Elderly Foot Care

Too little foot care services due to elderly above the UK has left a great number of them housebound across cities in britain. Considering that recent figures have proved a number who are yet again with ages 65 and older, upwards of 33% in some locations, are unable to even cut their own internal toe nails.

Elderly people may need easy access to a chiropodist because of problems with poor circulation, overlapping toes and ulcers. The chiropodist services are usually expected to be provided through the NHS.

Because the elderly have greater difficulty reaching their feet (the older we get the less flexible be tend to become) they may require help with basic foot care such as general foot hygiene and nail cutting. Recently claims have suggested the elderly were being put on a long waiting list for basic foot care treatment on the NHS. This has forced many to seek out private care to get treatment or in some cases have to relay on charitable organizations to either help with costs or obtain treatment. In recent years it has been suggested there was a drop of about 20% in new NHS chiropody treatment cases and in some areas of the country there is virtually no access at all.

The lack of basic foot care for the elderly can causes many other complications that could lead to restrictions to their mobility and increase the risk of dangerous falls. There have been known cases of people attempting to trim nails using garden shears or kicking brick walls to break off nails because they have no other means of help or support.Foot care should be universally available to anyone who needs, this is one of the founding principals that the NHS was based on. Chiropodist have suggested basic foot care should be included into the 18 weeks target waiting list currently employed for many other areas of the NHS.

The importance of chiropody is not recommended to be underestimated for the elderly. The NHS may be expected to provide quality foot health care for elderly patients to help improve the quality of their life, ensuring they remain healthy and mobile in old age. Elderly patients who remain physically active as we get older have a lesser stimulus on other sections of the NHS. The need in maintaining independence, social contact and mobility for the elderly should be an important part of any service released to them including the chiropody on the NHS.