Seniors With Diabetes

As our elderly population grows, so does the issue of the incidence of Type II diabetes. According to the American Diabetes Association, 18.3% of the population age 60 and over has been diagnosed, which translated into nearly nine million seniors with the disease. For seniors with diabetes, there are many unique complications that must be dealt with accordingly.

The diagnosis and monitoring of Type II diabetes can be problematic in seniors because many age-related changes in health can mask common warning signs. Often, elderly patients will not present with classic symptoms, raising the risk of a delayed or wrong diagnosis. Seniors often come to the doctor with multiple complaints, many of which can be wrongly attributed to simple aging. Elderly patients are also usually on many more medications than younger people, so separating side effects from symptoms may be more difficult.

Some elderly patients may have cognitive impairments that affect the way their diabetes could be recognized or should be managed. Cognitive impairments could cause a patient to forget about or discount symptoms of diabetes. Once diagnosed, these patients may not recognize important symptoms that manifest from poor glucose control, and will most likely be slower to respond to them. Severe cognitive impairments, such as dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, require simplified diabetes care and a higher level of supervision.

Many seniors develop conditions that may keep them from regularly exercising or take away their ability to be independently mobile. Immobility can have some severe health repercussions for all aging individuals, but especially for seniors with diabetes. A sedentary lifestyle, obesity, and hypertension are risk factors for macrovascular disease, which makes up 75% of the mortality rate of people with Type II diabetes. Also, diabetic neuropathy affects over half of patients who have been diagnosed with Type II diabetes for over 15 years, but can be avoided by strict glycemic control. The best way to control a patient’s glycemic index, and therefore his/her risk of developing these complications, is through proper diet and exercise. Even people with limited mobility can adequately exercise, and experience the benefits of stabilized blood sugar, increased insulin sensitivity, and lowered blood pressure. The American Diabetes Association recommends low impact, non-weight-bearing activities such as water aerobics, swimming, chair exercises, yoga, bicycling, and tai-chi.



Wallace, Jeffery I. "Management of Diabetes in the Elderly." Diabetes Journal. American Diabetes Association. Web.