Request only a Podiatrist to do this in house......medicare pays for fingernail and toenail trims this way every so often. I'd never allow a nail technician or manicurist to risk using clippers on an elders nails, especially if she's on blood thinners or diabetic.
Medicare pays for a Podiatrists every 10 weeks. My Mom paid a small amt but it was not a co-pay it was a share thing with her insurance. Unless things have changed in the last 6 yrs, Medicare did not pay for nails. Staff is not allowed to cut nails, not toes or fingers. The RNs I worked for were not allowed by state law to do it. The finger nails u will have to do. I just trimmed my Moms and filed them.
The podiatrist visits my mother’s MC/AL every six weeks. That is paid by Medicare.
A manicurist visits once a month, and does my mother’s fingernails in the AL/MC salon. We pay for this using my mother’s funds. I have made a standing appt, and a credit card is charged.
We also arrange for a tip that goes to the manicurist. It can’t be fun doing my mother’s nails. She is well into dementia, and repeats herself with her list of concerns every two minutes.😬
So ironic to see this post. I was approached yesterday about my mom's finger nails needing to be trimmed. She has a home health aide who will file them, but indicated that I was responsible for the trimming. Plan to bring a nail clipper on my next visit. Problem is her nails are her pride and joy so I think I am in for a battle. Hoping to find some clever way to explain why we need to do it without infringing on her independence. She can't do it herself because of tremors. I used to do them when she lived with me but she never wanted them low. She has seen a podiatrist as well, who manages her feet but that is paid for by Medicare.
The problem with toenails is they thicken as we age. To the point I broke a pair of clippers on my husbands. There are also problems with in grown nails. If cutting causes even a nick, infection could set in.
Yep, all staff can do in facilities is file and put polish on fingernails. I never said anything, but I had wished they hadn't put polish on my Moms. Because when it started to peel off, they did not remove it.
A podiatrist visits my dad's assisted living every month and I've arranged a standing appointment. There is also a "spa" where they do hair and nails. I've made appointments to have my dad's hair cut and finger nails trimmed but often the spa is not staffed and he ends up going many weeks. I trim his fingernails whenever I am there and they need it but during the lockdown they turned into absolute claws. This seems like something that assisted living could "assist " with and make some arrangement to have done but I think it's a common problem.
The AL facility that my mom is in has a podiatrist come every three months. I very much appreciate that service because it's one less appointment to arrange.
HerFirst: You should be able to get a podiatrist to come into the facility for this task. The specialist is needed for the thin skin of an elder that could easily be nicked.
The service is provided at least a couple times a year, with a small c-pay.
A manicurist visits once a month, and does my mother’s fingernails in the AL/MC salon. We pay for this using my mother’s funds. I have made a standing appt, and a credit card is charged.
We also arrange for a tip that goes to the manicurist. It can’t be fun doing my mother’s nails. She is well into dementia, and repeats herself with her list of concerns every two minutes.😬
Yep, all staff can do in facilities is file and put polish on fingernails. I never said anything, but I had wished they hadn't put polish on my Moms. Because when it started to peel off, they did not remove it.