How to Help Your Elderly Loved One Shop for New Shoes
February 16, 2017
Senior Care in Upper St. Clair PA
Shopping for shoes is fun for some but a chore for others. If your elderly loved one needs some new footwear, these tips can help you make the experience a positive one.
Bring Everything You Might Need with You
If your elderly loved one wears any types of orthotics or braces with her shoes, make sure that you bring those along on the shoe shopping trip. Bring along different types of socks that your loved one is likely to wear with the shoes, too. All of this helps to ensure that you get the best fit possible for your elderly loved one’s new shoes.
Plan a Trip for Later in the Day
Almost everyone’s feet tend to be larger later in the day. This is attributable to being on our feet during the day, swelling in the feet due to medications, and other individual factors. What it can also mean is that the shoes that your loved one finds comfortable in the morning may be uncomfortable by the end of the day. That’s no good, so schedule your trip for later in the day if you can. If you’re not able to go then, find out if another family member or your loved one’s elderly care provider can go with her.
Have Your Loved One’s Feet Sized
The size of your loved one’s feet can change mildly during the day, but they can change dramatically from one year to the next. That’s why it’s important to have your loved one’s feet sized by a professional every now and again. This helps to ensure that you get the right size shoe for your loved one’s feet as they are, not as they were.
Try on Every Pair that Meets Your Criteria
Once you find a few pairs of shoes that meet the needs of your elderly loved one, it’s important that she tries them on. She should spend a few minutes walking around in each potential pair to make sure that they work properly for her. If any don’t meet the comfort test, they’re not the right shoes for your elderly loved one.
Take your time when you’re shoe shopping with your elderly loved one. Once you have a system down, it won’t take long to find something you both love.