My father has severe dementia and can be belligerent, fighting both me and the caregiver. His fingernails have gotten very long and we can easily get scratched when he is in his moods. Does anyone have any suggestions? Would a podiatrist also deal with fingernails as well as toenails?
And... if agitation is the issue why he's resistant to cutting his nails, a visit to a doctor for this reason could go very badly. If your dad is the type that "showtimes" for a doctor, then maybe this won't be the case, but it's hard to say how a typically agitated elder would act for a new doctor who wanted to cut their nails (an activity they don't like).