UNB nursing students hand out shoes to the homeless

A group of University of New Brunswick nursing students are helping to care for the feet of people who are homeless in greater Moncton by collecting and handing out new shoes to people in need.

“We’ve collected hundreds of pairs about 250 pairs total,” said student Alexander Bogle.

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The students arrived at this Harvest House Shelter with several boxes of shoes on Wednesday.

As part of their foot health studies, Bogle said they discovered a research paper produced through Dalhousie University that indicated that poor foot care and hygiene is a major health concern among the homeless.

The research showed that up to two-thirds of people who are homeless have problems with their feet and more than 60 per cent of them are wearing the wrong size.

“Improperly fitting footwear can cause structural deformities it can cause damage to the foot. it can cause a whole host of conditions that can require treatment and that treatment is sometimes expensive”  which is something, Bogle said, many people who are homeless simply can’t afford.

Walking is the primary means of transportation for Robin Henry, who currently lives at the shelter. She said when the shelter is closed, she’s usually walking around the city, which is why she is so grateful to get a new pair of sneakers.

“My feet won’t be as tired and sore after being on my feet all day,” said Henry

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Statistics also show that the risk of physical injury and poor foot hygiene is higher among the homeless population. Bogle says people who are homeless are also less likely to seek medical attention which could lead to more serious health issues.

“We did an educational session on a lot of the common conditions that are seen and we explains the primary ways of preventing them which is to wear well fitting shoes an keep your feet dry,” said Bogle.

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Poor foot health could also be an indicator of more serious health conditions, which is why the students are also encouraging people to seek medical attention right away if their feet are in poor health.