Article Summary:
Diabetes is a disease that many millions of Americans live with every year. Seniors who are affected by diabetes face some hurdles to treatment, which are discussed further in this article.
Full Article:
About 19% of all Americans who are over the age of 60 have diabetes. In order to treat and live with diabetes, it is important to monitor what you eat, your exercise, and your glucose level. Those who are over 60 must be extra diligent and are often faced with additional difficulties.
One of the most important steps in treating diabetes is properly diagnosing it. Experts estimate that more than 2 million seniors have diabetes, but are not aware of it. If left untreated, diabetes can have a very serious effect on your health. Once detected, it is important to take preventative measures, because those affected by diabetes have an increased risk of premature death, stroke, and several other conditions.
One of the reasons that so many seniors are not aware that they have diabetes is because many of the symptoms are also symptoms of age. Things like blurry vision and fatigue can easily be attributed to merely the natural aging process. Those that are unaware of the symptoms, and even some who are, might not think their body is doing anything out of the ordinary until it is too late. This is one of the reasons that it is recommend to participate in frequent screenings, so if diabetes is present, it can be detected as soon as possible.
Once detected, diabetes can usually be successfully treated. A combination of healthy eating, exercise, and medicine can keep most types of diabetes in check. There are two main types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is not as common among seniors as Type 2 diabetes. Treatment for type 2 diabetes is heavily dependent on eating properly and exercising regularly, but there are also prescription drugs that can be used.
Many seniors participate in water exercise, which is offered by many public pools. It is important to consult your doctor first, but generally it is suggested to take a daily dose of aspirin. The aspirin helps to thin the blood and decrease the risk of stroke or heart attack, which those who have diabetes are at increased risk for.
Cognitive disorders, like Alzheimer’s, can often make treatment more difficult. This is because it is imperative to take regularly check glucose levels and administer medicine at a regular basis. Since cognitive disorders frequently affect a person’s memory, so these people will need some extra help. Treatment should also be kept as simple as possible and a support network of friend or family should be built.
Those who have diabetes are at an increased risk of amputation as well. This is because wounds take much longer to heal and can quickly become infected. For this reasons it is important to find any wounds quickly, so that they can be treated. Often those who are older and have limited sight might not be able to easily and accurately detect wounds. It can also be difficult for those with limited mobility to reach their feet, which are the most common problem area. This is one of the reasons that a support network is so vital to success.
People who have diabetes are able to lead normal lives, but it requires following a set treatment regime. Those that are over 60, often have difficulty following this routine, so they will need strong family or friend support.
Samuel is an author who has an extensive medical background. Medicare is a type of insurance that is offered in large part to seniors over sixty-five. Medicare offers many services and can help make visits to the doctor affordable. In addition, Medicare routinely covers many types of diabetic supplies, including glucose monitors. Generally these supplies fall into the category of durable medical equipment. For accurate and current information about Medicare and more visit liftchairguide.net
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