There are a lot of things about us that change as we age. Our toenails and fingernails continue to need care and feeding as we age. Many people think that the need for geriatric nail care decreases as people get older but the opposite is true. If you handle personal care for seniors, you know that it is important for people and caregivers to pay attention to the fingernail and toenails of older people.
To understand the importance of geriatric nail care, it is important to understand the biology or fingernails and toenails. The protein that makes up nails on the human body is keratin. This is durable and flexible. It is the same protein that makes up the exoskeletons of many insects.
The keratin on our fingernails and toenails starts out smooth with a uniform coloration. As people age, that change. Ignoring an older person’s nails can cause them discomfort. It can be easier to damage the fingernails and toenails of older adults than for younger ones. Here are some of t