I have eczema of several different kinds in several different places, some responsive to treatment and some not.

Currently I'm getting ultraviolet-B treatment for the patches on the soles of my feet, which have got to the point where the only chemical treatments they respond to are clobetasol (the strongest topical steroid there is) or tacrolimus (an immunosuppressant which increases your risk of getting several kinds of cancer, but I have to live with that risk if it means I can still walk). Diprosalic is far weaker than any of that, and there are many kinds of steroid much weaker still.

Usually you start with the weaker ones and work up to tougher stuff when they don't work, but for somebody 92 years old, it seems reasonable to go for fast results.

Coconut oil is pretty good as an external emollient. If you take it internally (I can't think why you'd want to) remember that it's highly saturated, more so than beef suet.

Increasing the omega-3/omega-6 ratio in the diet may help - more fish oil, less sunflower or corn oil. GLA in borage is an omega-6 oil and may make the problem much worse. You DON'T want to just chuck it down your throat without checking to see if it's doing any good or otherwise.

I had finger eczema very much like what Richard describes starting when I was in my 20s - it was caused first by sensitivity to sheep fat, then by xerox or laser printer toner. I still have to avoid handling photocopies or printed sheets while they're still warm, but as long as I do that I don't have a problem.

Where exactly is this man's eczema? This is one of the few conditions where the distribution of the problem on the skin tells you something about the cause.