Know About Diabetes In Elders

Diabetes in elders has increased in recent times; this serious disease with high level of blood sugar could cause various dangerous health conditions, affecting the eyes, kidney and nerves and causing heart disease, strokes and amputation of a limb. However high level of glucose in the blood can be controlled to prevent or delay further problems.

It is best to understand that diabetes runs in families, with overweight and sedentary life being main causes for diabetes. The glucose converted from the food we eat travels through the blood stream to feed our cells, with the hormone insulin helping to produce energy. Either the lack of insulin or its improper use could lead to diabetes.

Diabetes leads to symptoms like being tired, being hungry and excessively thirsty. It could also lead to excess and frequent urination and loss of weight. Diabetics could have skin infections or slowly healing cuts and bruises. However these symptoms can be controlled by lowering blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol.

Diabetes is of 2 types namely Type 1 or juvenile-onset diabetes that affects mostly children, teenagers and adults below the age of 30 and Type 2 diabetes or adult onset diabetes that affects elders above the age of 40. Type 1 diabetics need to take insulin regularly, while Type 2 diabetes arises out of underutilization of the produced insulin.

Type 2 diabetes is linked to obesity, lack of activity, family history of diabetes, and family background. Those at a higher risk to this type of diabetes include African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians, and some Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

In addition we have a condition that is known as pre-diabetes, when the level of glucose in the blood is higher than normal, but not high enough to be classified as diabetes. Those with pre-diabetes carry an increased risk for Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke; they need to lose weight and lead an active life to delay or prevent Type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes can be controlled by:

The key to managing blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol is by meal planning and eating right with understanding how different foods affect glucose level. Health care professionals can help create a personalized meal plan.

Physical activity with taking part in a regular fitness program would help control blood glucose levels in the elderly; your doctor or health care professional would be able to work out the right program for you.

Medications play a vital role for control of diabetes; doctors may prescribe oral medicines, insulin or a combination of the two. Some may require no medication after their glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol are in control.

Diabetics should have a yearly eye exam to detect and treat eye problems early and prevent more serious conditions.  

A yearly urine test for a protein called albumin is necessary to detect if the kidneys are affected by diabetes.

Diabetes can reduce blood supply to arms and legs and cause numbness in the feet. Watch out for redness or patches of heat, sores, blisters, breaks in the skin, infections, or build-up of calluses every day on the feet and consult a podiatrist if necessary.

Elders with diabetes should protect their skin by keeping it clean, using skin softeners to treat dryness, and taking care of minor cuts and bruises to prevent infections and other problems.

Elders should work closely with a dentist and pay special care to teeth and gums to avoid serious infections.

Elders should have a yearly flu shot and a pneumonia vaccine; if more than 5 years have passed, you should consult your doctor to be revaccinated.