Family Caregiver Indulgences: Water Bead Foot Soak

Family Caregivers in Concord, MA

Being a family caregiver for elderly adults can be stressful and demanding, and at the end of the day you might be feeling this in your body, particularly your feet. Running errands, doing housework for your parents, cooking their meals, taking care of your children, going to work, and ticking off all of the other things that are on your to-do list can leave you feeling tired and your feet aching. When this happens, a bit of pampering can ease the pain and stress, help you relax, and give you a bit of a reward that will support your mental and emotional health and prepare you for all of the challenges that will come the next day.

This caregiver indulgence is all about comforting those aching feet and giving you some relaxation time that may help boost your mood and help you unwind at the end of a long day. A fun spin on the traditional foot soak, this indulgence utilizes absorbent water beads to create a soothing texture and lasting warm feeling that will surround and comfort your feet. You can easily customize this indulgence to work with your own personal tastes and preferences for the most benefit:

What You’ll Need

• Absorbent water beads. Look for these in the gardening or floral section of a craft, fabric, or department store for these, or you can find them online. These should not be the very tiny ones that are used for projects such as cooling neck wraps, but the much larger ones that are used for floral arrangements. You can choose clear or colored beads depending on your preference
• A bucket or foot basin that your feet fit in comfortably
• Towel
• Cold water
• Hot water
• Essential oils in your favorite soothing fragrance such as lavender

What to Do

• Place the water beads in the bucket or foot basin. They will be small and dry when you first get them and they will need to grow overnight, so it is important to prepare the day before so you can be ready to indulge at the end of the day
• Fill the bucket or basin with water and place in the refrigerator or in an out of the way place so that they beads can grow. They will absorb many times their volume in water and swell into gel-like balls
• When you are ready to relax, pour out as much of the cold water as possible and replace it with hot water. You do not want the balls to be floating, but enough water for the balls to warm up
• Add in several drops of your favorite essential oils and mix them in thoroughly
• Place the basin or bucket on top of the towel on the floor to prevent it from sliding around and to catch any wayward spills
• Bury your feet in the water beads and allow them to massage and soothe you with their texture, warmth, and the scent of the essential oils

Modified from this recipe.

Extra tip: Coat your feet in thick nourishing body butter before putting them in the water beads so that the warm can work the butter into your skin and soften them.