Good hygiene practises for seniors, such as regular hand washing, proper body cleaning, and even nail cleaning, can help prevent the spread of infectious diseases and reduce the risk of illness for the individual and those around them. You may think that keeping a senior’s nails short and clean doesn’t impact germs, but tons of germs can be spread from under a senior’s fingernails.
Your loved one may not be able to trim their fingernails or keep them as clean as they should, and if this is something your loved one is struggling with, you should consider hiring personal care at home. These are professionals who will help your loved one meet the unique needs and personal hygiene requirements they need met. Here are some nail care tips your senior mom or dad needs to know.
Trim Nails Regularly
Truthfully, this is the easiest tip to follow, but it can be hard for your seniors to do alone. They may be unable to hold a nail file or nail clippers, so they may avoid doing this task. Nail clipping needs to be done weekly depending on how fast someone’s nails grow, and they can get help with this from personal care at home. Nail trimming is crucial for seniors because it helps prevent a range of potential health issues.
Firstly, overgrown nails, especially toenails, can lead to accidents, falls, and injuries, which can be especially dangerous for older individuals with frailty or balance problems. Secondly, proper nail care reduces the risk of painful ingrown nails and nail infections. Maintaining well-groomed nails contributes to overall hygiene and can boost a senior’s self-esteem and confidence, promoting better mental and emotional well-being.
Let Your Feet Out
Your feet should breathe, and it has much to do with your nails’ health. Many seniors wear shoes in the house because they can help them maintain a sense of balance, which will help your seniors fall less and reduce the risk of injury. But here is the catch: your seniors’ feet need to breathe to be healthy. They should remove their socks and shoes once or twice a day and put them up. Letting their feet breathe will help prevent the risk of fungal infections. When they do put back on their socks and shoes, their feet should always be dry.
See a Podiatrist
A podiatrist is a foot doctor who can help ensure a senior keeps their feet as healthy as possible. If your loved one is managing a chronic health condition like diabetes, they may need to see a foot doctor more regularly because they may have circulation issues that can even cause them to lose their foot. It is important to take preventive actions to keep nails, hands, and feet as healthy as possible.
A podiatrist can also help guide personal care at home providers in understanding how to properly wash a senior’s feet, trim their nails, and moisturise them. These professional tips can help your loved one feel better about ageing in place with the right help.
Here at Serving Hands, we recommend a local RN for professional in home nail care, who has more training to safely care for our senior clients nails.
If you or an ageing loved one are considering Personal Care at Home in Stony Plain, please contact the caring staff at Serving Hands Senior Care today. Call (780) 963-1516
Premiere Home Health and Senior Home Care services in Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Devon, St. Albert, Edmonton, Onoway, Leduc, Parkland County and surrounding communities since 2016.
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