5 Ways Around The Clock Care Helps Seniors Manage Diabetes

Managing diabetes can be tough for seniors, especially if they have just recently been diagnosed. Learning how to manage their blood sugar and making lifestyle changes can help your mom or dad stabilize their blood sugar. But, seniors often need a lot of help figuring out how to time their insulin, when to eat snacks, and when they should be checking their sugar levels.

Having 24-hour home care can be a big help for seniors that are living with diabetes and need help fine-tuning their approach to managing their blood sugar. And when your mom or dad has 24-hour home care you won’t have to worry that a mistake in their diabetes management will put your mom or dad into a dangerous situation.

With 24-hour home care there will always be someone there who can help your mom or dad or get emergency help for them if they need it. Having 24-hour home care can also help your mom or dad manage their diabetes by:

1. Monitoring Blood Sugar Levels

Tracking blood sugar levels is essential for diabetes management. Caregivers can remind your mom or dad when they need to check their blood sugar. They can also ensure your parent uses their equipment correctly.
If your mom or dad ‘s blood sugar is too high or too low, they can take quick action, which can help prevent emergency situations. This is particularly important at night, when seniors are more likely to not monitor their sugar or make mistakes monitoring their blood sugar.

2. Meal Planning and Preparation

Eating the right foods is critical for managing diabetes. Caregivers can plan and prepare meals for your mom or dad that will not cause blood sugar spikes. And they can make sure that your mom or is dad is eating when they need to eat. Caregivers can also do the shopping and run errands for your mom or dad.

3. Medication Management

The average senior takes five medications every day, but seniors who have diabetes often take more than that. Your mom or dad may forget to take their medications at night, or mix up the dose of their medications if they are groggy because they are tired.

A care provider that is with your mom or dad at night can remind them when it’s time to take medication and make sure they are taking the right doses of medications. Caregivers can also go to the pharmacy to get refills and call the doctor for refills if needed. Proper medication management helps control blood sugar levels.

4. Encouraging Physical Activity

Exercise plays a big role in managing diabetes, but many seniors who have diabetes are house-bound or have mobility challenges that make activity difficult. A caregiver can encourage your mom or dad to try chair exercises, get up and walk around the house, or play games like balloon volleyball or bean bag toss to get more movement and improve their circulation.

5. Providing Emotional Support

Living with diabetes can feel overwhelming at times, especially if your mom or dad lives alone. They may be scared of making a mistake managing their diabetes and putting themselves in danger of having extremely high or extremely low blood sugar. It can give your mom or dad a lot of peace of mind to know that someone in the home with him around the clock.

If you or an aging loved one is considering 24-hour home care in Greenwich Village, NY, please contact the caring staff at Touching Hearts at Home – Manhattan, Brooklyn, Westchester, Queens, Rockland today. 646-480-6266

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