Understanding Home Health Care

If you have diabetes and are no longer confident with living alone, consider in-home senior care. While many elderly diabetics are able to live independently, others with poorly managed diabetes, long-standing diabetes, or those who have certain pre-existing conditions and cognitive deficits may be unable to safely live by themselves. Here are some ways an in-home senior care provider can help you manage your diabetes.

Meal Preparation

Nutritional intervention is a very important component of a diabetes treatment plan. If you are unable to prepare diabetes-friendly meals, the in-home senior care provider can do it for you, based on the recommendations of your physician. The home care provider can prepare nutrient-dense meals and snacks that contain the right amounts of carbohydrates, lean proteins, healthy monounsaturated fats, and sugars to help maintain stable blood glucose levels.

While you may be unable to independently prepare your meals, your caregiver may encourage you to choose healthy foods that you want to be included in your meals and they may even request that you help prepare the meals to help maintain your independence and self-confidence. 

Blood Glucose Monitoring

Diabetics need to check their blood glucose levels throughout the day. Glucose testing is especially important to diabetics who rely on daily insulin injections, however, if you are unable to manage glucose testing on your own, your in-home senior care provider can help.

Blood glucose testing can reveal the presence of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) so that your insulin can be adjusted as needed. If your blood glucose test is abnormal, the in-home senior care provider can notify your doctor who may recommend simple interventions such as increasing or decreasing your medication.

If your blood test shows that your blood sugar levels are only slightly lower than normal, the doctor may simply recommend that the caregiver offer you a glass of orange juice to help raise your blood sugar level. If medication adjustments and orange juice fail to normalize your glucose levels, the physician may ask the caregiver to bring you to the medical office or the hospital for further testing and treatment. 

If you have diabetes and are not confident living alone, consider the services of an in-home senior care provider. When your diabetes is monitored and well-managed you may be less likely to experience complications such as abnormal spikes in blood sugar levels and diabetes-related circulation problems that could result in stasis ulcers of your skin.