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Oh my, those horrible horrible toenails lol

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My 96 yr old FIL lives with me. He is on 24 oxygen and in a wheelchair. His toenails are disgusting and there is no possible way to cut those monsters. And the toenail fungus makes me gag. Six months ago, I took him to a podiatrist who donned a mask and thick gloves and attacked them with a grinding wheel. Seriously, I couldn't even see a difference when he was done. I hate putting socks on and he insists I keep pulling them up. I don't know which is worse..............his false teeth which he hands to me covered in slobber and food................or those toenails. Barf lol
Anybody else have toenail issues?? :)
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I suggest taking your fil to a podiatrist regularly. My mother has the same issue plus callus build up. We take her about every 6 weeks to shave the callus's and use tea tree oil on her toes twice daily for the fungus. You should be able to get tea tree oil at most grocery stores or a beauty supply store. It does work but takes 9 months for more to get it under control and if you stop using it...it will most likely come back. OTC medicine for the fungus works too but it will be the same process...on going application...according to the podiatrist.
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Most care givers have toenail issues and the only solution is the podiatrist. On the funny side a friend of mine as a young student nurse in the UK collected all the patients false teeth and after she had dutifully cleaned them had no idea which set belonged to which patient.
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I am my mum's live-in-caregiver and I have a LPN foot care nurse come to the house every 8 weeks to take care of my mum's toenails. She has a good foot soak, then the grinding wheel to file the nails because they are so thick and then a foot massage. If they are done every 8 weeks they won't be so difficult to do every time.
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My mother has the thickest toenails. She even had them when she was a young woman. She blamed them on an injury, but I know fungus damage when I see it. I tried to get her to go on scheduled trips to a podiatrist, but she says she can do it herself. So gross that I don't want to think about it. She keeps losing her clippers and asking for mine. She tries to return the clippers, but I tell her to keep them. I am definitely not going to use them! I figure that stuff is contagious and I'm just waiting to start having trouble myself. I see podiatrist bills in my future.
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I believe that Medicare will participate in podiatry care if the person has diabetes.
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Yes, my mother can see a podiatrist at no charge, but she refuses. I got her to to twice, but that was it. If she could do a good job on her nails, I would understand, but she doesn't. They end up looking like chipped rocks. My SIL thinks I should soften and cut them. Ewwww, scream, no can do. I'll be glad to take her to the podiatrist, though.
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Look in the phonebook and see if you have a mobile foot care nurse that will come to your house, it makes things much simpler.
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If only my mother would. She doesn't want anyone to do her feet. Getting her to the doctor would be no problem, but she won't.
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Ich! This is such a gross condition, and I used to take care of Mom's nails in between Podiatry visits (every 9 weeks under Medicare) and used gloves and mask! The tea tree oil was very good not only for the (apparent) fungus , but also for the calluses under the tips of her toes (due to toes permanently curled under). But as Shaynmarie said you have to use it consistently. In my Mom's case it prevented further spread, but did not cure it completely. She now gets regular visits from the Podiatrist that serves the NH, so it seems under control. I had a similar issue myself about a year ago. The big toenail started to separate from the nail bed with some white powdery stuff (assume fungus) building up under the nail. I cut the nail away as far as I could, and removed the powdery stuff . Then I used the tea tree oil morning and night. The nail eventually grew back in, attached to the nail bed, and now looks completely normal. I dread that someday I will be in the same boat as my Mother!
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Yuck! They are gross..
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Ain't no way I was going to cut my husband's toenails. My sister feels the same way about our mother's. Regular podiatrist visits are the answer. Take FIL as often as insurance allows.

I always handed hubby the container we soaked his plate in so that I wouldn't have to handle it. Not that I couldn't if necessary, but that was an easy routine for us. "Put your teeth in here, dear."
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By the way, in my way it wasn't that I was grossed out about the nails, just that with all the force it took I was afraid of injuring him. Better for an experienced professional to do it right than to risk an injury. (And if I'd wanted to be a medical professional I would have trained for it.)
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i always maintained my mothers toenails. a small set of electronic snips does a wonderful job. ingrown nails identify themselves by causing the flesh beside it to be bright pink from inflammation. mom was diabetic and foot care was important so i took it seriously. never minded it at all. she sure done nice things for me thuout my life.
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Captain, I believe a man can solve any problem requiring power tools.

Lucky you, lucky mother to have and appreciate one another. Lucky you to be able to get out there and build things again!
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My podiatrist said just because you are diabetic, it does not automatically qualify medicare coverage to get my toe nails cut. He said I have to have a certain amount of "class findings" He charges $45.00 per visit. I checked with medicare and their website has 20+ pages about toenail cutting. I think he's right, I've checked the law out and I really don't qualify under medicare rules. Should I find another podiatrist who will commit fraud so I can get my toenails cut and covered by medicare? Or should I stick with the one I have because he's honest?
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I qualify under Medicare rules: I have diabetes and I am under the active care of a doctor of medicine who documents that condition. My brochure is from 2011, but my podiatrist has submitted the charges to Medicare for three years and they have always paid. Certainly don't go to a doctor who would commit fraud! Just be sure you are getting the benefits you are entitled to.
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I am a CNA and Epson salt works to clean and then even if the thickness is bad it softness the nail. But what I've found that works is a family member that usually doesn't help asking her to paint her toenails. Then I can cut and check them and someone else can take her mind off. With men... I hat to say this but bribe!!!!! In the NH I worked on, I would bribe with sweets or soda just to keep them still. They look worse than they usually are... Epson salt bath for the feet is the key.
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I still maintain that Tea Tree Oil works wonders for toenail fungus. Use it morning and night cutting the nails down as low as you can. Do not stop using it when improvement starts to show....use it as a regular daily routine.
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coconut oil also works on fungus infections. I know several people who have used it successfully.
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Yes Joan~coconut oil does have great anti-fungus fighting properties in it too. It is also great as a facial cleanser followed by Thaylors Witch Hazel ( non alcohol) with rose petals or aloe vera to cleanse the face,moisturize, reduce pore size.
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In NYS it is illegal for a nurse to cut a patients toe nails. Medicare covers a visit to a Podiatrist every 12 weeks. In my Blue PPO policy this is a specialist visit and the co-pay is $25. Even if you have to pay the whole cost an initial visit is worth the money if the nails are bad and thick because the podiatrist has the electric tools to get the job done. After they are in shape it may be possible to maintain them at home with the occasional visit to the podiatrist. Capt I am sure you own the necessary grinding tools. All diabetic patients should have proper foot care to avoid infection.
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I had taken care of my MIL hygiene including toenails. She too had the thickest and longest ones I've ever seen. Whenever my SIL would come to visit she would mention it to me. I replied that she was more than welcome to clip them and file down the callous's herself but I knew that was a "pipedream". Lol. My MIL hated having her toes done because she had sensitive feet. Ticklish. I decided to make it a "treat" for her and make it a special day. Kinda like going to the "spa". When they were all cleaned up I would lay out a good handful of different nail polishes and have her choose which she'd like to have her toes painted with? She loved it so much that it was easy to get her into a routine. I hope this helps some of you? All I know is if you give them some sense of control and dignity, it's pretty much all they're asking for, it's a lot easier. Because that's all they really want anyway.
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I draw the line at touching anyone's feet!! We have a podiatrist that comes in and takes care of my Mil's. I insisted on that!! Yuck!!
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