Podiatry Appointment Preparation Tips

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Podiatry Appointment Preparation Tips

Hello, I’m Joanne, and I work as a receptionist for a podiatry clinic. I’m the person you generally talk to first when you call to make an appointment or come for your first meeting with a podiatrist. In my experience, a lot of people take longer to get up and running with podiatry treatment because they don’t know how to prepare for their first consultation. There are things you can bring with you and things you should be prepared to talk about that can help your podiatrist make a diagnosis more quickly. I started this site to outline some of the dos and don’ts about preparing for your first visit – hope it helps speed up your diagnosis!

Private home care for amputees

For people who have needed to have an amputation, there is often a large period of adjustment in working out how to perform day-to-day tasks again. Younger amputees, such as vehicles accidents, cancer victims or military personnel, often want to live at home rather than moving into a nursing home or assisted living facility. 

Here are some ways that private home care can help amputees. 

Wound healing

Straight after the amputation, there is a period where there is a wound that needs to be regularly redressed and the wound monitored. If the wound becomes infected, this can cause a lot of pain and may lead to serious health consequences such as further amputation if left untreated. Home carers can help to inspect and redress the wound and highlight the need for antibiotics early on if there is an infection.

Pain management

People can be in a lot of pain after an amputation. This can be both real pain and 'phantom' pain associated with the lost limb. Home health care workers can help to assess the pain and modify pain medication as required to keep the patient as comfortable as possible. 

Physical therapy and task modification

Most amputees go through some occupational therapy to help them to relearn how to do some normal tasks. It can be very useful to have the home carers on hand to work with the patient to practise those skills in their own home. The carer can also help the patient to do any daily exercises to help build strength. They can also provide advice on the basis of other patients they have seen, including products or home modifications that can make baths, food preparation and eating easier for amputees. 

Many amputees also choose to use prosthetics, and health care workers can help people to practise with these in the home before they use them in public. 

Social integration

Many amputees find it very isolating when they have been in the hospital and then get home. Having social interactions can help people to stay positive and improve mental health. Home carer workers can help to transport people to social engagements as well as to medical appointments and can help them to entertain at home. This can be a vital part of recovery. 

If you or a loved one needs extra assistance after an amputation, private home care can often be a good alternative to staying in a nursing home or assisted living facility. 


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