In our years of practice, we’ve found these are the topics most of our patients are curious about. Click these questions to find answers.
If there’s something on your mind and we don’t address it here, please feel free to call us toll-free at 877-204-8880 and ask. We want to hear from you!
Our goal is to keep you and our staff safe. We follow the AMA guidelines and Massachusetts health department recommendations. We come to your home and screen for Covid at the door. We do not take care of Covid-19 patients or those who have been exposed. Our goal is to keep everyone safe. We only touch feet. Your safety is our number 1 priority.
A pedicure is a beauty product that often feels good. If you are in good health that is one thing, but calluses, corns, thick nails, peeling skin and pain in feet are actually not normal and may be indicative of other problems. A pedicure will gloss over these issues. A session with us will also leave your feet feeling great and looking good, but you will walk out of a session having received person centered care and with a lot more knowledge about how to prevent problems and pain from happening.
Podiatrists are medical doctors whose responsibility is to diagnose and fix problems. They recommend treatments and do procedures. We are licensed Nurses, with specialty training in the care of feet and our responsibility is to prevent problems from happening. There is some overlap but we do not diagnose. Our nurses will, however, bring concerning issues to your attention.
We utilize the magic of touch and follow practice standards and evidence garnered from a multitude of disciplines to guide our practice. We complete lower limb assessments, assess shoes and socks and gait, restore toenails to a fully functioning status, reduce toenail thickness, reduce calluses, remove corns, address fungal toenails, help with skin issues and also edema control, improve circulation and lymph flow, reduce tension, reset balance and also share tips and tricks for optimal shoe fit. We also provide a lot of education. We are after all in the prevention business. We do not diagnose, do surgery, or prescribe. We do work closely with MDs, DPMS, Physical therapists and pedorthists in the area and we are not afraid to pick up the phone and advocate for the needs of our patients.
We are a nursing service that takes care of you and your feet and insurance does not cover routine foot care. Payment is expected at time of service (cash, check, or credit card). By special arrangement we can also invoice. We do not take insurance directly but our service may be reimbursable. We can accept HSA/FSA payments. We are also contracted through several elder service agencies (ask for a referral from your case manager) and have many clinics through Councils on Aging at reduced patient prices.
The initial visit typically takes 45 minutes to 1 hour. It includes an intake, which involves gathering a health history and the medications you are taking, a full lower limb assessment, assessment of falls risks and other health concerns. We then provide our evidenced based foot care including improving range of motion and releasing tension. We follow best practices as recommended by the AFCNA, the CAFCN and the world of wound care prevention; that’s why we never soak feet. Our tools are chemically sterilized between each use, and we use burs and other tools to minimize discomfort and risk of injury.
During your visit we:
- conduct a thorough assessment of your shoes, socks, balance, skin and pulses to put together a picture of your foot health
- reduce and shape nails to optimal functioning
- Dress any corns and calluses
- Improve skin health
- perform circulation enhancing and releasing body work to revitalize
- share nursing knowledge
We see most consumers in their home, however we also maintain offices in Greenfield, Fitchburg and Lee where we provide clinic visits.
We staff into many Council on Aging/Senior Centers where the fee is less. We cover Cape Cod and the Islands, Worcester, Leominster and throughout the Pioneer Valley, into the Berkshires and also Northern Connecticut. We do not currently cover the Boston area but that may change soon. Please call us – 413.367.8369 with any questions.
We work with Area Service Access Points (ASAPS) like LifePath, Highland Valley, Greater Springfield Senior Services, Aging Services of North Central Massachusetts, Cape Cod Elder Services, Elder Services of Worcester, TriValley Elder Services, Access Care (formally Western Mass Elder Services), and Elder Services of Berkshire County, so if you are receiving assistance from them please ask your case worker if you are eligible for foot care services.
Our fee is dependent upon not just location, but also service type and in some cases contractual obligation.
Our way of doing foot care is valuable for anyone who values their feet. We are in the prevention business. Diabetic and medically appropriate for all, our youngest patient is 8. Her mother wanted her to learn how to balance on her feet. Our oldest patient is 109 and still walks around town. We care for active people who are walkers, runners, health care workers, food service providers, factory workers and even cyclists. In a nutshell, we work with people who don’t want their feet or knees to hurt. We also take care of people who cannot move their limbs, and people who are bed bound or confined to wheel chairs or even on vents. Feet are often undervalued and not recognized for their important contribution to our health. Anyone who values their health and needs is a potential client of ours.
Our nurses are also great with taking care of feet belonging to people with dementia/ Alzheimer’s. If you are a diabetic, have neuropathy, or are unable to reach your feet due to surgery, or other obstacles or health issues, we are happy to be your foot angels. Our mission is prevention and our passion is caring and our role in health care is to keep all feet happy and healthy.
Please contact us 413.367.8369 with any questions send us an email at contact@footcarebynurses.net