Household-shoe wearing and purchasing habits - A survey of people aged 65 years and older

A mail survey was conducted to assess the types of household footwear curre ntly being worn by a random sample of independently living men and women ag ed 65 years and older as well as their needs related to the purchase and we aring of household footwear. Questionnaires were completed by 128 people. T he greatest number of respondents wore slippers all day around the home, pu rchasing these shoes because of their convenience and comfort. Respondents were not willing to purchase expensive shoes for household wear and infrequ ently replaced them, despite the fact that such footwear was worn for exten ded periods each day. It was concluded that further research is required to design a household shoe that fits well and accommodates a variety of foot pathologies typical of the elderly foot; the shoe should be comfortable, re latively inexpensive, and safe for typical household surfaces.