Diabetes is a common health condition that seniors over 65 have. There are approximately 14 million seniors that have diabetes and need to make managing their blood sugar levels a priority. Diabetes can lead to other serious health complications so seniors need to make a commitment to getting healthy if they have diabetes.
Insulin can help regulate your senior loved one’s blood sugar but there are also lifestyle changes that can make managing diabetes a lot easier. Staying at a healthy weight is one way to manage diabetes so if your senior loved one is overweight losing weight should be a priority. Checking their blood sugar often and taking insulin shots are also essential for managing diabetes at home. A home care provider can help seniors work on managing their diabetes by making sure they get their insulin shots safely. Home care providers can also help seniors control their blood sugar by:
Getting More Exercise
Exercise is essential for good health at any age, but it’s especially important for seniors with diabetes. Doctors recommend that seniors do a brisk activity like walking for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. If a 30 minute workout is too strenuous for your senior loved one they can try breaking the workout into two or three smaller periods of activity on the same day so that they are getting the exercise they need without wearing themselves out. Activities like yoga and strength training are also good for seniors.
Eating Healthy
Diet plays a major role in the regulation of blood sugar. Eating small healthy meals throughout the day is the best way to maintain blood sugar levels. Many seniors struggle with cooking meals and shopping so a home care provider is a great resource to have to help seniors get healthy foods and turn them into delicious meals that will help regulate their blood sugar throughout the day. If your senior loved one isn’t crazy about the idea of healthy meals you can start them on a healthy diet by making low calorie and low fat versions of the meals that they already love.
Eating Regular Meals
Eating healthy meals isn’t enough to maintain a good blood sugar. Seniors also need to eat regular meals. Often seniors will forget to make meals or won’t want to make a meal just for themselves, which can cause blood sugar instability. Having regular small meals that are primarily vegetable based will help seniors keep their blood sugar at a health level.
Getting Enough Sleep
Managing diabetes effectively for seniors means taking a holistic approach to living including getting more exercise and getting more sleep. Seniors need at least 8-10 hours of sleep at night. The better the quality of that sleep is the healthier they will be. So if you want to help your senior parent manage their diabetes you should focus on helping them move more, get better sleep, and eat regular healthy meals. Senior care providers can help you do that by working with your senior loved one to make healthy lifestyle changes and make those changes stick.
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care in Riverview, FL , please contact the caring staff at R.B. Home Health Services, Inc today. 305-220-6309
Sources:
https://www.diabetes.org/resources/statistics/statistics-about-diabetes
https://www.endocrineweb.com/guides/diabetes-older-people/staying-healthy