But lately, you've noticed your feet don't feel quite the same. Maybe there's numbness you didn't have before, or a small cut that's taking longer to heal than it should. These changes aren't something to ignore, and you don't have to figure them out alone.
At Wilks Advanced Foot Care in Roseburg, we understand the unique challenges seniors face when diabetes affects their feet, and we're here to help protect your health, mobility, and independence. While this disease means your feet might need more attention than ever, with the right diabetes foot care tips and support, you can stay active and confident for years to come.
Why Do Aging and Diabetes Affect Your Feet?
As we get older, certain issues related to the condition often intensify. Reduced blood flow makes it harder for wounds to heal. Peripheral neuropathy—nerve damage that causes numbness or tingling—can prevent you from feeling injuries when they happen. You might step on something sharp, develop a blister from new shoes, or stub your toe without realizing it. By the time you notice, the problem may have worsened.
Aging also results in thinner skin, drier tissue, and slower immune responses. When you combine these natural changes with diabetes, even minor foot issues can become serious surprisingly fast. That's why elderly foot health requires proactive care, not just reactive treatment.
Our Top 5 Tips for Senior Diabetic Foot Care
Staying healthy starts with simple, consistent habits that become part of your daily routine. You don't need to overhaul your life—it's simply a matter of being proactive in these ways:
- Manage your blood sugar consistently. Stable glucose levels improve circulation and healing, which makes every other protective step more effective.
- Inspect your feet daily. Look for cuts, blisters, redness, or any other unusual signs. If you can’t see the bottoms of your feet clearly, use a mirror or ask someone you trust to help.
- Keep feet clean and moisturized. Wash your feet daily and dry them thoroughly, especially between the toes, where excess moisture leads to fungal nail infections. Apply moisturizer to prevent cracking, especially to your heels, but skip the areas between your toes.
- Wear proper footwear at all times. Choose shoes that fit well and provide support. Avoid walking barefoot, even at home—small injuries happen when you least expect them.
- Trim nails carefully. Cut your toenails straight across, and never try to remove calluses or corns yourself with sharp tools or medicated pads. If you have trouble reaching your feet or seeing clearly, consider consulting Dr. Jason Wilks for more specialized care.
What Diabetic Complications Should Seniors Watch For?
Problems don't always announce themselves with pain—in fact, the absence of pain is often a key concern. Loss of sensation means infections, ulcers, or fractures develop silently. Some warning signs include:
- Skin changes. Redness, warmth, swelling, or discoloration may signal infection or poor circulation, even if nothing hurts.
- Slow-healing wounds. Cuts, blisters, or wounds that persist for more than a few days require professional attention immediately.
- Foot deformities. Hammer toes, collapsed arches, or bunions create pressure points that lead to ulcers if left unaddressed.
- Temperature differences. If one foot feels warmer than the other, this may indicate an infection or inflammation brewing beneath the surface.
Recognizing these signs early puts you in control of healing and prevents hospitalizations, amputations, and loss of mobility. Dr. Wilks provides the specialized attention seniors need to catch problems before they escalate.
You Don't Have to Manage This Alone—We're Ready to Help
Living with diabetes is frustrating sometimes if your body changes in ways that limit what you used to do easily. When this happens, you deserve medical attention that treats you as a whole person, not just a set of symptoms—and you don't need to wait for pain or visible problems to reach out for help.
Everyone in our office goes the extra step to ensure you feel comfortable, supported, and confident in your care. Dr. Wilks offers you decades of experience helping seniors throughout Southern Oregon maintain their independence through preventive care, early intervention, and compassionate treatment. His comprehensive diabetic foot exams include:
- Evaluating blood flow. Healthy circulation supports proper healing, while reduced blood supply raises the likelihood of complications.
- Identifying skin changes early. Noticing redness, thickened skin, cracks, or pressure spots early prevents them from developing into open sores.
- Checking nerve sensation. Detecting numbness or loss of feeling early helps avoid unnoticed injuries and informs care to limit further nerve damage.
- Examining foot structure. Recognizing deformities, bunions, or areas of excess pressure helps relieve stress and lower the risk of ulcers in vulnerable spots.
With the right partner in your health, you can manage senior diabetic foot care successfully and continue doing the things you love.