Who is responsible for foot care?

I see your mom lives in an Independent Living facility. My mom's facility had a podiatrist who would come in to treat residents. You might see if your mom's place has a similar program.

Her doc should check her feet and refer her to a podiatrist.

A good podiatrist doesn't just "snip, snip". She or he checks for pedal pulse, skin integrity, both between the toes, top and bottom of the feet, ankles, and even up the lower legs if they are skin issues.

After searching past the snip, snip guys, we finally found one who really is top notch.

When my mother was in a nursing home, they had a podiatrist who came around on a monthly basis to trim nails - the nurses, CNAs and staff were not allowed to do it.

Yes. Her pc should be checking her feet, and sending her to someone who can address her problems.

There are signs in each of examining rooms at my clinic that say, "If you are diabetic please take off your shoes. Help us to remember to check them."

Once she is set up with a podiatrist she will probably be examined and nails trimmed every 9 weeks.

Medicare pays for toenail cutting every 10 weeks, not hands. Caring facilities staff are not allowed to cut toenails because of infection. It should be podiatrist.

Oh I don't think it's an "American" thing, it's a "Diabetic foot" thing! Older folks with Diabetes Need to have their feet checked routinely, to guard against infection, and poor circulation which comes with Diabetes, and even "nipping" a cuticle put that patients at risk for serious infection that could be difficult to clear up, if not done properly, hence the Podiatrist recommendation.

As an healthy American, I've never seen a Podiatrist in my life, so no need to stereotype! I'm sure Canadian Diabetics see Podiatrists too! Lol!

Here (ON CA) it is an RN or RPN with 90 hours of extra foot care training, unless of course they identify something that needs extra attention.

I am starting to understand why as we start to age we need some one to clip our toe nails. I am finding at my age, early 70's, that I can no longer swing my leg up onto the sink [would fall over now if I did] to do the clipping. Can't even sit on the bed to bend into a pretzel.

Finally found an one-step stool that I can sit on and bend over [with my weight gain THAT wasn't easy] to reach the nails. I found best time to cut is right after a shower when the nail itself is soft.

One thing I have noticed, if I use a certain nose spray for allergies, my finger nails and toe nails grow faster. Oh great... [sigh]

Chiming I’m on this. My mom had her nails trimmed by RN with HH. More of maintenance. But she still had to have podiatrist trim them every now and then. She wasn’t diabetic. HH wouldn’t allow CNA or even LVN to do it. But the CNA trimmed her finger nails.
For her 95 bd her sister who was around 92 at the time and BIL 94 came to mothers party. About a 5 hr ride. Cousin drove.
Uncle brought his dramel I think he called it. A kind of electric grinder. There the two sisters were with their feet up in recliner. Uncle busy trimming their nails.
My aunt (91) went to podiatrist to have hers trimmed. They were concerned about PAD. Did a test that showed her pulse was low in legs.
So all kinds of things for the podiatrist to do.