Care for Diabetes as You Age

Did you know that more than 20 percent of people in the U.S. ages 60 and older have diabetes? It's important to understand how to manage the condition as you get older to prevent certain complications, like hypoglycemia.

What's hypoglycemia? It's when the glucose level in your blood drops too low, often when you don't eat enough food. It also can be a side effect of diabetes medication or high activity levels.

Older adults need immediate treatment when their blood sugar drops. People with memory problems are especially at risk because they sometimes cannot connect early warning signs with hypoglycemia and call for help.

Typical warning signs include sweating, hunger, fatigue, shakiness and light-headedness. You also may feel dizzy, weak or confused, which can put you at higher risk for falls and accidents.

To manage hypoglycemia, make it a point to:

• Eat three meals a day at regular times.
• Include an extra snack in your meal plan for when you are more active.
• Teach loved ones how to recognize signs of hypoglycemia and test your blood glucose.
• Keep emergency supplies on hand, like glucose tablets and orange juice.

Managing Diabetes
For more on diabetes, including foot care tips and risk factors, please visit www.lancastercommunityhospital.net and click on Hospital Services in the left column. Then click on Diabetes Management.

Lancaster Community Hospital, 43830 N. 10th Street West, Lancaster, CA 93534 Phone: 661-948-4781