Newly diagnosed 82 year old help!

[lookingaftermum]

I am currently supporting my mum (who is 82) to get used to her Type 1 diabetes meds, Tresiba, Novo-rapid and Freestyle monitor and smart pens. She has been incorrectly diagnosed with Type 2 for the last 10 years, which no surprise has never been under control! So neither of us are completely new to diabetes but its really hard getting my mum, who struggles with memory to focus and understand the new systems, insulin and how she has to change.

Has anyone got any good tips for help the elderly manage late onset Type 1.. any tools or tips? She doesn't live with me but at the moment she has had to move in as she is struggling with it all.

 

[Antje77]

Aw, that's a very difficult situation!

but its really hard getting my mum, who struggles with memory to focus and understand the new systems, insulin and how she has to change.

A basal/bolus system, with mealtime insulin before every meal might prove too complicated for her to manage herself with memory and focus issues.
I can imagine a high risk of double dosing before meals or forgetting doses, and focus issues may increase the risk of taking the wrong dose as well.

Does she have a nice diabetes nurse who's willing to spend some time trying to help you and your mum to find a way which can work for her?

Until some time ago, many people were on a mixed insulin regime, usually taken twice a day.
This system isn't flexible at all, you need to eat at fixed times, and have meals with approximately the same amount of carbs every day.

So thankfully for most of us, this has changed to basal to keep us steady without food, and bolus to take before eating at whatever time we like, adjusting the doses depending on the carbs in our meals. This gives us much more freedom of course. For most, it's possible to keep diabetes much more stable on this dynamic system, because we can adjust and readjust countless times a day.

Now for your mum, this may be different.
If she doesn't mind a regular life with regular meal and snack times, taking a fixed dose twice a day is much easier to remember that juggling two pens with different insulins and different doses at different times of the day.
This might be worth considering with her diabetes nurse.

Please don't hesitate to ask anything, both on the forum and with her diabetes nurse!

Good luck!

 

[lookingaftermum]

Aw, that's a very difficult situation!

A basal/bolus system, with mealtime insulin before every meal might prove too complicated for her to manage herself with memory and focus issues.
I can imagine a high risk of double dosing before meals or forgetting doses, and focus issues may increase the risk of taking the wrong dose as well.

Does she have a nice diabetes nurse who's willing to spend some time trying to help you and your mum to find a way which can work for her?

Until some time ago, many people were on a mixed insulin regime, usually taken twice a day.
This system isn't flexible at all, you need to eat at fixed times, and have meals with approximately the same amount of carbs every day.

So thankfully for most of us, this has changed to basal to keep us steady without food, and bolus to take before eating at whatever time we like, adjusting the doses depending on the carbs in our meals. This gives us much more freedom of course. For most, it's possible to keep diabetes much more stable on this dynamic system, because we can adjust and readjust countless times a day.

Now for your mum, this may be different.
If she doesn't mind a regular life with regular meal and snack times, taking a fixed dose twice a day is much easier to remember that juggling two pens with different insulins and different doses at different times of the day.
This might be worth considering with her diabetes nurse.

Please don't hesitate to ask anything, both on the forum and with her diabetes nurse!

Good luck!

Thanks so much, she does have some great nurses and they did explain the twice a day system and said they may be able to get district nurses in. But from what you have said that would be good to avoid if possible. I hope that when her bloods are a bit more stable...like under 25! i am hoping her memory improves!

 

[Antje77]

she does have some great nurses

Does she have a dedicated diabetes specialist nurse to work out her diabetes care?

 

[JAT1]

its really hard getting my mum, who struggles with memory to focus and understand the new systems, insulin and how she has to change.

I totally agree with Antje77 on this. Only someone with good memory and good understanding of insulin should be in charge of, and giving themselves, the insulin required, otherwise it could be dangerous and even fatal. Sympathies for the stress on you and hopefully the good nurses will be a great help.

 

[lookingaftermum]

Does she have a dedicated diabetes specialist nurse to work out her diabetes care?

Yes, and they are good but she is very very forgetful and a technophobe!