Diabetes is a chronic medical condition due to the insufficient production of insulin or the body’s inability to use the insulin it produces to control the blood sugar levels in the body.
If diabetes is not managed properly, consistently high blood glucose levels can damage blood vessels and lead to other health complications in the long run, such as coronary heart disease, stroke, eye disease, kidney failure and the amputation of the lower limbs due to poor blood circulation and wounds that do not heal easily.
Hence, it is important to manage diabetes through a care plan comprising of healthy lifestyle habits such as a balanced diet and regular exercise, adequate amount of water intake, and the timely consumption of oral medications or insulin injections as prescribed by your doctor.
Click on the following links for tips on how to care for yourself or a diabetic patient:
1) Warning signs and symptoms of high and low blood sugar
2) Managing a diabetic patient’s diet
3) Managing diabetes through oral medication and insulin
4) Monitoring blood glucose levels using a glucometer
5) Diabetes: 5 steps to total body care
Do you or your elderly family member need help with blood glucose monitoring, administering insulin injections or managing diabetes? Download the Carer app and use it to hire an experienced nurse or care aide, or call us to find out more. You can also read more tips on the Carer app.
If you have specific topics you would like us to write about, please email us at hello@carer.com.sg
This article is contributed by our freelance nurse who is an expert in diabetes care.