How Can Insulin Therapy Help Seniors with Diabetes?
Diabetes affects individuals of all ages, but seniors are particularly vulnerable. Although diabetes can be managed with lifestyle changes like diet and exercise, there may be additional treatments your senior loved one needs to keep the disease in check. One of the best things a family caring for a senior with diabetes can do is learn everything possible about the latest medical treatments available. Here’s how insulin therapy works and how aging adults with diabetes can benefit from the treatment.
About Insulin Therapy
Our bodies change most of the food we eat into a form of sugar called glucose. Insulin in the body helps the glucose enter the cells to produce energy. For people with diabetes, the body either doesn’t produce the right amount of insulin or cannot use the insulin properly. As a result, glucose builds up in the bloodstream, leading to health issues. All people with type 1 diabetes and some with type 2 diabetes need to take insulin to keep their blood sugar under control.
Consider hiring a professional caregiver if your loved one needs help preparing nutritious meals that are appropriate for a diabetic diet. If your aging loved one needs help managing everyday tasks or encouragement to adopt healthier lifestyle choices, turn to Home Care Assistance, a leading provider of senior care. Dallas Home Care Assistance provides professional in-home caregivers around the clock to help seniors live longer, happier, and healthier lives.
Administration of Insulin
Insulin is generally taken by injection, usually with an insulin pen or pump. It comes in premixed combinations to make it easier for seniors to self-administer the injections. Older adults who self-administer insulin must be aware of any signs of hypoglycemia, maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and refrain from smoking.
If your loved one needs encouragement to adopt healthier habits, a professional caregiver can be an ideal source of support. Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don’t all need the same type of homecare services. Dallas families can rely on Home Care Assistance to provide individualized care plans to meet their elderly loved ones’ unique care needs. Our holistic Balanced Care Method was designed to help seniors focus on healthy lifestyle habits such as eating nutritious foods, exercising regularly, and maintaining strong social ties, and our Cognitive Therapeutics Method offers mentally stimulating activities that can stave off cognitive decline and delay the onset of dementia.
Benefits of Insulin Therapy
Insulin therapy is usually recommended when oral medication is inadequate to control blood sugar levels or when the individual cannot gain weight. Elderly people have an increased risk of developing serious hypoglycemia, which is why they may benefit from insulin therapy. Insulin therapy can be started at home, but people who use it should be monitored closely.
Helping a loved one maintain healthy blood sugar levels and prevent or manage diabetes can be challenging. Whether you need respite from your caregiving duties or your aging loved one needs live-in care, Dallas, TX, Home Care Assistance can meet your family’s care needs. Our dedicated caregivers are available around the clock to provide transportation to doctor’s appointments, ensure seniors take their prescribed medications, and help with a variety of tasks in and outside the home. Call us at [hca_phone] to create a customized in-home care plan.