Diabetes and Your Feet

 

Looking after your feet is an important part of managing diabetes.

Foot problems are common in people living with diabetes and can lead to serious complications.

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (altered sensation in the extremities, usually the feet) and peripheral arterial disease (impaired blood flow to the legs and feet) are factors that increase the risk of foot complications.

A good daily foot-care routine and good blood sugar control will help keep your feet healthy. Wounds Canada provides the following recommendations for clients living with diabetes (graphic at right). For more information, visit Wounds Canada’s Diabetes, Healthy Feet and You website at https://www.woundscanada.ca/for-patients-public

If having you are currently meeting with your health care team virtually (phone or video consultations), you can complete this ‘Touch The Toes Test’ before your next appointment.  This foot assessment can be done at home – it will provide your health care provider with valuable information about the health of your feet.

 

This year’s Diabetes Awareness Month theme is “Nurses make the difference for diabetes”.

 

The Lady Dunn Health Centre’s Certified Foot Care Nurses provide foot care to North Algoma Diabetes Education Program (NADEP) clients in order to minimize foot complications related to diabetes.  Colette Dechamplain, RN provides foot care services to clients living in Dubreuilville and Kim Shorey, RPN provides services in Wawa and White River.

 

This week we are highlighting Kim and Colette in our Nurse Spotlight.

 

Kim enjoys being an active member of the multidisciplinary team at the diabetes education program and the Lady Dunn Health Centre. While caring for a client’s feet and nails, Kim focuses on building therapeutic relationships, provides appropriate education and contributes to their overall wellness. Kim finds it rewarding to help a client or know that you have helped improve how they feel on a daily basis by removing overgrown nails, or calluses that make it painful to walk.

 

“Foot care is not just about nails, it impacts a person’s overall well-being, mobility, physical activity, and self-image.” When Kim is not busy maintaining client’s feet, she enjoys hiking in the summer and snowshoeing in the winter, she spends a lot of time outdoors and with her beautiful dogs!

 

En offrant les soins des pieds à ses clients, Colette aime être capable de partager ses connaissances et offrir de l’éducation afin de prévenir les complications liées au pied diabétique.

Lorsque Colette n’est pas au travail, elle jouit de la nature en faisant de la raquette ou du kayak.

 

Thank you Kim and Colette for the care you provide clients!