Visiting Angels Helps Seniors in Bethesda, MD Manage Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is becoming increasingly common among the elderly. Because many seniors are unaware they have diabetes, it is critical that they understand how the condition affects them and what warning signals to look for.

If you suspect your elderly loved one has diabetes, you should be informed of how type 2 diabetes may affect their health and daily life, as well as some classic symptoms, essential information on caring for seniors with type 2 diabetes and how Visiting Angels of Bethesda's in-home living assistance services can help.

What Are Signs My Senior Loved One Has Type 2 Diabetes?

According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes is the seventh biggest cause of death in the United States. Prediabetes affects around 85 million Americans aged 18 and above, accounting for more than 25 percent of the total senior population.

Because the risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases with age, it's critical that your loved one knows what to do if they experience any possible symptoms.

Since the symptoms of type 2 diabetes are mild at first, many seniors may be unaware they have the disease. The most basic approach to diagnose diabetes is to see your local doctor for a full physical examination.

High blood glucose levels that go untreated can harm the eyes, as well as the kidneys, nerves, heart and blood vessels. Diabetes is common among nursing home residents, and it can lead to greater disability or death.

Symptoms of type 2 diabetes typically include:

• Feeling very thirsty
• Feeling very hungry
• Frequent urination
• Fatigue
• Blurry vision
• Tingling, pain or numbness in the extremities
• Cuts and/or bruises that are slow to heal

How Can I Help My Senior Loved One Manage Type 2 Diabetes?

If your loved one is diagnosed with diabetes early on, you will have more time to help them manage their symptoms and improve their quality of life. Caring for seniors with type 2 diabetes entails a variety of strategies, such as healthy living and medication management.

Weight Control

People with type 2 diabetes understand that eating a nutritious diet can help them control their symptoms. If you're overweight, dropping 10 to 15 pounds might make a big difference. You may help a loved one lose weight by cooking delicious and nutritious meals for them and encourage them to eat less junk food. Light exercise might also help your loved one lose fat and calories while staying at a healthy weight.

Physical Exercise

Regular exercise may also help regulate your loved one's weight and type 2 diabetes symptoms. Gardening, walking, raking leaves and carrying groceries are all simple chores that can assist seniors with type 2 diabetes get some activity on a regular basis.

Some benefits of exercising regularly include:

• Increasing your strength
• Lowering your risk for heart disease and stroke
• More energy
• Improving your A1C, blood pressure and cholesterol levels

Regular exercise can also assist in maintaining muscular strength and bone flexibility and reducing stress on joints and ligaments. Exercise also increases insulin sensitivity, which aids in the prevention of hypoglycemia.

Several studies have indicated that regular aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, can lower cardiovascular disease risk factors. Strength exercise can improve muscle mass and bone density as well.

Medication Management

Many elderly type 2 diabetics benefit from just maintaining a healthy weight, whilst others need oral medication. When caring for a loved one with type 2 diabetes, it's critical to ensure that they take their medication as directed and to watch for any indicators that their medication isn't working or is conflicting with any other medicines they're taking. Although insulin is more successful in type 1 diabetics, some type 2 diabetics may benefit from it as well.

Before beginning any oral medications, your loved one's doctor should go through their food and lifestyle plan with them. According to the American Diabetes Association, persons who are newly diabetic or require little to no insulin to maintain stable blood glucose levels are more likely to benefit from oral medication. Seniors who have had diabetes for more than a decade or require more than 20 units of insulin per day, on the other hand, may not get the desired results from diabetic medication.

It's also vital that your loved one consults with their pharmacist if they need to change brands or adjust their dosage. Diabetes patients may take more time to select the optimum prescription for their specific needs, or they may require a combination of medicines (and even insulin, in some cases). Furthermore, after a few months or years, oral medicine may lose its potency, necessitating the search for a new prescription or treatment strategy.

How Visiting Angels of Bethesda Can Help

Consider Visiting Angels of Bethesda's individualized, one-on-one living assistance services if you are feeling overwhelmed by caring for an elderly loved one with type 2 diabetes. Our caregivers have been caring for older people with diabetes and other chronic conditions in Bethesda, Aspen Hill, Silver Spring and surrounding areas in Montgomery and Prince George's Counties since 2002, and we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help your loved one manage their health and reduce the severity of their symptoms. Best of all, our care plans are personalized to your loved one's individual needs, ensuring that they get the help they need.

Here are some ways our living assistance services can help your loved one:

• Accompanying your loved one on a morning jog
• Clearing clutter from rooms so your loved one can exercise at home
• Providing transportation to fitness centers and senior centers so your loved one can get a workout
• Planning and preparing healthy meals and snacks
• Shopping for healthy groceries
• Reminding your loved one to take their diabetes medication and keeping an eye out in case they show any side effects
• Driving your loved one to the pharmacy so they can pick up their prescription
• Taking your loved one to doctor’s appointments
• Helping them get to and from the bathroom
• And so much more

If you’d like more information on how our living assistance services can help your loved one remain independent, call our Bethesda, MD office at 301-490-9050 to schedule a free in-home consultation!