If you are helping your elderly vet manage his diabetes so he can stay active and enjoy the life he fought so hard for all of us to have, it can feel like a lot of pressure. Diabetes is a disease in which the body’s cells don’t use insulin properly. Type 2 diabetes develops in older age, sometimes due to hereditary reasons but often because of lifestyle choices. It’s important to keep glucose levels steady to maintain your loved one’s health and prevent other conditions from worsening or developing. Community based care providers can help.
Common Diabetes Complications
Diabetes will affect many parts of the body if it is not well managed. It can cause damage to the brain, heart, kidneys, eyes, nerves, and feet. It can also lead to a greater risk of dementia, cancer, and depression. Because of these serious health issues that may be made worse by diabetes, your loved one needs to be strategic about his health and have it monitored regularly with the help of community based care providers.
Six Health Conditions Which Need Additional Monitoring For Diabetics
- Teeth and Gums: Diabetes can increase the risk of gum disease for many patients. Unchecked high glucose levels can lead to a quicker progression of oral health issues. Regular dental checkups should not be missed, and you may want to talk to your loved one’s dentist about meeting more frequently than the standard recommendations.
- Kidneys: The kidneys can be adversely affected by diabetes. High blood sugar can damage the blood vessels which lead to the kidneys. Your loved one should receive regular urine and blood tests.
- Skin: Many diabetics struggle with dry skin. Dry skin in the winter months can be especially difficult to manage but it’s important to protect the skin because a crack, tear, or injury is another area where bacteria and infections may enter the body. Because of nerve damage, your loved one may not feel if his skin has an injury, so daily checks are important.
- Blood Pressure: The damage to kidneys from diabetes can in turn lead to salt and water retention which builds up blood pressure levels. High blood pressure can damage many areas of the body including the heart and eyes and has been linked to some mental health diseases as well. Regular blood pressure checks and consistently taking blood pressure medications are paramount for keeping it under control.
- Cholesterol: Diabetes often increases the bad cholesterol levels in a person’s body while simultaneously reducing the good levels. High cholesterol can lead to heart disease and other health issues so testing levels at least annually is required.
- Eyes: High blood sugar levels can damage the retina. That damage can cause the retina to swell and leak and eventually lead to vision loss.
Need Extra Help with Managing Diabetes in Your Veteran? Look for Community Based Care.
Community based care services can help your loved one find the resources he needs outside of the standard VA facilities. Community based care can assist him in connecting with nutritionists to help with his diet or mental health services to help him learn healthy coping techniques as he strives to keep his diabetes and other health conditions under control. Your loved one doesn’t need to fight this battle alone, he has comrades out there ready to step in and support him.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Community Based Care in Bethel, OH, please contact the caring staff at Freedom Home Care today at (513) 461-2780
Freedom Home Care Serves Veterans in Clermont County, Batavia, Amelia, Milford, New Richmond, Goshen, Bethel, Williamsburg, Loveland, Withamsville, Brown County, Felicity, Georgetown, Mount Orab, Ripley, Hamersville, Sardinia, and surrounding areas.
Our team is committed to providing the highest standard of care, ensuring that each Veteran we serve can live a dignified and independent life in the comfort of their own home. Our services are tailored to meet the unique needs of each Veteran, reflecting our deep commitment to their well-being.
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