Diabetes is a complicated illness that means seniors need to adopt new habits and routines, even adjusting their lifestyles in sometimes big ways. Having support from home care assistance can shorten the learning curve for seniors and family caregivers as they learn to deal with this new diagnosis. Here’s how they can help.
Meal Planning and Preparation Help
Eating carbohydrates or even sugar doesn’t cause diabetes, but cutting back on simple carbohydrates and sugary foods and beverages can be an important way for seniors to support better blood sugar levels. Many aging adults receive dietary recommendations from their doctors or from registered dieticians who can help them to learn to eat well with diabetes. At home, elder care providers can assist with planning meals that meet their new dietary requirements.
Reminders to Test and Take Medications
For seniors taking new medications to help balance their blood sugar levels, remembering to take them can be a bit complicated at first. Home care providers aren’t nurses, so they can’t give medications to seniors. But they can help them to remember to take them when and how they should. Testing blood sugar levels regularly is another task that’s easy to forget. Professional caregivers can help seniors remember to fit glucose testing into their daily routines.
Learn About the Signs of High or Low Blood Sugar
After their diabetes diagnosis, seniors should have gotten information from their doctors about recognizing high or low blood sugar signs. If they’re taking medication to help them manage blood sugar, seniors need to be especially aware of what low blood sugar feels and looks like. Home care assistance can be alert for signs that seniors are suffering from blood sugar lows so they can remind seniors to take action.
Encouragement to Start Exercise Programs
Exercise and moving more are part of almost every senior’s diabetes management plan. Their doctors may have given them recommendations for how much activity is safe for them to try, especially if seniors haven’t exercised in a long time. Consistent movement releases endorphins and helps to keep blood sugar under better control. As seniors find exercise they like, they may find it’s a lot easier to remember to keep active.
Time to Rest and Destress
Another important part of managing a new diabetes diagnosis is for seniors to take the time they need to rest. Any new health diagnosis comes with some extra stress, and that’s not very helpful to blood sugar levels. Home care assistance can take over some of the daily tasks that take up time and energy for seniors, which allows them to conserve some of their energy and rest when they need to do so.
The key to managing diabetes is for seniors to feel empowered and supported as they learn more about their new health challenges. Home care assistance can be there for emotional support as well as hands-on, practical help. Their consistent support allows seniors to feel independent while also knowing that they have someone there when they need extra help.
If you or an aging loved one are considering home care assistance in Maple Grove, MN, and the surrounding areas, please contact the friendly staff at CareBuilders at Home Minnesota. Call today 612-260-2273.
