If your elderly family member has started facing issues with diabetes, it’s important that you and she both understand what can help to make managing diabetes easier for her.
Set Reminders for Meals and for Testing
Reminders are helpful for a variety of reasons, but mostly so that your senior doesn’t forget two of the most important parts of managing her diabetes. Both testing and eating meals at the right time is crucial. Your senior might benefit from a smartphone with a dedicated diabetes reminder app or she might be fine with multiple alarms throughout the day. Go with what works best for her.
Medications Help, but Dietary Changes Are Vital
Odds are very high that if your seniors blood sugar is out of control, her doctor is going to recommend a specific medication in order to help. But as helpful as medication is, dietary changes are even more important. Eating lower glycemic foods and focusing on protein may be part of what your seniors doctor recommends.
Exercise Is Also Important
Exercise, even light exercise, can help your seniors blood sugar to come down to more manageable levels. Her doctor needs to help you and her to determine what exercise is right for her and how much she should be exercising. She doesn’t need to overdo it, but moving a little bit more is definitely going to help.
Older Diabetics Are at Greater Risk of Developing Complications
Because shes older, your senior is at a higher risk of experiencing complications from diabetes. Having out of control blood sugar can wreak havoc on the systems of your seniors body and she may be at risk of complications she really doesn’t want to face, like amputation.
Track Test Results Daily
Tracking test results is a key part of maintaining control over your seniors diabetes. It’s not enough to just take the test. Your senior needs to be able to spot patterns in whats happening around meals, around exercise, and at other times of the day. Keeping a log also allows her doctor to see various patterns that can help to influence things like what types of medications your senior should take.
It can feel like a lot to manage everything around diabetes, especially when you factor in dietary changes and staying on top of timing. Home care providers can help with all of that and more. They can also ensure that your senior is comfortable with her testing supplies.
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Coon Rapids, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
