Prediabetes is a serious health condition that is exactly what it sounds like, a condition that happens before the onset of diabetes. When a person has prediabetes, their blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Almost 96 million American adults have prediabetes – that’s one in three adults. And unfortunately, a huge percentage of them don’t even know they have it. If your senior has this condition companion care at home providers can assist them with the proper care.
You might worry that your parent is at risk of developing prediabetes because diabetes can lead to other serious health conditions such as heart disease and stroke. It can severely impact your parent’s quality of life by trying to manage the disease with diet, exercise, and medication.
Prediabetes is caused by the body not being able to respond normally to insulin. Insulin is a hormone made by the pancreas that allows the body’s blood sugar into cells for use as energy. When the cells stop getting the blood sugar they need, the pancreas increases production, trying to help, but that ends up doing more harm by putting too much blood sugar into the bloodstream setting your parent up for prediabetes.
The best way to determine if your parent has prediabetes is with a simple blood test. If your parent visits her doctor with her companion care at home provider, make sure your companion care at home provider reminds your parent to get her blood tested. From there, the doctor can help your parent decide if any lifestyle changes should be made to either avoid prediabetes or deal with it if she already has it. Her companion care at home team will be able to help her make necessary diet changes and even help with getting the exercise she needs.
If you or your parent are concerned about what risks may make her more likely to develop prediabetes, there are several key risk factors. Keep in mind that just because she may have one or two risk factors, it isn’t inevitable that she’ll develop prediabetes, it just increases her chances. The more risk factors she has, the more her chances will increase.
Prediabetes Risk Factors
- Age. It’s at a fairly young age that the risk for prediabetes increases – 45 years old.
- Race. Certain races and ethnicities are more likely to develop prediabetes. They are American Indians, African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, Pacific Islanders, and some Asian Americans.
- Weight. Being overweight can put a person at risk. If your parent is overweight, you might want to encourage her to lose weight. Even losing a little can help reduce her risk.
- Hereditary. If your parent has a sibling or parent with type 2 diabetes, she might be more at risk to develop prediabetes. This is just one reason why it’s always important for your parent to know her family health history.
- Inactivity. Exercise can help your parent stave off prediabetes. Have her set up a routine with her home care assistance team to go out for regular exercise at least 5 times a week.
- History of Gestational Diabetes. If your parent had gestational diabetes or had babies that were over 9 lbs, her risk will increase.
It doesn’t have to remain a mystery, plan for a blood sugar test the next time your parent visits her doctor and find the answers you need in order to discover your next steps.
https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/prediabetes.html
If you or an aging loved one are considering Companion Care at Home Services in Hayward CA, please contact the caring staff at Alondra Home Care today. Call (855)-767-1110.
Providing Exceptional Home Care Services in the Fremont CA and Alameda County area for over 5 years.
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