Have you thought of choosing the right types of shoes for the elderly to prevent falls? Let’s do this for your beloved ones, and keep them safe and active in life.
Selecting footwear for seniors is not a piece of cake because several older adults wear shoes that are likely to cause falls. Maybe there’s one time you saw your grandpa getting out of his bed to slip on a sloppy pair of slippers, which is not a good thing at all. As estimated, 18,000 older people in the US died from those risky falls.
Therefore, choosing the right types of shoes for them is what we’re about to refer to in this article today. Wearing suitable footwear can keep your beloved one’s lifestyle secure, active, and healthy for a long time. But how the shoes can keep you safe from falls? Let’s find out the answers now.
How do shoes cause falls?
Footwear is more than fashionable stuff to make your outfit more completed. They can lead to falls. How does that happen? Well, as you’re aging, your feet tend to lose the heel pads or ball of the foot. Meanwhile, foot arches become less flexible, and your feet get wider. And guess what?
Probably your old shoes fitting your feet many years ago are no longer suitable for you. Most mature adults are putting on shoes that are too small for them. According to a study on those who get injured, they claimed that their shoes were the reason for the fall. Some others said that sneakers caused them to fall just because they were very slippery.
As you see, apart from footwear, several factors contribute to falls among older adults. Most of them are medical issues such as Parkinson’s illness, arthritis, and osteoporosis. In addition to these, there are other environmental elements you should be careful about, such as slippery surfaces, poor lighting, and unwanted obstacles on the way.
Considering all of the factors, we recommend you to advise the elderly to ponder over the environment they’re living in, or when determining what types of shoes to wear once those conditions suddenly change. More importantly, don’t try to wear those with worn soles and dodge using the ones with smooth leather, which can make you slip easily on carpets.
To make you choose the ideal types of shoes for the elderly to prevent falls, come to find out what to look for in footwear for seniors.
What to look for in a senior footwear
Soles
The necessary and sufficient for a suitable pair of senior shoes is its sturdiness. In other words, when purchasing footwear, you must ensure them to be well-made at first but not too flexible for higher stability. But why? That’s because once the shoes are too much flexible, they can easily bend and trigger a twist in the seniors’ food and they can fall anytime.
Also, to keep your grandpa and grandma safer during any physical activity, select any footwear having good tread, and stay away from those that have worn-out tread. To guarantee stability, people suffering from Parkinson’s probably like to seek smoother soles that can support their impaired mobility.
Size
If wearing shoes that don’t fit your foot, your foot will slip and even slide on the floor, contributing to the falls. It’s the same as your seniors, especially when the footwear feels too tight on their foot, which finally causes foot pain. And this only makes it harder for them to walk normally.
Material
Bear in mind that the shoes with uppers made of solid materials would deliver higher support. If choosing a soft upper, the footwear will become more lightweight and offer more breathability to the users. Feel free to pick out the shoes with mesh upper and a supportive overlay to let them bend easily with the foot without causing you to lose balance.
Weight
Don’t think of heavy footwear for your grandpa or grandma since they would find it a bit hard to lift their feet. They commonly shuffle the foot whenever walking, which is likely to cause falls. For this reason, go to choose stretchy fabric ones to support their weak movement. As it comes to the heels, make sure that they can’t be over an inch thick so that the seniors can have greater stability when walking on any surface.
5 Good Shoes for the Seniors to Prevent Falls
New Balance MW577
https://www.amazon.com/New-Balance-Mens-Lace-up-Walking/dp/B088XBHPFN
Above all, the shoe of New Balance is considered the comfiest and easiest to put on as well as take off. The footwear is just perfect for older adults who need more protection whenever they’re moving. If you’re seeking an exceptional walking shoe with superb support features, then MW577 is the right one for you.
The footwear of this brand could offer your grandma or grandpa a great fit for daily fitness no matter how long they spent on the feet. Speaking of its basic yet versatile look, the shoe is good enough to wear to work and trendy enough to wear for walking outside with friends. Therefore, don’t hesitate to get moving with this stable and stylish leather footwear from New Balance.
Dr. Comfort Endurance
https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Comfort-Endurance-Therapeutic-Diabetic/dp/B00IOT57I4/
This footwear fits those who have diabetes or any foot impairment such as arthritis, heel pain, and bunions. Dr. Comfort Endurance is well-built with the top-grain leather and breathable mesh upper, the elderly’ foot can feel cool and dry with higher support.
Better than that, the shoes are made with heel padding to help avoid any irritation and slippage. For the heel counter, it delivers extra lateral support and stability for your beloved ones’ physical activities.
As Podiatric Medical Association claimed, they avail the modern tech, material, and workmanship to offer comfy and decent diabetic footwear. With delicate designs, technology, and proper modifications, Dr. Comfort Endurance can protect the foot against any diabetes complications.
Power Walker Sneakers
https://www.amazon.com/Hush-Puppies-Womens-Walker-Leather/dp/B000E8ZWKQ/
What makes people remember the most in fashion is nothing other than Power Walker of Hush Puppies. This old-school sneaker can prove its badass moment at least for now when it comes up with a Dri-Lex moisture-wicking lining and a removable footbed that you can swap for traditional orthotics.
This special lining will provide your grandma with a highly breathable and dry feeling all day long. Just remove the footbed inside whenever you want to adjust the comfort. Putting the shoes on as you want to reduce discomfort and foot fatigue. To look cool with these sneakers, pair them with leggings or your Boyfriend jeans.
So if you look for footwear that is highly comfortable for any prolonged standing, walking, and more day-to-day activities, then this Hush Puppies Power Walker is a perfect choice to make. As the users said, among different Hush Puppies models, this one offers relief to them, especially when they have arthritis, plantar fasciitis, and other foot conditions.
Orthofeet Avery Island walking shoe
https://www.amazon.com/Orthofeet-Comfort-Orthopedic-Diabetic-Fasciitis/dp/B003OGEA94/
This type of shoe is sturdy enough to bear a heavy person and it also owns a generous space in the toe box. It first any old person who loves having more rooms to wiggle their toes. Besides, the Orthofeet Avery Island shoe gives us a comfortable feeling to walk thanks to the well-padded sides and heel.
It’s also soft leather footwear owning a highly supportive arch system providing a moderate fit but with the highest pressure point protection. With the ergonomic design and natural foot motion support, the shoe of this brand is believed to prevent the elderly from falling. Better than thought, it’s both lightweight and cushioned to protect your beloved ones’ every step.
Rockport Cobb Hill Paulette
https://www.amazon.com/Rockport-Cobb-Hill-Womens-Paulette/dp/B007MY7LPE/
Are you searching for trendy shoes for your grandma? Then look nowhere else but here, Rockport Cobb Hill Paulette won’t let you down. Looking like the slip-on flats, the footwear is just what she truly needs.
With a tender lining that doesn’t rub the skin or cause any foot irritation, you can trust the shoes to make magic for every step of your grandma. The shoes come in different colors to choose from, and we must say that they fit women who have medical conditions such as plantar fasciitis and arthritis.
Final words
So you’ve finally known how to select the right types of shoes for the elderly to prevent falls. Ensure your grandma or grandpa to put on them in the afternoon because this is when their feet tend to swell. Come to tell them to test different sizes for their best fit. Don’t forget to walk around for 5 or 10 minutes to try them.
5 Practical Low Carb Tips for Seniors