5 Tips for Helping Seniors Manage Diabetes

There are currently more than 120 million people in the United States who have either diabetes or pre-diabetes. Many of them are older adults. In fact, experts say that one out of every four people who are aged 65 or older are diabetic. If your aging relative is one of them, there are many things you can do to help them manage the disease. Here are 5 of them.

 

Caregiver in Foley AL: Helping Seniors Manage Diabetes

Caregiver in Foley AL: Helping Seniors Manage Diabetes

 

#1: Join Them in Making Lifestyle Changes

 

For many people, it’s hard to make changes to the way they eat, exercise, and live alone. After all, it’s not much fun to watch others eating delicious but unhealthy foods they shouldn’t indulge in. And, exercising alone isn’t much fun either. You can help your aging relative to make the lifestyle changes they need for diabetes management by changing your own lifestyle as well. Not only will you be helping the older adult, you’ll be helping yourself, too.

 

#2: Encourage the Senior to Take Charge

If your older family member is able, encourage them to take charge of monitoring their condition and making decisions. When older adults have the opportunity to take control of their health, it can make them more inclined to follow the doctor’s instructions. Make certain they know hwo to check their blood sugar, when to take medications, and how to record their symptoms, meals, and activities.

 

#3: Keep Up with Other Conditions

Many seniors have multiple medical conditions that require treatment. When an older adult is diagnosed with a serious condition like diabetes, it can be easy to let concern about that disease overshadow other medical needs. However, it’s still important to manage coexisting conditions, like high blood pressure, which can be worsened by diabetes.

 

 

#4: Have an Illness Plan

Blood sugar levels can be harder to manage when someone with diabetes is ill. Also, some of the over the counter medications they might take for a cold or the flu may contain sugar. It’s a good idea to talk to the senior’s doctor about what to do when they get ill. Find out which medications they should and should not take and how blood sugar testing and diabetes medications may need to change.

 

 

#5: Use Elder Care

Elder care providers can check in on your aging relative to make certain they are doing the things they need to for controlling their blood sugar. Elder care providers can prepare healthy, diabetes-friendly meals and snacks. They can also remind the older adult to check their blood sugar and take medications.

 

If you or someone you know needs a Caregiver in Foley, AL, please contact the friendly caregivers at  Hughes Home Care. We provide quality and affordable care for your elderly loved ones in our community. Call Us Today 251-517-9901.  Serving Mobile & Baldwin County.

 

Sources

https://dailycaring.com/
https://wa.kaiserpermanente.org/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/

James Hughes