Tips to Manage Diabetes During Old Age
3 min read
Can senior citizens manage diabetes at home? The answer is yes! The elderly can effectively manage diabetes at home by sticking to meal plans, workouts, and not missing medication, which leads to a long and healthy life. At Family Life Medical, Dr. Kyle Scarborough and his team of experts help diabetes patients stay active and live healthy in their old age. The following tips will help you manage diabetes during old age.
Healthy diet
If you have diabetes, eat a well-balanced diet with low sugar content and saturated fats. The experts at Family Life Medical are skilled educators who help you in creating a healthy diet program.
Develop workout program
You can stay active by engaging in workouts such as walking, cycling, and swimming. It helps control the glucose levels in your blood, build muscles, and manage your weight.
Take short walks of about thirty minutes every day and do strength exercises using resistance bands and free weights. Yoga exercises at least two times every week are therapeutic and rejuvenate your body. Dr. Kyle Scarborough will advise you on what workouts are suitable.
Regular Glucose levels checks
When taking insulin, managing your glucose levels can be difficult. There is a need to check the sugar levels regularly to prevent hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. You can watch out for some red flags such as sweating, hunger, confusion, and dizziness.
If you experience such symptoms, take one teaspoon of honey, eat at least 10 to 20 grams of carbohydrates or sugar, a cup of juice, some crackers, or glucose tablets.
The experts at Family Life Medical create a schedule for checking your glucose levels in the blood. After 15 minutes, retest your blood glucose level. If the blood sugar is still low, repeat the steps. You can contact your doctor if there is no improvement at all.
Alongside the blood sugar tests, the experts also check your cholesterol and blood sugar levels to avert the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Take your medication on time
Seniors can easily forget to take their diabetes medication. There are several ways to organize the medicine in a pillbox and set the timer to alert you.
Luckily nowadays, you can use your phone, watch, or computer to set reminders. A chart can also come in handy since you will only need to check things off after taking the medications.
Examine the feet
Ensure you examine your feet daily for signs of cuts and infection. If you cannot reach your feet, ask a loved one to examine you. Alternatively, you can use a mirror to have a clear view of your feet.
Contact the professionals at Family Life Medical if you notice red patches or cuts. Wear comfortable footwear to prevent blisters and always keep your feet moisturized with lotion.
Get treatment for other diseases.
It is essential to get treatment for other illnesses and avoid over-the-counter medication. You can get pneumonia shots at the onset of winter, especially if you are above 65 years of age.
Elders with diabetes can live a healthy life by properly managing diabetes. The experts at Family Life Medical are available to discuss the options available to manage your condition.
