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Why Diabetic Seniors Need to Take Another Look at How They Are Managing Blood Sugar Levels

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senior care research

Doctors are rethinking the treatment and management of diabetes in seniors and the dangers low blood sugar levels can cause.

The most up-to-date guidelines from the Endocrine Society regarding the elderly and diabetes are surprising, to say the least: lower blood sugar isn’t always best. And for individuals who have been maintaining a regimen of finger pricks, insulin injections, and careful monitoring of food consumed, this alteration may be rather hard to swallow.

Known as de-intensification, geriatricians are now commonly using the approach with older adults that the advantages to be achieved by striving for meticulous blood sugar control are not outweighing the health risks inherent with aging and illness. When A1c and glucose levels are kept at very low levels within the elderly, for instance, it could possibly result in an increased occurrence of hypoglycemia and even kidney failure.

With up to one out of three older adults currently diagnosed with diabetes, these new recommendations are poised to have a staggering influence on the treatment and management of the disease for seniors, requiring a shift in mindset for many.

And not unexpectedly, many older diabetics are unwilling to welcome this change. In one patient’s words to Dr. Pei Chen, a geriatrician in the geriatric clinic at the University of California, San Francisco, “I’ve been doing this for 25 years. You don’t need to tell me what to do. I can handle it.”

The latest guidelines recommend an increase in A1c from 7 to 7.5% for seniors who are in good health; and up to 8 – 8.5% for all those with dementia, multiple chronic illnesses, or poor health. It is critical to note, however, that suggestions are extremely individualized centered on a variety of factors, and that at no time should high blood sugar be ignored in the elderly.

Responsive Home Care can help seniors stick to doctors’ guidelines to control diabetes and a number of other conditions with professional, customized, in-home care services for seniors. Just a few of the countless ways we are able to help include:

  • Grocery shopping to guarantee the senior has a good amount of healthy food choices easily accessible
  • Meal planning and preparation in adherence to your prescribed dietary plans
  • Accompaniment to medical appointments, tests, and procedures
  • Encouragement to engage in physician-approved exercise programs
  • Medication reminders to ensure prescriptions are taken in the correct time as well as in the appropriate dose
  • And more!

Contact  Responsive Home Care, the home health services Hollywood, FL leaders, at 954-486-6440 to inquire about an in-home assessment and access a healthier lifestyle for a loved one you adore.

4 Tips to Help You and Your Loved One Eat Healthier

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Senior Care Lauderhill FL

Senior Care Lauderhill

Both you and your senior loved one can benefit from eating heathier foods than you may be used to eating. The problem comes in when you’re trying to change years, and sometimes decades, of bad habits.

Plan Ahead for Meals and Snacks
If you’re used to just shopping for random items at the grocery store, this tip might be difficult for you. But if you can learn to shop only when you have a solid plan in hand, then you’ll have healthy ingredients in your fridge and pantry for when meal times roll around. Look for nutritious recipe ideas and then start to build a grocery list from those. As you start eating healthier more regularly, you’ll find that you’re building up some staples that you’ll always keep on hand.

Focus on All the Delicious Healthy Foods Out There
When people first change their eating habits, it’s not unusual for them to bemoan the foods that they can’t eat anymore. The reality is that there are a lot of really delicious foods out there that are also nutritious. As you get more used to eating those types of foods, particularly fruits and vegetables, you’ll start craving the unhealthy foods less often. That doesn’t mean you have to give them up entirely, either. You can enjoy them now and again for a treat.

Eat Smaller Meals More Often
If you find that you’re hungrier throughout the day on your new eating plan, consider switching to more frequent meals that are a little smaller. This can help your body to adjust and it keeps your blood sugar at a more consistent level throughout the day. Switching to more frequent meals may also help to keep your loved one more interested in eating throughout the day.

Start the Day with Breakfast
Often people who are looking to lose weight skip meals and breakfast is a frequent casualty. Your body needs fuel with which to start the day, though, and breakfast is not a meal that you want to skip. Start out with protein from eggs or even cottage cheese and fruit. Oatmeal is another good choice because it’s got plenty of fiber and other nutrients.

Eating healthy meals doesn’t have to be complicated. If you need additional ideas about helping your senior loved one to get on board, ask your loved one’s senior care providers for ideas.

If you or an aging loved one are considering in-home Senior Care Services in Lauderhill FL to provide companionship, compassion and motivation, please contact the caring staff at Responsive Home Care. Call today 954-486-6440.

ELDER ORPHANS

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In today’s society, where the needs of children are top priority and where foster homes have replaced the antiquated idea of orphanages, there still remain those who are truly alone in the world and in desperate need of care and support: elder orphans.

As the baby boomer generation ages—a generation that, for the first time, often elected to remain childless—the numbers of elderly without family support are rapidly increasing. Research indicates that as many as 22% of seniors are in danger of becoming (or already are) orphaned. And with as many as 43 million seniors over age 65 in the U.S., it’s an alarming statistic.

Professor of Geriatrics at Florida State University College, Dr. Kenneth Brummel-Smith, believes that bringing caregivers into the home could be part of the solution. And one particular Medicaid-funded program, Money Follows the Person, takes it a step further, pairing disabled young adults in homes with senior orphans. Or perhaps other seniors could volunteer their support in a communal living environment, a trend that is beginning to take off in the United States.

Awareness of the issue is the first step, and the goal of Dr. Maria Torroella Carney, chief of geriatric and palliative medicine at North Shore-LIJ Health System, is to encourage aging care experts to implement new programs to provide the needed support for the anticipated surge in elder orphans.