Home Care: Keep an Eye Out for These Diabetes Complications

By Zandrea Durham | January 3, 2022 | Comments Off on Home Care: Keep an Eye Out for These Diabetes Complications

Does your elderly loved one have diabetes? If so, it is crucial they are keeping up with their treatments and follow-up doctor’s appointments. There are some complications that can occur with diabetes. As a family caregiver, knowing about these complications can help you and their home care providers to keep your elderly loved one safe and as healthy as possible.

Here are Some Complications You and Home Care Aides Can be Aware of

Heart Disease

Home Care Gray GA - Home Care: Keep an Eye Out for These Diabetes Complications
Home Care Gray GA – Home Care: Keep an Eye Out for These Diabetes Complications

One of the complications that your elderly loved one might encounter with diabetes is heart disease. There are numerous reasons why this may happen including not managing insulin levels well or not following through with other treatments their doctor prescribes or orders. If your elderly loved one already has heart issues, you or home care providers should remind them to keep their insulin under control or to take their medications. This way, they can lower their risk of heart disease.

Hypoglycemia

Another complication that could arise with diabetes is hypoglycemia. This condition can range from mild to severe. Unfortunately, in many cases it can place a person in the hospital. When someone is experiencing hypoglycemia they will likely experience the following:

  • Shaking
  • Headaches
  • Tingling by their mouth
  • Severe hunger
  • Dizziness
  • Severe sweating
  • Confusion
  • Clumsiness
  • Seizures

If you or the home care providers notice your elderly loved one experiencing these things, make sure you get them medical attention. The longer they go without treatment, the more severe things might get.

Neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy is another complication that can happen when someone has diabetes. Unfortunately, this is something that happens to many people with diabetes, especially the elderly. If your elderly loved one isn’t managing their diabetes, they have a higher risk of experiencing this condition. It can cause the following in their hands and feet:

  • Tingling
  • Numbness
  • Weakness
  • Pain

Diabetic neuropathy can also lead to digestive issues, as well. This is why it is so crucial for your elderly loved one to keep up with their diabetic treatments. If needed, you and home care providers can help them by giving medication and insulin check reminders.

Eye Disease

If your elderly loved one’s diabetes isn’t managed, they could end up with eye disease, too. Research shows that unmanaged diabetes often leads to retinopathy, glaucoma, cataracts, and even blindness. If your elderly loved one does have diabetes, you or a home care provider should take them to an eye doctor appointment a minimum of once every year. If they do have any eye disease, it can be caught and then treated promptly.

Home Care Providers Can Step in

As a family caregiver, it is crucial that you help your elderly loved one to prevent the above-noted diabetes complications. If you need help in doing this, you can get home care providers to help with it. If any symptoms of these issues show up, make sure your elderly loved one gets medical attention right away.

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1124430/

If you or an aging loved-one is considering Home Care Services in Gray GA please contact the caring staff at Angels of Mercy Private Homecare Services, Inc. today at 478-745-5111.

Zandrea Durham
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