Low touch care

My Son cuts my toenails for me and puts my socks on when needed. My feet are in good nick but due to knees being totally knackered I can't reach them. I can bend from the waist and touch the floor but the knees won't allow me to do my toenails. He also helps me with the garden both front and back. He's also in charge of changing light bulbs that would require me to use steps and testing smoke alarms. Everything else I can still manage.

personally, I would be wary of a pedicure. there is no recognised training/ qualification for this, or manicure.
I used to visit nail bars for my work, and many of them are very dodgy, let alone the possible trafficking/ money laundering issue.
there is little awareness of or interest in health and hygiene, including the safety and working practices of the employees, with poor ventilation, chemicals used etc.
I think it is well worth paying for a podiatrist, who is a healthcare professional, and can often detect the beginnings of medical conditions, eg diabetes, serious infections. they do not merely clip toenails.

To the OP, I guess some people, assuming you were male, were a little concerned as to whether your title was alluding to some sort of sexual services.
more broadly, some local voluntary groups organise this kind of help, for modest cost. perhaps you could look up online. some areas do a kind of exchange service, based on hours rather than money, eg you might be able to offer an hours' translation/ accountancy advice for an hours' gardening/ heavy lifting work. I cannot remember what these schemes are called, anyone know ? it's a group thing, you don't just do something for the person who does something for you. the members have various abilities which they offer and can bank the hours.
I'm not good at explaining things.

when I said this kind of help above, I mean what it seems the OP really meant, not what some were concerned about...
sorry. garbled. am a bit muddled in words.
yesterday I described someone as being chumpy. his friend agreed, then paused and said, what does chumpy mean.
I don't know why I said that, I said. but after some discussion, we all agreed that the person was indeed chumpy.
I later referred to someone else as dis-spiring, being the opposite of inspiring.
the thing was, the company I was in, after some quizzical looks, agreed these were accurate descriptions of the people concerned, yet I'd never heard the words, or even thought of them, before I heard myself saying them.
not sure what all that means.
I used to be thought quite fluent with English language; seems a bit too fluent now...drifting off into ?

Alexa that's a great point!

What kinds of things would you ask a neighbor for a hand with?

Were there any cases where you were too shy?

Callistemon apologies for the confusion, but I'm actually looking for stories or things others have asked their neighbors without requiring a "full time" carer, but moreso just a helpful person nearby.

I've been quite independent my whole life. But living in London, one doesn't know their neighbors as much as they would like to

I'm thinking...I know it sounds silly, but sometimes it's just difficult for me to fold laundry. Of course I don't need a full time carer for this type of thing, but these odd jobs are annoying to do myself sometimes. Just wondering what your equivalent might be

Aggie I had this problem last year it's so painful, I went on line and found a sort of glove for this very problem it did help and the pain eventually went. Apparently this is a very common complaint in women as they get older. Oh joy!

Folding laundry

I am having difficulty folding large duvet covers but luckily still have DH who does that most of the time.
Otherwise I would spread it out on a table or back of a sofa and fold which is what I do if DH isn't in.

Changing the duvet cover is the worst job I think.

That reminded me of when my mother used to get me to help fold the sheets - we'd get two corners, walk towards each other, turn the sheet and repeat etc!

I have just given up on changing the duvet cover. That's Mr Minty's job now.

Which to be fair he's been doing quite a while but our daughter was coming home and I went to change her bedding and just gave up.

As for folding, I tend to just wrap round arm and job's done.

It's not perfect but who is going to be looking at my bed?

I'd like someone to unblock the drain outside and also fix curtain rail and light bulb.These jobs are too small to ask a workman.

is it me or is 68 quite young for low touch stuff?

I don't think it's the age that counts, rather mobility. I'm 'only' 65 but have bad knees, a back injury and a previous, permanent shoulder problem. I do go up a ladder to cut my side of next door's massive hedge - but I know that I shouldn't and I don't feel safe doing it.

I'm also only 65 but my joints are disintegrating thanks to my auto immune condition. I'm in pain 24/7 and yet still struggle to do as much as I can, I can't trim hedges as I can't hold the hedge trimmer but I can change my duvet. Although I can't lift the mattress to do the sheet so my son does the sheet and I do the rest.
If I needed help around the house for anything other than personal stuff I'd get a helpful cleaner as bed making is better than cleaning the loo and I can manage that myself.

grapefruitpip
Some people need such help all their lives, for example my niece.
Your post is quite offensive to those people.

And we never know when any of us might need such help through illness, injury etc.

We are not discussing personal care, it's help with those tasks which could prove difficult due to all kinds of reasons, especially for people living alone.

Hetty!!

If it's their hedge couldn't they cut it all?
At least you should give them the trimmings back again. It's only polite

Ok Callistemon, let's wait and see shall we.

Oops crazyH I misread your post and thought you were advising us to go plodging in the toilet bowl ? !!
?

Oh, do you think this thread is not all it seems, gfp?

I took it at face value.

Callistemon, oh I wish they would - but it's never happened in 30 years. To be fair, they can't reach it and I'm not having anyone trampling all over my plants. Yes, I do know about the high hedge act but my LA charges £500 just to consider the options. I will persist until I move!

Care assessment ....now! There is the help you need.

Home Help is what non personal carers are called in my area. They do shopping/errands and light house chores. Podiatrist for toenails. Many do house calls

grapefruitpip
is it me or is 68 quiet young for low touch care
Yes it's you.
Tell that to my step daughter who has Hypermobility Syndrome. She has to employ a cleaner to most of the general cleaning.

There is no age threshold. New mums use Mothers Help (if they can afford it or are gifted a voucher).

Some professionals people's cleaners do more than just cleaning (on agreement)

Home Help isnt just for the "old". Its for the busy/recouperating/less able or just less willing! I know someone who has a "cleaner plus" just because if she is at home she want to do her hobbies not chores!