Hot weather can make any senior uncomfortable, but it can be even worse for seniors who have diabetes. Extreme weather can affect blood sugar, and it can trigger some of the severe symptoms of diabetes. That’s why seniors who have diabetes have to be especially careful when the temperatures rise.
If your senior mom or dad has diabetes, they should have in-home care services to help them manage it. With in-home care, your senior mom or dad will have someone in the home with them who can take them to a doctor if necessary, check their blood sugar, and keep them comfortable.
Other things that can make hot weather easier for seniors with diabetes are:
Stay Hydrated
Make sure that your senior parent drinks lots of water throughout the day. Dehydration can affect blood sugar levels, so it’s important for your mom or dad to drink water regularly, even if they aren’t feeling thirsty. If they don’t want to drink plain water, fruit-infused water is a good alternative. They should avoid drinking sodas, fruit juice, and drinks with caffeine.
With in-home care, professionals can regularly check on your senior loved ones to make sure they are drinking enough to avoid dehydration.
Monitor Blood Sugar Levels
Your senior parent needs to check their blood sugar levels frequently, as heat can impact insulin absorption and metabolism. During periods of extreme heat, your senior parent should check in with their doctor and follow any instructions that their doctor gives to help them get through the hot weather.
Stay Indoors
Normally, seniors are encouraged to go out and get fresh air if they can. But, when the weather is extremely warm, your senior parent who has diabetes should stay indoors with the air conditioning on. Turn fans on, too.
Seniors who are still warm with the air conditioning on can try a cool bath, ice packs applied to their wrists or the back of the neck, or cool towels draped over their shoulders.
Wear Cool Clothing
When it’s very hot, seniors should wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing made of natural fabrics like cotton. These fabrics allow for better air circulation and help regulate body temperature.
Seniors with diabetes should pay attention to their feet in hot weather because they may develop some swelling. They should wear cotton socks and light shoes. If your senior parent does have some swelling of their feet or ankles they should elevate their feet and ice them.
In-home care providers can help your aging parents dress appropriately for the weather and seasons.
Plan Cool Meals and Snacks
Seniors with diabetes need to be careful about what they eat when it’s warm. Light meals and snacks of cool foods, such as chilled veggies and low-calorie dip or humus, will help them regulate their blood sugar and stay cool. In-home care can help prepare these snacks and meals to ensure your loved ones are taken care of.
Know the Signs of Heat-Related Illness
Both your senior parent and their in-home care provider should be aware of symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, such as dizziness, rapid heartbeat, nausea, and confusion. If your senior parent starts having any of the symptoms of heat-related illness, they should get medical help right away.
If you or an aging loved one are considering In-Home Care in UTC, CA, please contact the caring staff at Aaron Home Care. (619) 880-5522
A Trusted Home Care Agency Serving La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Point Loma, San Diego, UTC, La Mesa, Chula Vista, Coronado, Bonita, Eastlake, and the surrounding areas.
In 1999, Aaron was named Residential Program Manager of a group home for disabled adults in Arlington, Virgina. Here, he built a reputation for being compassionate with his clients and efficient in company operations. In the years that followed, Washington DC’s human services field went through unprecedented reform when the city was fined $11 million for the previously unchecked abuse, neglect, and exploitation of the very population it was supposed to protect. In 2005, Aaron was selected by a watchdog company to co-create and implement a monitoring system to safeguard and advocate for the system’s most vulnerable residents. This system is still in use today.
Aaron is now using his unique gifts and profound experience in the human service field to provide San Diego County Seniors with dependable, compassionate caregivers through Aaron Home Care.
He currently serves on the board of the San Diego Regional Home Care Council and is an active member of the Senior Advocate Network of San Diego.
Aaron Home Care is a member of the American Board of Home Care and is accredited by the Better Business Bureau.
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