Seriously. Gross, right?
Like other anatomic wonders, toenails age. They get thick, ridged, cracked and brittle. The toes to which they are attached get bunions, hammertoes, arthritis. Meanwhile, the aging body loses flexibility and hand strength. Eventually, sigh, bending over to cut toenails becomes a bad idea, too—elders have been known to topple over or find themselves locked into a bending position.
While I have not toppled over while cutting my toenails, I have unfortunately become quite good at cutting toes AND toenails accidentally. Bright red flows of healthy blood stream toward my carpet or bed. I foolishly thought that cutting my thick, ridged toenails would be easier with super-sharp clippers and scissors. Oops. My friends and my health care providers laugh and ask “Why don’t you have the podiatrist cut your toenails?” For some, use of a podiatrist for cutting toenails is medically indicated: those with diabetes or foot neuropathy or ingrown toenails, for example. For me, needing a podiatrist is just another sign that I can no longer maintain my body health. It’s a defeat.
Medicare will reimburse we old folk for toenail cutting every 61 days if medically indicated. I guess I’ll find out if clumsiness is a medical indication.
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I’m very sorry you have been denying yourself and had to go through all sorts of contortions. I’ve been going to the Kendal podiatrist for years. I just don’t bend th
Thanks for the reminder that podiatrist nail cutting is normal for many. My response that it’s a defeat is definitely over-reacting….
There are many electric devices (buffers) that are used for toenails. Podiatrists tend to use rather expensive ones. You might see what you podiatrist uses and ask if she or he can recommend one that you could use, given your limitations. Of course, this would at best put of the inevitable, since at some point you will probably not be able to use any such thing. But I’m always in favor of putting off such things as long as one can.
I fear that a powerful buffer in my hands is as dangers as a sharp tool! I think I will bow to the inevitable instead, but thanks for pointing out the alternative.
This is an issue I think we all face as we get older. When my father (in his 90s) could no longer cut his nails because they were too thick, he went to a manicurist.
Thanks, Kathy. Lots of people already enjoy having their nails done, and a manicurist is also cheaper than a podiatrist. However, hygiene can be an issue at a nail salon, as this article from the Academy of Dermatology discusses…. https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/nail-care-secrets/basics/pedicures/manicure-pedicure-safety