5 Ways to Help Your Senior Loved One Living with Diabetes
Diabetes is a stubborn disease that never respects anyone's gender, race, or skin color. Anyone can get diagnosed of it: ?the poor and the rich, the educated and the ignorant. Research, however, reveals that diabetes pounces heavily on a certain population group.
The elderly.
Global statistics on the spread of diabetes show that about 19.3% (135.6 million) of people beyond 64 live with diabetes. It’s a disturbing story because it’s also predicted that by 2030, 27.9% (195.2million) of the aged population will be diabetic.?
It’s becoming more terrible. The numbers are skyrocketing. But it’s not an unmanageable problem because living with diabetes is not a death sentence. You can change things by trying your best for your loved one. This article shares easy-to-follow but useful tips on helping older people manage diabetes.
Know the Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes
First things first.
It is advisable to know how sugar diabetes manifests before even thinking about managing it. There are multiple symptoms of diabetes, and they vary from one person to another. The common signs symptoms of diabetes include:
You've got the right to suspect that your loved one is diabetic when they display any of these symptoms show.?The best you can do is accompany them to the nearest and convenient clinic for blood sugar tests. You must prioritize professional medical testing for diabetes over home tests, especially if it’s their first time to get tested. If the tests results confirm that they're living with diabetes, then you need consider the following tips.
1.?Tell Them Diabetes is Manageable ?
Healing doesn’t happen where there is no peace of mind. Therefore, keep assuring your loved one that diabetes is manageable and it doesn’t have to stop them from living a normal life. Sometimes people with health problems need hope more than anything else, and diabetic people are not an exception.
Words heal, and for now, forget about what you think your money can do. ?
Share words that empower your loved one to stay on top of the situation. They don’t need anyone but you to encourage them that they shouldn’t fear anything. Help them get rid of stress before you encourage them to take medication. Stress hormones raise blood sugar.
2.?Seek Guidance from Professionals
Get in touch with the right healthcare professionals throughout the treatment process. Professionals such as dietitians, endocrinologists, and primary health care physicians are trained to attend to diabetic people. They can see beyond what an ordinary person sees. They have the knowledge and experience needed to help your loved one control their blood sugar.
Your job is to find the right ones, make arrangements and contact them when you need help. Consider multiple health professionals as long as their approaches don’t conflict.
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3.?Monitor Blood Sugar Levels
One of the things you do if you’re serious about helping a diabetic elderly person is to ensure their blood sugar levels is regularly monitored.
It might be difficult for someone suffering from severe diabetes to have the strength to fight it head-on. Ageing minds tend to forget things, so you need to help them daily to check and keep their blood sugar levels.
Doctors often request and use those kinds of records in giving advice and treatments. It becomes easy for doctors to prescribe medical treatment for your loved one if they provide their blood sugar records.
4.?Go for Diabetes-Friendly Diet
Diabetic people shouldn’t eat just anything.
They must avoid any food that is low in dietary fibre and high in sugars by all means possible. These foods include starches (potatoes and white flour, etc.) and processed grains (rice and corn grits, etc.).
Ensure the meals for your diabetic old man have the right quantities of proteins and fruits, and vegetables rich high in fibre and nitrates. These foods help diabetic people maintain the right blood sugar level when consumed in the right amounts.
It is also important to consult with doctors on the number of meals and quantity of each meal a particular diabetic person should take per day. If they eat as doctors recommend, they’ll be able to maintain normal blood sugar levels.
5.?Exercise Routinely and Properly
Exercise helps the body process glucose; as such, they are crucial for diabetic people. Physical activity lower blood sugar levels.
You should enquire with doctors if your senior is fit for exercising to control their blood sugar. Exercise shouldn’t harm your older man in any way.
Walking, yoga, swimming, and tai-chi are some types of exercise diabetic older people can do. You can also exercise with them to motivate them and ensure that they don’t harm themselves in the process.
Final Thought
Diabetes affects old age people more than young people. The percentage of people above the age of 65 living with diabetes is high and it’s expected to keep rising. There are multiple ways in which you can help your senior loved ones manage diabetes. You can comfort them, seek guidance from healthcare professionals, monitor their blood sugar levels, and encourage them to eat as doctors recommend. Help your loved one manage diabetes today. .