Visiting Angels of Hot Springs' Tips to Managing Diabetes at Home

In addition to dealing with other health issues, managing diabetes may be particularly difficult for seniors. It might be more challenging to adhere to a treatment regimen as you age due to changes in mobility, eyesight, memory, and the need to manage several drugs for different ailments.

Constant monitoring, frequent doctor's visits, and appropriate eating habits are all part of diabetes treatment for an older loved one. Managing diabetes doesn't have to be a burden if you stick to a regular schedule and have the necessary help at home.

What to Know About Caring for Diabetes

The primary source of energy for cells, glucose (also known as blood sugar), is impaired in people with chronic diabetes. As people age, they are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. A buildup of glucose in the circulation occurs in type 2 diabetes when the body stops producing enough insulin or develops resistance.

Examples of common symptoms are:

• Feeling very hungry and thirsty
• Having to use the restroom often
• Feeling exhausted
• Migraine headache
• Fat loss that defies explanation
• Slow-healing wounds, scrapes, and sores

A medical professional may use a simple blood test called an A1C to assess the glucose levels in your loved one's blood. Checking your A1C levels often is the best way to avoid problems and maintain healthy blood sugar levels; this will help you decide whether your treatment plan needs to be adjusted.

If not treated promptly, symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) might progress to fainting, vertigo, disorientation, and profuse perspiration. However, untreated hyperglycemia may cause a variety of symptoms, including increased thirst, frequent urination, lethargy, and, in the long run, damage to organs and nerves.

Basic Steps for Diabetes Care

Caring for an elderly person with diabetes involves more than checking blood sugar levels. Essential aspects such as diet, medication management, and frequent health examinations should be central to your more comprehensive strategy.

To assist a loved one with their diabetes care, here are six practical tips:

Keep an Eye on Medication Levels

For most elderly individuals with type 2 diabetes, monitoring glucose levels daily is necessary. It's a simple test that only takes a little puncture of the finger, some test strips, and a portable, rechargeable tester. Modern digital glucose monitors include a date in the data they collect, allowing you to see trends and get alerts when the levels go south.

Keeping track of how often to monitor glucose levels isn't always easy. Help your loved one remember important things throughout the day with the help of a skilled in-home caregiver.

Modify Your Food Plan

Eating healthily is essential if you or a loved one is trying to manage blood sugar levels. Many people who have just received a diagnosis may find that these changes bring on feelings of anxiety or depression.

Help is at hand in the form of a trained in-home caregiver. A caregiver from Visiting Angels may take on responsibilities like:

• Grocery shopping
• Getting dinner ready
• Encouraging a loved one to maintain a food journal
• Notifying a supervisor of a change in conduct

Take Medications As Recommended and Do It On Time

The older adult in your life may need to take many drugs daily. If you want your prescription to be absorbed better and avoid gastrointestinal adverse effects, you should take it with meals.

Automatic medication reminders, such as phone applications, may be helpful for those who always have their meds on hand, are familiar with their dosages, and can tell the difference between various-sized and shaped tablets. A dispensing machine is a useful tool to ensure that elderly people with memory loss or cognitive decline do not take either too much or too little medicine.

Caregivers can help elders remember to take their medicine as directed. The pharmacist can also detect mood or behavior changes and obtain medication refills.

Always See Your Doctor When Necessary

Your loved one may be accompanied securely to medical appointments for neuropathy or prescription changes by a personal caregiver. Our services include:

• Safely transporting a family member or friend to and from a car
• The medical center's parking lot
• Contributing to the collection of follow-up care instructions in printed or digital form

In addition to reminding your loved one to follow care recommendations, professional caregivers may help them schedule regular health, dental, and eye tests.

Examine Foot Health Daily

Severe and all too frequent, diabetes may lead to reduced blood circulation in the feet. An increased risk of falling is associated with neuropathy, the gradual numbness or discomfort in the feet caused by uncontrolled diabetes.

Neuropathy may hide the signs of infection and slow wound healing due to reduced blood flow. Even a little cut on the foot or lower leg may swiftly develop into an abscess, which in turn can cause gangrene and even amputation if left untreated.

Your elderly loved one's feet will likely need daily visual inspection for signs of inflammation, redness, blisters, cold or hot areas, and other problems.

If your loved one's leg or foot health changes, you should talk to their doctor.

If a supervisor at Visiting Angels notices any changes in your loved one's appearance, they will notify you.

Encourage Movement and Communication

Living with diabetes may be lonely; sometimes, it takes a friend or relative from outside the family to reawaken dormant enthusiasm and rekindle lost interests. Experts in caregiving also excel at providing words of encouragement.

Your loved one might be paired with a caregiver skilled in lifting moods and encouraging good behaviors via Visiting Angels. Offerings may encompass:

• Assistance with basic household tasks like dusting and washing
• Mode of transportation to a fitness class for seniors
• Engaging in health and fitness pursuits in the comfort of one's own home
• Arranging for activities and social gatherings

Your Elderly Love One Can Get Diabetes Support From Visiting Angels of Hot Springs

No one knows your elderly loved one like you do. Home health aides are available at the touch of a phone when dealing with the day-to-day challenges of chronic conditions like diabetes. Visiting Angels is an excellent option if you need even a few hours of respite care every week. You and the person you care for may benefit from sharing care with someone you trust.

Contact Visiting Angels of Hot Springs today for the devoted care your loved one needs to manage diabetes and live comfortably at home while you enjoy peace of mind.