Three out of ten older adults are unable to trim their toenails because they have arthritis and cannot use nail clippers, feel dizzy when they bend over, cannot bend far enough, have bad eyesight, or have thickened nails that are hard to cut.
Failure to take care of nails negatively impacts your dad’s foot health. It also makes it hard for him to take care of himself as his fingernails are too long and keeps scratching his skin when he goes to fasten a shirt, wash his hair, or practice oral care. How do you help him with proper nail care?
Trim Nails Every Four to Eight Weeks
Fingernails and toenails need to be trimmed every four to eight weeks. It depends on how fast your dad’s nails grow. Feet need to be washed, dried, and moisturized each day, but nails only need trimming every month or two.
Use a reminder set up in a calendar or with a smart assistant to make sure you keep track of when it’s time to trim nails again. If they’ve gotten longer than the end of the toe or finger before eight weeks, move up the nail trims.
Sanitize Nail Clippers Before Use
Before trimming your dad’s nails, sanitize them with rubbing alcohol. This process kills germs and prevents the risk of bacterial infection if you accidentally nick his skin. Make sure you’ve sterilized toenail clippers and smaller fingernail clippers.
Wash your hands or put on medical gloves, too. You don’t want to inadvertently touch your dad with germs on your hands and put him at risk of an infection.
Soak Feet First
One of the issues with aging and toenails is that the nails can become thicker. When it’s time to trim them, wait until your dad is out of the shower, or have him soak his feet first. Damp nails are easier to trim.
Trim Straight Across
When cutting nails, don’t cut at an angle or try to cut them into an oval. The nails need to be cut straight across to avoid ingrown nails. Once they’ve been cut, use a file to remove rough edges.
Cut Toenails Short
Toenails should be kept short. If they’re too long, they can snag on clothing or sheets and tear off. Jagged edges are more likely to cause holes in socks and lead to injuries from scratches when you have your toes in shoes or are sleeping at night and rub your feet together.
Personal care at home aides provide the assistance your dad needs with nail care. Instead of risking having nails that are too long and cutting into neighboring toes, he has the help he needs with foot care. Call a personal care at home agency to learn more about arranging grooming services.
Kommentarer