Nail care

brooklynborn123

my wife’s finger and toe nails are ridiculously long. Who would we hire to cut them? I don’t think a regular nail salon would do it, but maybe I am wrong. Is this something that a podiatrist would do?

Gator1976

yes, that’s the place to start. She should probably have her feet/toes examined.

Timmyd

If you are up to it, consider trying to cut nails yourself. Before DW ALZ, I had never cut anyone's finger or toenails before, but I do now. It was a lot easier than I expected but everyone's situation is different.

Jgirl57

I take my DH to the podiatrist every 3-4 months for toe nails and I help him with fingernails. Nail salons will do cut and file even if you do not want nail polish .

JulietteBee

You can take her to a nail salon. There is no restriction on length cut.

Podiatrist will normally cut the nails of their own patients who have Diabetes.

Biggles

I absolutely loathed touching, let alone cutting anyone’s toe nails until my 90 year old mother (no alz or dementia) couldn’t get down to her feet. Then I saw it as a privilege. When I had to cut my DH’s toe nails and fingernails I didn’t like it at first but now it’s much easier than taking him to a podiatrist. Plus it’s turned into a lovely activity bathing his feet in warm scented water and doing mine as well, on the back deck in the garden with the birds. It’s not hard you need a very strong pair of proper nail scissors plus a smaller pair. Perfection isn’t necessary. Good luck.

harshedbuzz

@brooklynborn123

If it's reached the state of ridiculousness, a podiatrist is the answer. Not for nothing do most MCFs have one who visits regularly. If they're long enough, there could be some soft tissue injury that might need addressing.


TMI:




We had this with 2 of my aunts. One lived alone for years and was meticulous about her fingernails so the toenail situation wasn't discovered until she started wearing her late husband's boots. Another sister obtained emergency guardianship and placed her in a MCF where the podiatrist took care of them. This aunt tended to be very cooperative, so this turned out to be fine.

The other's nails were worse. She lived with her daughter who uses ASL exclusively. Aunt was uncooperative and unpleasant. ASL interpreters missed the degree of urgency in cousin's reporting. Her nails were several inches long and impacting her ability to walk. She also had infections (bacterial and fungal) that needed treatment. The cutting was done in a hospital's ambulatory surgery center under sedation.



Once you get the toenails under control, if she's cooperative a local nail salon might be able to maintain them. The last time I took my mom (no dementia) for a pedi, a wife brought her husband with dementia in for a quick soak and cut. They were very kind, and he seemed nonplussed by the whole thing.

HB

brooklynborn123

thanks for the suggestions— I would do the fingernails myself but I am afraid of hurting her as they have started to curl around. The toenails are too thick to cut safely.

brupt30

I highly recommend going to a podiatrist; they do this for tons of folks on a regular basis. At the beginning of this journey, I was shocked to see the length and color of my DH's toenails (he had always taken meticulous care of his nails). Took him to a wonderful podiatrist, who treated the fungal infection and a partially ingrown nail. Now we go every 3-4 months to get them cut by the same team. My DH loves it.

Palmetto Peg

It is easier to cut both fingernails and toenails if they are soaked first. I do my DH's after he has had a shower and they are softer. The key is consistency. You probably need a podiatrist for the toenails since they are so long and thick, but after you get things more manageable, try weekly trimming by you. It isn't as hard as it seems!

ronda b

If she is on any kind of blood thinner you need to take her to podiatrist,or if she is a diabetic.

Palmetto Peg

Good point! My DH has none of those issues, but definitely be careful with blood thinners or diabetics.