Many things decrease as we age, the most visible of which are our eyelids, jowls, and necks. Aging feet are less visible but more uncomfortable.

 

According to experts, a person over the age of 40 can increase half a shoe size every ten years.

 

If I’d known about IDEASTEP Orthotics, the story I’m going to relate could have turned out quite differently. When you don’t know what you don’t know, the story takes a turn for the worst.

 

When my father was in his early 80s, he casually noted that his beloved pair of house shoes no longer had enough tread to keep him from falling. Falls were a source of dread for him and his children, who feared a fall was imminent. When I inquired how long he’d had the shoes, he paused for a moment before telling me about how he bought them in an airport in the late 1970s.

 

I exclaimed, “Dad!” “Your shoes are older than your eldest grandchild!” exclaims the narrator.

 

He smiled and nodded. He then went on to say that he’d retained these sneakers since they were comfy from the first time he put them on. All these 38 years after purchase, the delicate white child leather had softened, supporting his growing feet.

 

I would not have thought to ask my father if his feet were comfortable if we hadn’t had this fortuitous chat. When he detailed the flaws in his shoe collection, I set out on a mission to find him shoes that were easy to slip on and off (bending over had become difficult for him following back surgery), had tread (in case he stepped in water on the kitchen floor), and still looked the part of a man who, 30 years ago, was a dapper dresser who cared about his appearance.

 

He declined to go to the mall because of his walker. So I started the process of ordering shoes online, driving the shoes to my father’s place to let him put them on, returning what didn’t fit, and starting over. For all the pairs of shoes I bought online that he rejected because they weren’t comfy, wide enough, or warm enough, I gave him the nickname “Cinderfella.” Finally, a driving shoe with a fleece lining was deemed acceptable.

 

My experience, it turns out, is not unusual among the elderly parents of my acquaintances. Gray hairs can be given a new lease on life with orthotics. A realistic representation of both feet is used to manufacture personalized shoe inserts that provide the correct arch support for aged feet using IDEASTEP’s Orthotics. The best part is that you can use the impression kit at home.

 

You can do this on your own at home. IDEASTEP Orthotics’ orthotic kits are tailored to each patient’s feet and the shoe’s intended use: formal shoes, athletic shoes, and more. Orthotics, when worn in shoes with the right length and width, can give life-changing comfort, especially for seniors whose feet have changed over time.