Five Diabetes Facts Every Caregiver Should Know

If you’ve recently become a caregiver to a senior with diabetes, one of your new responsibilities is learning more about the disease so that you can assist the person to the best of your abilities. There is a lot to know about diabetes. As you educate yourself, it can be helpful to spend time talking to the senior’s doctor and other people on their diabetes care team. It can also be useful to read all you can about the disease. To get you started, here are 5 quick facts about diabetes.

Quick Facts About Diabetes

#1 – Diabetes is Extremely Common

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 30 million people in the United States have diabetes. This means that your aging relative isn’t alone in what they are going through. It also means that you’re not the only caregiver dealing with diabetes. One way to connect with other caregivers for seniors with diabetes is to join a caregiver support group. You can find in-person and online groups by searching the Internet.

#2 – Uncontrolled Diabetes is Dangerous

As a caregiver, you’re performing an important role by helping your loved one to control their diabetes. When diabetes isn’t managed well, it can lead to serious complications, like:

Eye problems
Heart disease
Stroke
Kidney damage
Nerve damage

#3 – There are Different Kinds of Diabetes

Caregivers should find out which kind of diabetes their aging relative has. They may have either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The bodies of people with type 1 diabetes don’t make any insulin. People with type 2 diabetes either don’t make enough insulin or cannot use the insulin their body makes. Type 2 is the most common kind of diabetes.

#4 – Eating with Diabetes Isn’t Much Different than Healthy Eating for Everyone Else

One of the keys to managing diabetes is eating a healthy diet. While it’s true that caregivers for seniors with diabetes have to be a little more careful when planning meals, there isn’t much difference between planning a healthy meal for a diabetic or for other seniors. In general, a diabetic meal plan simply means serving the healthiest foods possible while also eating at regular intervals. If you’re unsure what foods to serve, ask the doctor to refer you to a dietician for help.

#5 – Exercise Helps Control Blood Sugar

Exercise works to control blood sugar levels in two ways:

Exercising makes the body more sensitive to insulin so that it can use it more efficiently.
The muscle contractions that occur during exercise make cells able to use glucose even without insulin.