I had a message the other day from mother's regular carer asking would I cut her toenails as they needed doing and she wasn't allowed to do it. I had noticed my mother's finger nails were quite long but hadn't seen her toenails in months, since I am not around when she gets up or goes to bed; I see her when she is dressed and I take her out.
So I went round this morning armed with finger and toenail clippers. Her fingernails I did fine. (Nice long fingernails some people would be pleased to have I've bitten mine all my life..) When I saw her feet however,I was shocked, as the toenails have grown into sort of pointy horns - they're not nails anymore but big thick things and I couldn't really get the toenail clippers around them. I did what I could but it's not ideal. My question is - does this need a chiropodist's appointment to get them back to some semblance of normal or is there anything else I can do? It had never occurred to me that since she has had dementia she won't have thought to cut her toenails (or even, being frail, couldn't have reached.)
(By the way I don't blame the carers for not alerting me earlier because it has only been in the last couple of weeks that she has had increased care visits where they see her undressed. Previously they'd only come at lunchtimes when she is already dressed)
So I went round this morning armed with finger and toenail clippers. Her fingernails I did fine. (Nice long fingernails some people would be pleased to have I've bitten mine all my life..) When I saw her feet however,I was shocked, as the toenails have grown into sort of pointy horns - they're not nails anymore but big thick things and I couldn't really get the toenail clippers around them. I did what I could but it's not ideal. My question is - does this need a chiropodist's appointment to get them back to some semblance of normal or is there anything else I can do? It had never occurred to me that since she has had dementia she won't have thought to cut her toenails (or even, being frail, couldn't have reached.)
(By the way I don't blame the carers for not alerting me earlier because it has only been in the last couple of weeks that she has had increased care visits where they see her undressed. Previously they'd only come at lunchtimes when she is already dressed)