Poor circulation in feet is a medical condition caused by a number of issues, including inadequate blood flow to the lower body due to poor calf muscle strength. Poor circulation in the feet is a condition that affects a staggering number of people every year. It’s so prevalent that more than one-quarter of all Americans have it at some point during their life.

A lot of people associate cold feet with poor circulation. While it is true that if the feet are cold to the touch, you might be experiencing a problem with poor circulation. Other more serious symptoms can happen when there is poor circulation to your loved one’s feet, such as chronic pain, blood clots, and immobility. Cold weather and old age intensify these symptoms. So it is essential to help older adults boost foot circulation during the cold season. With treatment and care, your elderly parent can prevent this condition.

We at Serenity Senior Care know that even though caring for a senior loved one is a wonderful experience, it can also present many challenges. We understand the difficulties you face, and we want to help you and your loved one meet those challenges head-on. This article will give the information you need to help your loved one improve poor circulation in the feet.

Common Symptoms of Poor Foot Circulation

For some seniors, it is normal to get their feet a little colder during winter or feel the pain of standing for a longer period. You must take notice of recurring symptoms for seniors with risk factors like diabetes and smoking. Below are the symptoms you and your elderly loved one may notice if circulation is weakened.

Cold feet
Fatigue
Pain or aching
Swelling
Itchy rash
Development of some varicose veins
Tingling
Increased in blood pressure
Numbness
Discoloration
Heaviness in feet
Purple ort blue colored feet
Cessation of hair growth on feet or ankles

When you observe these symptoms in your loved one, encourage them to seek medication attention for diagnosis and treatment. Failing to do so may result in symptoms persisting and may cause a life-threatening condition.

Causes of Poor Circulation in Feet

The question now is, what causes poor circulation? Many elderly suffer inadequate blood flow in their feet because of their age and physical condition. So treatment depends on the cause. Below are common causes of poor circulation in feet.

Sedentary Lifestyle: Seniors who didn’t move as much as they used to start suffering from poor circulation. Just sitting around the house or on the couch, all day can increase this condition.
Diabetes: Diabetes can weaken the calf muscles, which are vital in keeping circulation healthy. Diabetes also damages blood vessels in the body, which can restrict blood flow in older people’s feet.
Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT): When an older person has DVT in their legs or feet, it lacks blood flow in the arteries and veins. It happens because blood clots in the veins and arteries can restrict circulation.
Atherosclerosis: Known as hardening of the arteries, it occurs when plaque builds up in the walls of the arteries. The arteries are located in the torso, legs, feet, and arms. A decrease in blood flow can be an early symptom of atherosclerosis.
Smoking: Smoking damages the tiny blood vessels throughout the body, which can lead to damage to capillaries. It is a leading cause of poor circulation and other medical issues for older adults who smoke.
Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD): Peripheral artery disease is a condition in which plaque builds up in the arteries. Any obstruction of blood flow to the feet and other limbs can lead to poor circulation.
Venous Insufficiency: It can happen to anyone but is prevalent as we get older due to weakening or damage of veins. It results in fluid in the feet, edema, and potentially DVT, which results in circulation problems.

6 Best Tips to Improve Circulation

Do not wait until more complicated symptoms arise, instead be proactive and help your loved one have adequate circulation in their feet.

The first thing you shall do is check with a medical professional to rule out problems and discuss a poor circulation treatment plan—Monitor blood pressure to address illness-related circulation problems. With the doctor’s approval, there are remedies you can try at home to help your aging loved one improve or avoid poor foot circulation.

1. Regular Exercise

Even though we know we need to exercise to live a healthy lifestyle, we all tend to forget about our feet or legs while busy with activities throughout the day. There is no better way of keeping older adults healthy than doing physical activity daily. If done regularly, it will keep the circulatory system healthy and active. You can do this by participating in foot-friendly aerobic exercises like walking, jogging, cycling, and dancing.

If you’re busy with work but still want to keep your loved one, engage in exercises for the elderly. Then you may need to hire a reliable elderly companion for your loved one to join him in her fitness journey. Serenity Senior Care provides companion support for seniors with health conditions to help them maintain physical mobility. Our caregivers will help and guide your loved one in exercising safely by providing training or coaching to strengthen muscles, teach life skills like dressing up and personal care.

2. Healthy Diet

Diet can affect circulation, especially for seniors with an unhealthy diet. Some foods can cause blockage in the arteries and veins of the body. Instead of eating high-fat foods, try eating healthy foods with plenty of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, etc. If your elderly parent is unwilling to change his diet for better health benefits, he can suffer from poor circulation. So make sure to encourage him to eat a balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables to improve circulatory function. A healthy diet also helps your aging parent maintain a healthy weight, boosting heart function and minimizing strain on their feet.

3. Elevation

For restricted blood flow, elevate the legs and feet. A recliner is excellent if you have one, but you can put a rolled blanket under the calves to lift your foot while resting. A stool is ideal for seniors whose feet don’t reach the ground while sitting since crossing the legs prevents blood flow and must be avoided.

4. Quit Smoking

Smoking damages the tiny blood vessels throughout the body, which can lead to damage to capillaries. It is one of the leading causes of poor circulation and other medical issues for older adults who smoke. So help your loved one by quitting smoking soon.

5. Warmth and Compression

A doctor will recommend suitable compression socks, which are very effective in improving blood flow. A doctor can provide you with professional medical advice on the best compression stockings for your loved one’s circulation issue.

6. Change of Shoes and Dress

Shoes that are too tight can cause restricted blood flow. You can opt for a comfortable shoe with enough room on the toes and heels to allow circulation. Be sure to avoid shoes with high heels on your loved one’s feet as it may make their legs awkward and cause a lot of strain on them. Instead, you can ask her to wear sandals or flat shoes suitable for walking or even sneakers for better circulation.

Conclusion

Circulation problems can be painful, but you’ll feel a lot better if you know how to improve poor circulation. There are many ways to lessen your risk of poor blood flow and the effects of cold feet. Having cold feet is a sign that everything isn’t perfectly fine, and we need to do something about it. It can also alert us of other medical conditions such as diabetes and heart diseases, so we mustn’t ignore this issue.

We all want to see our aging loved ones thrive and live their best life despite old age. If you are busy taking care of your aging loved one because of your work schedules, then you can hire reliable senior home care or companion services to help your loved one maintain good health and stay active. Serenity Senior Care provides reliable senior home care to help seniors with health conditions maintain independence and improve their quality of life. Contact today at 973-338-0124 for more information.

What Causes Poor Circulation in Feet?