Diabetes at Home Care

Nearly one in four people that are 65 years or older have diabetes and numbers for the overall population will continue to grow as the “Baby Boomers” get older. Home care nurses and at-home caregivers are taking on an increasingly important role in helping seniors to be more proactive in their battle to prevent the disease from escalating into a more serious health condition. Although the disease can be difficult for older family members to manage at first, through education, goal setting and encouragement, All At Home healthcare services can help seniors live a healthy and active life in their own home.

Diabetes is a metabolic disorder that impacts the way your loved one’s body uses digested food as fuel. It is a chronic condition that will requires daily maintenance to reduce the risks of developing complications or more serious medical conditions. Your loved one’s doctor will likely start by prescribing pills, but based on the results obtained from regular glucose monitoring, may add specific amounts of insulin to the daily regimen. Frequent trips to the emergency room or doctor’s office is a good indicator that it is time for a skilled nurse to educate the senior about the progression of the disease as well as the proper steps for managing his or her condition.

It is estimated that one in four individuals suffering with diabetes will develop a pressure ulcer (open sore) during their lifetime. Nerve damage, called neuropathy, often occurs in the legs of diabetics causing numbness and a loss of perceptive sensations which often lead to open foot injuries. Due to the disease, these wounds are considered to be very dangerous and most often require at-home care in between visits to the doctor’s office. Pressure ulcers are a major source of infection in diabetic seniors and left untreated the wound could eventually require a lower extremity amputation.

All At Home’s goal is to help seniors understand what living with diabetes entails so they can take charge of their glucose monitoring, medication management and dietary adjustments. To learn more, call us today.