diabetes support site diabetes and elderly people presentation
TRANSCRIPT
Diabetes and Elderly People
Everything YouNeed To KnowAbout Diabetes
Diabetes Support Site
http://diabetessupportsite.com
Website
Diabetes and Elderly PeopleType 2 diabetes is most likely to
occur if you:
are over 45 years old and have
high blood pressure
are over 45 years old and are
overweight;
are over 45 and have (or have had)
one or more family members with
diabetes;
are over 55 years of age;
have had a heart attack in the past;
have heart disease;
have or have had a blood sugar
test that is borderlinehigh;
have or have had high blood sugar
levels during pregnancy (a
condition called gestational
diabetes);
have polycystic ovary syndrome
and are overweight;
are an Aboriginal Australian or
Torres Strait Islander and are over
35 years old (or younger if
overweight); or
are a Pacific Islander, are from a
Chinese cultural background or are
from the Indian subcontinent and
are over 35 years old.
What are the effects of diabetes on elderly people?A key issue for seniors with diabetes isthat, sometimes, the symptoms may not
be very obvious.The wellknown symptoms of diabetes,such as urinating excessively and feelingthirsty all the time, are not as obvious in
the elderly as in young people.In addition, symptoms of type 2 diabetes,such as feeling tired and lethargic, canoften be misinterpreted as just part of the
normal ageing process.As a result, older people with diabetesmay be relatively free of symptoms andmay remain undiagnosed until damage
has been done.If left unchecked, the accumulation of
glucose in the blood can cause enormousdamage to nearly every major organ in thebody, including kidney damage; arterydamage, which increases the risk ofstroke and heart attack; eye damage,
leading to vision loss; erectile dysfunction(impotence) in men; and nerve damage,which can lead to traumatic injury andinfection, possibly leading to limb
amputation.It’s unlikely you’ll be able to mend the
damage that has already been done, butyou and your doctor can work together to
control your blood sugar and helpminimise the impact of diabetes in the
future.
Caring For An Elderly Person With DiabetesCaring for an older adult with
diabetes may include special
challenges such as coexisting
medical conditions, physical
limitations and failing memory.
Whether the person lives alone,
with you, or in a nursing home,
your involvement can help them
obtain better diabetes care and
quality of life.
Some unique factors in diabetes
eldercare include:
Making sure that the person
receives adequate nutrition
Changes in taste and smell, as
well as stomach acid composition,
are a normal part of the aging
process. This combination causes
many older individuals to eat less
and can bring about poor nutrition.
Aging family members with
diabetes may be at higher risk for
vitamin B1, B12, C, D, and folate
deficiencies, in addition to
deficiencies in various minerals,
including calcium, zinc and
magnesium.
Importance of Nutrition For Elderly People With DiabetesEating a healthy, wellbalanced diet isessential throughout all stages of life.
However, seniors with diabetes are morelikely to suffer from nutritional deficiencies,especially in the vitamins B1, B12, C and
D and folate, calcium, zinc andmagnesium.
Warning signs such as a weight loss orgain of more than 10 pounds in six
months, can indicate that your loved oneis not eating properly.
To ensure your family member withdiabetes is receiving the best nutritionpossible, bear in mind that dietaryconsiderations change with age. In
particular:
Older adults generally need 20to30%fewer calories than they did when they
were younger and more active.
Protein should account for 10to20% ofcaloric intake. Individuals who have an
infection, wounds that are healing or otherhealth stresses may need to eat greater
amounts of protein and calories.
Meal Plans For An Elderly Person With DiabetesElderly people do not always respond wellto huge changes in their lives, especially indiets. Introduce new dishes slowly. Try tofind healthy alternatives to cooking theirfavorite foods. Consider baking a chickeninstead of frying it, lacing vegetables withhealthy olive oil instead of butter, or baking with artificial sweeteners—whose sugarsubstitute cannot be digested by the bodyand, therefore, don’t add to daily sugar
intake.
Find out what medications the person istaking and when he/she takes each pill.
Diabetic meal plans must balance the foodeaten with the daily medicines to maintainproper insulin levels. Be sure to note othermedications, such as those for high bloodpressure or pain, that may counteract with
various food and timing of meals.
Learn the diabetes food pyramid, whichprovides recommended daily serving sizesfor each food group. Mix and match the
senior’s favorites based on the best portionsfor diabetes control. The minimum dailyrecommendations would provide about1,600 calories per day. Depending on theactivity level of the elderly person,he/ sheshould eat about 1,800 to 2,200 calorieseach day to maintain a proper weight.
Standard Diabetes Diet For The ElderlyAlthough there’s no onesize
fitsall diet. Around 45
percent to 65 percent of total
daily calories should come
from carbohydrates, but not
just any old carbohydrate —
the best options are high in
fiber. Another 25 percent to
35 percent of daily calories
can come from fat, mostly of
the monounsaturated and
polyunsaturated variety. The
remainder of calories should
come from protein,though this
can vary based on a person’s
health requirements. For
example, a diabetic who’s
also struggling with kidney
disease will need to keep his
protein intake to about 10
percent. Within these three
groups, certain foods will help
manage your diabetes better
than others.
Importance ofMinerals andVitamins For
Elderly PeopleWith Diabetes
Anyone who has diabetesshould—at a minimum—take highqualityvitamin and mineral
supplements every day. Ithas been found thattaking potent daily
supplements for diabeticsreduce the incidence ofinfection and number ofsick days taken bypatients with type 2
diabetes.
Vitamins are complexchemical substancescontained in food. They
enable the human body tobreak down and utilizebasic elements of food,proteins, carbohydrates
and fats.
Must have Vitamins and Minerals for Elderly Diabetics
Diabetics are on a restrictive diet
and have a lesser number of the
foods to choose from. This is why
they generally tend to suffer from
the deficiency of essential vitamins
and minerals, which are normally
required by the human body to stay
healthy. Diabetes is associated
with weakness, fatigue, lethargy,
and the body ache.
In such cases, diabetics usually
need to supplement their diet with
the product that can provide them
energy to do their regular chores
and improve their stamina without
enhancing their blood sugar levels.
You can take Revital daily for
diabetes control. It halps in
boosting your energy, as well as
your immunity levels.
Depending on the type of the
treatment regimen one uses to
control one’s diabetes, there are
some minerals and vitamins that
may be beneficial for your
condition.
EXERCISE FOR ELDERLY PEOPLE WITH DIABETESIt’s no secret that exercise is good
for you and it’s especially important
for older adults with diabetes.
Did you know, for example, that
muscle strength declines by 15%
per decade after age 50 and 30%
per decade after age 70?
By regularly participating in
strengthbuilding exercise,
however, muscle tissue and
strength can be restored.
What’s more, exercise also makes
it easier for older individuals to
maintain their strength, balance,
flexibility and endurance — all of
which are important for staying
healthy and independent.
Lastly, exercise improves insulin
sensitivity and can improve a
person’s response to blood
glucose medications.
Exercise is safe for most adults
aged 65 and over. Moreover, even
individuals with heart disease, high
blood pressure, diabetes and
arthritis can safely enjoy regular
exercise. Exercise actually
improves many of these
conditions!
What Exercises can elderly people with Limited Mobility Do?The benefits of exercise are not restrictedto people who have full mobility. In fact, if
injury, disability, illness, or weightproblems have limited your mobility, it’seven more important to experience themoodboosting effects of exercise.
Exercise can ease depression, relievestress and anxiety, enhance selfesteem,and improve your whole outlook on life.While there are many challenges thatcome with having mobility issues, byadopting a creative approach, you canovercome your physical limitations and
find enjoyable ways to exercise.
Limited mobility doesn’t mean you can’texercise
When you exercise, your body releasesendorphins that energize your mood,
relieve stress, boost your selfesteem, andtrigger an overall sense of wellbeing. Ifyou’re a regular exerciser currently
sidelined with an injury, you’ve probablynoticed how inactivity has caused yourmood and energy levels to sink. This isunderstandable: exercise has such a
powerful effect on mood it can treat mildto moderate depression as effectively asantidepressant medication. However, aninjury doesn’t mean your mental andemotional health is doomed to decline.While some injuries respond best to total
rest, most simply require you toreevaluate your exercise routine with helpfrom your doctor or physical therapist.
Workouts for upper body injury or disabilityDepending on the location
and nature of your injury or
disability, you may still be
able to walk, jog, use an
elliptical machine, or even
swim using flotation aids. If
not, try using a stationary
upright or recumbent bike for
cardiovascular exercise.
When it comes to strength
training, your injury or
disability may limit your use of
free weights and resistance
bands, or may just mean you
have to reduce the weight or
level of resistance. Consult
with your doctor or physical
therapist for safe ways to
work around the injury or
disability, and make use of
exercise machines in a gym
or health club, especially
those that focus on the lower
body.
How to exercise in a chair or wheelchairChairbound exercises are ideal forpeople with lower body injuries or
disabilities, those with weight problems ordiabetes, and frail seniors looking to
reduce their risk of falling. Cardiovascularand flexibility chair exercises can helpimprove posture and reduce back pain,
while any chair exercise can help alleviatebody sores caused by sitting in the sameposition for long periods. They’re also agreat way to squeeze in a workout while
you’re watching TV.
If possible, choose a chair that allows youto keep your knees at 90 degrees whenseated. If you’re in a wheelchair, securelyapply the brakes or otherwise immobilize
the chair.
Try to sit up tall while exercising and useyour abs to maintain good posture.
If you suffer from high blood pressure,check your blood pressure before
exercising and avoid chair exercises thatinvolve weights.
Test your blood sugar before and afterexercise if you take diabetes medicationthat can cause hypoglycemia (low blood
sugar).
Workouts for overweight people and those with diabetes
Exercise can play a vital role in reducingweight and managing type 2 diabetes. Itcan stabilize blood sugar levels, increaseinsulin sensitivity, lower blood pressure,and slow the progression of neuropathy.But it can be daunting to start an exerciseroutine if you’re severely overweight. Yoursize can make it harder to bend or movecorrectly and, even if you feel comfortable
exercising in a gym, you may havedifficulty finding suitable equipment. Someexercise machines and weight benchesmay be too small to use comfortably andsecurely. When choosing a gym, makesure it offers equipment that can support
larger people.
Whatever your size, there are plenty ofalternatives to gyms and health clubs. A
good first step to exercising is toincorporate more activity into your
everyday life. Gardening, walking to thestore, washing the car, sweeping the
patio, or pacing while talking on the phoneare all easy ways to get moving. Even
small activities can add up over the courseof a day, especially when you combinethem with short periods of scheduled
exercise as well.
Cardiovascular workouts for overweight peopleWeightbearing activities such
as walking, dancing, and
climbing stairs use your own
body weight as resistance.
Start with just a few minutes a
day and gradually increase
your workout times. Make
activities more enjoyable by
walking with a dog, dancing
with a friend, or climbing
stairs to your favorite music.
If you experience pain in your
feet or joints when you stand,
try nonweightbearing
activities. Waterbased
activities such as swimming,
aquajogging, or water
aerobics place less stress on
your feet and joints. Look for
special classes at your local
health club, YMCA, or swim
center where you can
exercise with other larger
people
Emotional Aspects of Diabetes In Elderly People Inevitable physical and
psychosocial changes occur as
people enter old age. The senior
years are a developmental phase
of life with its own unique
challenges that affect the
management of both diabetes and
depression.
From time to time, we all come
down with a case of the blues, but
did you know that older adults with
diabetes are almost twice as likely
to suffer from depression? It’s true.
An estimated 28% of older adults
with diabetes will experience
depression, which is nearly double
the average occurrence rate for
the general adult population.
Depression is a serious condition
that affects planning and
organizing skills. Older people who
suffer from depression may stop
testing their blood glucose, forget
to take their medicines and even
begin to eat and exercise less.
How Can I help An Elderly Diabetic Who Is Depressed?When an older individual suffers frompoorly controlled diabetes in addition todepression, both diseases require timely,aggressive treatment. As a caregiver,there are several things you can do tohelp your loved one recover from
depression, including:
If you have your doctor’s approval,integrate daily walks or some other formof exercise into your family member’sroutine. Not only has regular exercisebeen shown to improve both diabetescontrol and mood, but walking programsare usually a safe form of exercise for
most older adults.
Psychiatric counseling combined withprescription medications is an effectivetreatment for depression. Ask your family
member’s doctor about this type ofcombination therapy.
If your doctor prescribes anantidepressant, be sure to ask aboutpotential side effects and drugtodrug
interactions.
Everything You Need To Know About Diabetes
Diabetes Support Site
Website
http://diabetessupportsite.com