March 28 is American Diabetes Association Alert Day. As a family caregiver, this is the ideal chance for you to evaluate the most common risk factors for diabetes and work with your parent’s doctor to identify if your aging loved one is at increased risk for developing this condition. If they are, you can then get recommendations and guidelines for the type of care you can give them to help reduce this risk and protect your parent’s health as they age in place.
Some of the risk factors for diabetes include:
- Family history. If your elderly adult has a sibling or a parent who suffered diabetes, they are at higher risk of developing both the type 1 and type 2 variety of this condition
- Weight. Excess fatty tissue increases the body’s resistance to insulin, which means that if your elderly loved one is overweight or obese, they are at a higher risk of developing diabetes
- Living a sedentary lifestyle. Not getting enough physical activity puts your parent at higher risk of being overweight. Exercising also uses up glucose and helps your cells remain properly responsive to insulin
- Personal history of gestational diabetes. If your aging parent suffered from gestational diabetes or gave birth to very large babies, they are at higher risk of suffering diabetes
- High blood pressure. Certain medical conditions can increase the chances that your elderly parent will develop diabetes. One such condition is hypertension. Having high blood pressure or not controlling high blood pressure properly can put your parent at higher risk of developing diabetes, as can high blood cholesterol.
If your aging parent has recently been diagnosed with diabetes or you are concerned that they are at greater risk of developing this condition, now may be the ideal time for you to consider starting home care for them. An in-home care provider can make a tremendous difference not just in your parent’s health and well-being, but also their quality of life and their ability to enjoy a more engaged, fulfilling, safe, and healthy lifestyle as they age in place. When it comes to helping them deal with diabetes, this care provider can help your parent understand the guidelines and instructions that were given to them by their doctor and to comply with these in the course of their regular care routine. This means taking any medications and following through with any treatments when and how they are meant to be taken, as well as sticking to guidelines and restrictions in their daily lifestyle choices. If your aging parent has not been diagnosed with diabetes but is at increased risk, this care provider can help your senior to understand these risks and the steps that they can take to reduce them in their regular care routine. As a family caregiver this can give you a tremendous sense of relief knowing that your parent is getting everything that they need when you are able to be with them and when you are not.
If you or an aging family member are considering hiring caregiver services in John’s Creek, GA, please contact the caring staff at Caring Companions of Atlanta 470-514-5954 .
We provide quality non-medical services to our clients in their homes or in a facility if that’s where they live. Our staff is available for care plans for extensive care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week or as little as 4 hours per visit. Reach out to us, and one of our outstanding administrative staff will meet with potential clients to assist them and their families in designing an effective, personal plan of care.
Sources:
http://www.diabetes.org/are-you-at-risk/alert-day/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/basics/definition/con-20033091
http://www.diabetes.org/?referrer=https://www.google.com/