I'm terrified of toenails, but they need care.

Depending on her insurance you probably can get a podiatrist to care for her feet once every 9 to 10 weeks which is usually adequate. It's usually safer for the elderly to have a professional handle their feet anyways . Thicker toenails and fungus are common. Double check with her insurance then ask her primary to give you a referal.

I operate a Mobile business where I provide in-home toenail trimming, Pedicure and Manicure services to Local North Carolina resident's.

You are right, CNA's are not legally able to clip the toenails of their client. This has to be done by a Licensed Pedicurist or Podiatrist.

You can google "Mobile Foot care" Or "Mobile Pedicurist/Podiatrist" for your area and see what comes up.

Hope this helped you out.

The podiatrist is the best place to call, because they are foot specialist. To my way of thinking one should never ever go to a nail salon for feet pedicure,why? They are not doctors, not clean, can be very nasty and pass germs to everyone.


Also, if he has long thick toenails (fungus) ask the podiatrist Dr for a prescription Ciclopirox CREAM 0.77%. Apply on toenails around and under the nails in the morning and at bed time.

After using the Ciclopirox Cream, in 2-3 weeks the skin pulls away from the toenails, making it easier to clip without any pain; do this in the morning and at night. I did this for my Dad, and I also, use the cream morning and bedtime.

Podiatrist first this will make sure there are no issues that need treatment, will get everything cleaned up then it is a maintenance issue.

My dad is diabetic so Medicare paid for a visit every 2 months and nobody else could legally cut them because of the risks. Non diabetic, I believe that anyone that is willing is able to do it, ask the caregivers. Some people are okay dealing with alien toes. Not me though, I gag just looking at yucky feet.

Let us know what you find out, different areas have different rules.

My dad’s toenails are awful. His are trimmed at a nail salon by sweet Asian ladies who aren’t bothered a bit by the job. He doesn’t do the whole pedicure, only has the nails trimmed. It’s proven to be far safer than him or any of his family attempting it. Added bonus, it only takes about 10 minutes and costs $6. I should add he’s not diabetic

Sometimes I'm terrified of my own toenails. (I'm 75). Most of them look ok, but I can't easily reach the outer toes and I worry I will cut myself. (I did cut my husband once when trying to cut his toenails.) Are you worried you will damage him? Or are you intimidated that they are so thick you can't get the clippers to work? Or are you just extremely disgusted by handling them? I would suggest the following approach. First take a basin and first soak then wash your dad's feet and dry them. I clip my feet after a bath because the nails are softer and easier to handle. Hopefully, they won't smell or look so bad after this. Get a thick emery board file that can file away thick nails. (Mine is thick and black and you can see the sandy surface and feel it grab your nails if you test it on your fingernails.) Now get a soft cloth and wrap it around the foot so that only the tip of the toes and nail is showing. Hold the toe firmly and file away. You will be trimming the toenail without touching the skin. You hold the file at a 45 degree angle and file along the top of nail (not underneath the nail because it's probably too thick to get underneath). Also you won't be looking so much at his feet since they will be covered. Pretend your father's foot is the shell of a tortoise that you are polishing. I have only tried this on myself. I don't use a cloth because I'm not terribly disgusted by my feet so I don't need to hide them. I hold the toe I'm working on with my fingers on top and underneath so it doesn't move. I don't know if this will work for you, but if it works you will save $50 in a pedicure fee. It does take some effort and time because it's much slower than clipping.

Phone call to a podiatrist. Easy peasy. They can check for any problems and help clear them up. The aged foot might be more than a manacurist can handle. Very thick nails, and very frail thin skin. They can also - (as they should) refuse to work on toes that have a fungus. It is quite common. It can get passed to the person's other healthy toenails, and be spread to other people. Manicurists are taught to recognize nail issues, but not trained to diagnose and treat them. Good luck.

I can't do nails either.  Cut one of my own toes.  My aunt went podiatry first, but now I take her in wheelchair to where she gets her hair cut.  Same lady does the pedicure.  Soaking feet first helps immensely with cutting the nails, and she loves the foot massage.  Besides, it helps with circulation.

Medicare/Insurance does cover podiatrist’s. Nail salons should be avoided at all costs, especially if your father has diabetes like mine. One wrong clip could lead to all sorts of issues and the possibility of him getting a fungus far outweighs taking that risk. I actually had no idea that podiatrists were covered until I mentioned taking my dad to a nail salon and my aunt had a fit!!!! She told me about the podiatrist visits being covered. I had to go through his PCP but it was as worth it. Not only does the podiatrist clip his toenails every two-three months, but he can tell a lot about his overall health by looking at the feet. He also referred my dad to an orthopedic for special diabetic shoes which are also covered. One new pair each year. Hope this helps!

This is a common problem with aging that most of us never think about until confronted with it, I imagine most older people have difficulty seeing their feet, reaching their toes or manipulating the tools because of arthritic fingers. In my area podiatrists are usually only seen by diabetics or if there is a problem of some kind but there are monthly foot care clinics at local seniors centres and there are many nurses who have taken extra training in foot care who will come to the home.