March 28th is American Diabetes Association Alert Day. It’s a day started more than three decades ago to raise awareness of the risks that happen if you ignore diabetes care.
Your dad’s been diagnosed with diabetes. As his family caregiver, you must know how to help him manage this health condition. Here are the things he will need to do every day.
Check Blood Sugar Levels
How often your dad will check his blood sugar levels depends on how he’s managing his condition. If he needs insulin, he may need to check them several times a day. If he’s managing them using diet, exercise, and oral medications, he might not need to check every day or more than once a day.
Learning how to check his blood sugar levels can be a learning curve. Your dad needs to learn how to sterilize the site he’s testing and to keep equipment sterile. A nurse specializing in diabetes education will teach him how to do this.
Manage Medications
Your dad’s doctor may prescribe a medication that your dad takes each day. He needs to take these medications and pair them with a healthy diet and plenty of exercise. He must do all three things. If he has other health issues, there may be additional medications he’s prescribed. He needs to make sure each doctor he works with knows he has diabetes and is taking insulin or diabetes medications.
A home health care nurse makes sure your dad takes his medications properly. If he has medications to take with a meal, his nurse will emphasize it. If he needs to take something on an empty stomach, his nurse will remind him of that, too.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Your dad needs to adjust his diet and portions to ensure he’s getting the right foods in the right portions. If he needs to lose weight, portion control may be the most important aspect of his new diet. He needs to learn how to choose foods that avoid added sugar and aren’t too high in carbs. He needs whole grains, fresh vegetables, dairy for the calcium, and lean protein.
Take Care of His Feet
Foot care is also important, and a nurse can teach your dad how to check his feet for sores and cracks that increase the risk of infection. He may not feel when there is a problem with his feet, so he needs to make foot checks part of his daily care routine.
Get Enough Exercise
Finally, your dad needs to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise every day. If he’s falling short because he’s so out of shape that he can’t find ways to become active, he should work with a physical therapist in his home.
A physical therapist comes to your dad’s home, shows him exercises he can start with, and increases the fitness routines your dad engages in as his balance, strength, and stamina improve.
Diabetes education is so important for your dad and any family caregivers. While it’s not hard to help him, you need to know some of the things he’ll require when it comes to medications, meals, glucose monitoring, foot care, and exercise. A home health care specialist can help you learn more about diabetes care to ensure your dad gets the needed help.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering Home Health Care in Coral Gables, FL please contact the caring staff at Specialized Nursing Services today. (305) 652-2799