Foot Care Program for the People who are
Experiencing Homelessness
The foot care problems for people who are homeless are great and are a major deterrent for one to getting or maintaining a job. The average homeless person stands in lines about 4 hours a day and walks on the average of 35 miles a day usually on cement! If they are able to stay in a center that has no beds available they must sleep upright adding to their increasing their painful foot swelling. Other problems usually include chronic foot infections, immersion foot (like Trench Foot) caused from being in wet socks & shoes too long, as well as severe calluses, blisters, and ingrown nails from poor (if any) socks and ill fitting shoes. Then of course in the winter there is the excruciatingly painful problem of frostbite. It is not a wonder any of these people can not think of anything other than their extremely painful feet.

A program sponsored by Nurses Foot Care Services is hoping to eliminate many of these peoples' foot problems. After screening and treating them for the most immediate problems this group of volunteer nurses and nursing students will be doing intensive education on prevention as well as referrals. These people will be shown how to correctly, wash, rinse, dry, and screen their feet for problems. They will be taught how to file their toenails and pick out correctly fitting socks and shoes. Exercises & diet ideas to decrease their foot swelling will also be taught. They will also be given washable reusable nail files, good clean seamless socks, and shoes as needed.

Financial donations to purchase these files, socks, and shoes for this program are being sought. These Donations will go to the Shelter Association of Washtenaw County (SAWC) which is a 501 (3) C non-profit organization specifically for this foot care program.

Thank you for you help,

Roberta ( Robbi ) Duda MS RN BC
Nurses Foot Care Services of Ann Arbor - Nurses Promoting Health from the Soles UP!
3588 Plymouth Road PMB #221
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48105-2603

"On the Front Lines: A Case of Trench Foot in a Homeless Woman"
http://www.nhchc.org/CaseReports/CaseReportTrenchFoot062707.pdf

Suggested donation: $10.00