Saturday, September 25, 2010

Caring for Elderly vs Youth with Diabetes

Although most people with Type 1 diabetes are diagnosed during their youth, the way they care for their diabetes can change drastically when they reach old age. This is due to changes in their mobility, energy levels etc. I feel as though it is important for health care professionals, care takers, and diabetics to understand these differences in order to better care for elderly diabetics. It is said that oftentimes the best technology is good care, and therefore knowing the differences in caring for the elderly and for the youth is crucial.
Elderly diabetic
First of all, it is important to realize that elderly diabetics are more prone to certain ailments such as heart and kidney disease, stroke, and visual impairment. Caregivers can help their loved one lower their chances of being affected by these problems by maintaining tight control of their blood sugars (see other posts for sample technologies that improve glucose control). As a diabetic, I realize the importance of this since having out of control blood sugars would decrease energy levels even more and create more visual impairment problems. Furthermore, it is important for diabetics to keep their cholesterol and blood pressure under control in order to minimize chances of heart disease, says a diabetic educator, Meg Bayless. It is recommended that elder diabetics take an aspirin a day and have proper nutrition and daily exercise.
In general, it is important for diabetics to watch their nutrition and exercise however oftentimes as one ages, exercise become harder and diabetics become too tired to properly fix healthy meals for themselves. Therefore, I recommend that caregivers find a way to plan out meals for the week that are healthy and find a way to prepare them ahead of time so the patient does not need to do much work. In addition, I would suggest that each elderly diabetic finds a way of exercise that works for them depending on their range of mobility, energy level, etc. By setting aside a specific routine for the patient, it will be easier to create a pattern of healthy habits.
Young diabetic
Elderly diabetics face more even problems than younger diabetics that make them significantly more disabled than the non-diabetic elderly. These problems include depression as they feel isolated from loved ones, increased chances of falling from visual impairment and the dizziness that accompanies low blood sugar, memory problems that can lead the patient to forget to monitor their blood sugar, and pain that diabetics do not talk to their doctors about.
As a diabetic myself, it is concerning to read how much differently (and one could argue, worse) the disease will affect me when I am older. But these facts should not be seen as bad. Knowledge is key, and therefore if older diabetics and/or their caregivers are made aware of these differences, they can take preventative steps to make aging with diabetes as smooth of a transition as possible. In my opinion, the three most important things for elderly diabetics to do to reduce the risk of complications that do not occur in younger diabetics is: 1. have the support and help of a caregiver or family member 2. do not let their old age prevent them from participating in daily exercise and eating healthy 3. staying up to date with doctors appointments and taking the proper medication. These three tips, along with understanding the differences between caring for the elderly and the young, can make a huge difference.


References:
http://www.everydayhealth.com/type-1-diabetes/adults-with-type-1-diabetes.aspx

No comments:

Post a Comment