Senior citizens constitute a large section of people with diabetes. This is not only an ageing-related condition but one that is also connected to the lifestyle of the person. Every person is unique and so is the management of the condition. Did you know, 50% of the diabetics in our country are 60+ years old and 50% of the senior diabetics are undiagnosed.
Let’s take a look at awareness, tips to control diabetes and its management.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a condition caused when there is a disorder of glucose metabolism. This can vary in any individual but as one ages, the chances of this occurring increases. Diabetes and the ageing process are closely related.
What are the symptoms of diabetes?
In a healthy person, glucose is absorbed by the kidney to make sure the blood has normal levels of glucose. However, in a person with diabetes, glucose is excreted through the kidney if it crosses a particular threshold.
The common diabetes symptoms are fatigue, weight loss, recurring infections and cardiovascular complications. Though this is a common condition, the awareness and tips to control diabetes are less known.
When to screen for diabetes?
For the elderly, the need to screen for diabetes is higher and very important. Screening must be done at least once a year or opportunistic screening is also recommended (i.e. must be included in the regular medical check-ups).
Although it takes several years for diabetes to develop, management of it can prevent the following:
- Alleviate the symptoms in persons who do not have the condition yet.
- Prevent or delay the risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Achieve a normal life expectancy and life a healthy and happy life.
What are the treatments for diabetes like?
The three main pillars or management factors for diabetes are:
Exercise:
Exercises are prescribed by the physician or doctor according to the condition of each person. It depends on the other pre-existing conditions like respiratory, cardiovascular, arthritis and neurological disorders.
However, a few exercise tips to control diabetes are regular walking, cycling and slow running.
Diet:
Diabetes can be majorly controlled by controlling one’s diet alone. Diet for elderly diabetic patients must be planned with a reduction in sugar intake and the inclusion of healthy foods. Avoid excess consumption of caffeine and sugar. Take into consideration the long term benefit a diet can have on your health and work towards it. Though the phrase stays hydrated is overused, its importance can’t be stressed more. This is one of the best tips to control diabetes.
Medication:
Diabetes can’t be cured completely, but can definitely be controlled. Medication includes intake of tablets and taking insulin shots as prescribed by the doctor. Medicines can be taken orally or can be injected directly into the blood.
Special care needs to be given to the elderly who are not able to take care of themselves, at home or even at retirement communities. We at The Chennai Homes do just that. We make sure the elders at our community feel at home and live a happy life. They need to feel the genuine care for them and keeping this in mind, we have provided them with all the facilities for the same. For elders with diabetes at our community, we have a dietician prescribed menu with nutrition-rich food made in our state-of-the-art kitchen for them.
Our premises has all the facilities built to help them lead an active lifestyle. A medical team is available 24×7 within the community and our medical staff provide our residents with 360-degree complete medical care. Our promise is to make sure our residents lead a healthy life.
Here’s wishing you a happy second inning!
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