Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources: How to be a Caregiver for a Diabetic Patient – The Ultimate Guide
By Angelica Herrera Venson, DrPH, MPH
The following excerpt is reprinted with permission from Kapok Aging and Caregiver Resources.
Whether you’re a family member to someone with diabetes or are a direct care worker, being a caregiver for a diabetic patient can get overwhelming fast. You may be juggling multiple visits to specialists, constantly taking inventory and restocking a long list of diabetes care supplies, checking lab work results online, or trying to follow their doctor’s insulin therapy protocol.
You may have many questions. Can they eat that piece of pie? What do you do when they feel dizzy?
In this post, we’re stepping you through some of those questions – showing you how to care for a diabetic senior well and what you can expect along the way. I also share my personal experiences, as a caregiver to a child with type 1 diabetes and someone with both grandparents and in-laws who have type 2 diabetes.
Table of Contents
- Type 1 vs Type 2 Diabetes
- The Challenges of Caring for an Elderly Diabetic Patient
- Comorbidities and the Cocktail of Medications
- Blood Sugar Levels
- Recognizing an Emergency for Diabetic Seniors
- Long-Term Risks of Poorly Controlled Diabetes in Older Adults
- Caregiver Tools and Resources to Manage Diabetes in Seniors
- The Diabetes Care Team
- Keeping Inventory of Diabetes Supplies
- Finding Free and Low Cost Medication and Supplies
- Dialysis
- Conclusion
Type 1 Diabetes vs Type 2 Diabetes
To begin with, we need to distinguish between type 1 and type 2 diabetes. While the conditions are similar and are often confused, there are notable differences. To provide the best support for your family member, you need to know the type they have and how to treat it.
Type 2 Diabetes
The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is even higher among racial/ethnic minority groups. A study of older Medicare members shows the prevalence of type 2 diabetes to be particularly high for African American (37%) and Hispanic/Latinos (38%). They are also more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age.
With almost one in four seniors aged 65 and older estimated to have type 2 diabetes, caring for an older family member or client with the condition is becoming all too common. Doing so requires special attention of caregivers and a basic understanding of the condition’s usual ailments and approaches to helping them stay in control of their diabetes care regimen.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes, on the other hand, is an auto-immune disorder. Research suggests that viral infections can trigger the body’s auto-immune system to attack the pancreas, preventing it from creating enough insulin. A family history also increases the risk of developing type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes used to be known as juvenile diabetes; however, about 40% of patients are diagnosed at the age of 30 or older. Persons with type 1 diabetes are living with the condition longer than ever before and entering old age. Lifestyle factors have nothing to do with one’s risk. A person with type 1 diabetes did not ‘get’ diabetes from overeating or having too many sweets.
Type 2 diabetes accounts for between 90% and 95% of all diabetes and in the United States it is the 7th leading cause of death. As such, if you’re a caregiver for a diabetic patient, you’re probably supporting someone with type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is strongly associated with lifestyle factors, including obesity and low physical activity. Having a family history of diabetes or being more than 45 years of age can also increase your risk.
READ THE ARTICLE IN FULL AT KAPOK
Angelica Herrera Venson, DrPH, MPH is a gerontologist born in San Diego and raised on both sides of the U.S-Mexico border. She’s a public health advocate who has spent two decades in community health work and research investigating how immigrant and racial /ethnic minority family caregivers and seniors navigate old age and seek out health and elder care. Today, Angelica supports some of Arizona’s community health centers, which serve primarily Medicaid and underserved communities, in their transition to value-based care.
About Multicultural Guide to Caregiving
Author and gerontologist, Angelica P. Herrera Venson, DrPH, opens up and shares her family’s personal stories and lessons from her field work and research on aging and caregiving with communities of color and first generation Americans.