Diabetes and the Elderly

While diabetes becomes more prevalent, it strikes the elderly people more and type 2 diabetes is a growing problem among the elderly population. For the older people, diagnosing and treating diabetes requires a unique and flexible approach.

Diabetes in elderly people – what’s the difference?

When our bodies grow and age, many physiological changes happen. For elderly people, diabetes classic symptoms are not exhibited. Diabetes signs and symptoms are harder to spot.

Diabetes treatment for elderly people pose unique challenges since aging contributes to the complexity of diabetes treatment and diabetes care routine is harder.

Older people are more often weak and susceptible to illness. This makes diabetes-related complications more difficult to manage. Furthermore, problems may arise in areas like adapting a diet and exercise.

Some problems in elderly people are social issues, limited daily means, undiagnosed depression and coexisting health problems. All diabetes complication can occur amongst older patients. Many older people are also pre-disposed to lower-than-normal blood sugar levels.

Treatment of diabetes for the elderly

To decrease diabetes development among the population, it is highly recommended for adults over 45 years old to be screened for elevated blood sugar levels and retesting should be done every 3 years.

For elderly people who already have diabetes, care and treatment is unique but the main objective of which is to reduce complications.

For a 65 year-olds diabetics, it is said that life expectancy is about 15 years for men and 19 years for women. At 75, it is 9 years and 12 years respectively. This is because many elderly diabetics are expected to live a decade or more after diabetes diagnosis. Doctors, health professionals and clinicians are careful to reduce mortality and morbidity among patients who have diabetes and are elderly.