old age

I think if you maintain the best control you can and make sure that you have full details of what you are doing - write it down and update it every time you change anything - you have a good resource for if you are old and or ill. I know from friends who work in nursing homes that often the diabetic looks after themselves slightly different from how the doctor or nurse think they are and that is where difficulties come in. My dad has been in and out of hospital this year (he's an insulin using type 2 and 83) and his sugar/insulin is all over the place. This is because he's never taken any notice of his diabetes and now he's semi-conscious they are feeding him like a diabetic and it messes things up.

As for not getting food - a lot of homes are pulling their socks up over this due to all the complaints so hopeful when our time comes (I'm late 50s) they'll have it sorted.

MTT

It worries me too.
My mother has Parkinsons. Nurses in the hospital and care staff at respite homes haven't realised how critical it is that her medication is given at the right time. When she went into a care home they were very bad about it though have now improved after quite a lot of insistence on out part. They aren't allowed to be flexible about the amount of pain relief she gets either so she has sometimes not been given the tablets she needs, even though she is prescribed a variable amount.


I control my glucose levels by carb counting and dose adjustment and a pump. It relies on frequent testing and accurate counting.There's no way that any care staff would be willing to do this, the same problem would apply with MDI
I suspect it would mean a total change of regime yo one with fixed insulin doses which would probably be nowhere near as effective.

sugar1970 said:

I know i am in my fifties now but lately ive been worrying about what happens when im older.Im type 1 and have been since i was 17.im in good health now and lucikily dont have any serious diabetic complications but keep having this horrible feeling of what happens when i get a lot older.I have a brilliant family but i always worry about being in hospital and ill and not getting the right amount of insulin or food etc.Ive been reading about some of them awful care homes were poor old people are left without food or water etc and in the hospitals.I was telling these thoughts to my family and they were saying well we are here for you.I wonder how many old people are just left without insulin in care homes, hospitals, and even their own homes and it wouldn't take long befor they died and probably no-one would bother abyway.I dont know whether its just me thinking this but does anyone else?

Click to expand...

I can give a bit of insight into Community care and Residential care homes... And what happens for diabetic's

Community side,

If you are able to inject your self, dial up your insulin you continue to do so, if however you aren't able to do this then a Community nurse will do if for your... Not the care assistant that comes in to provide personal care they can only supervise you taking your meds or taking a blood glucose reading and right this information down in your care plan...

Residential care side.

This will be dependant on what residential care home you are in, whether it's nursing based or not,

In both if you are able to inject or manage your own diabetes you will continue to so..

In a non-nursing home, if you are unable to do dial up your insulin dose, then supervisor may do this for you, but will be guided by what is written on your MAR (medicine administration record) sheet, which the doctor has written instructions to...- If you can't inject yourself there's a possibility if the supervisor has had specialist training they may be able to inject, but in my experience they aren't... In this case a Community Nurse will come in to give the injection..

In a Nursing based home, the Nurse on duty will give the injection again instructions from the MAR sheet/instructions..

For T2 diabetes, diabetic care within residential setting I would have said has improved a lot due to the latest reluctance of issuing test strips.. As what you used to find, a resident would be issued with test strips, they would be monitored as instructed, everything recorded, and when problems arise nothing, as their nurse/GP just wouldn't respond to your request to come and look into it, Regular Blood Test for HbA1c's nor medication reviews done :shock: But now they get HbA1c's and medication reviews regular as clockwork.. And most GP's are happy to give clearance when a request to check or monitor BG's are made...

So on this score I know that I've gone from working in the field, that at first having to cope with constraints enforced on the careers which lead me to fear ever ending up needing residential care and utter statements to what I rather do if it went that way, to a more happier one of knowing in the main I can either manage my diabetes or be given just the right amount of help to enable me to continue to manage it..

I've just read your reply and I can't believe that they said do not take any insulin and let your blood sugars get so high - did they give any reasoning behind their decision?

I have been very thirsty too when my blood sugar has been high and its a horrid sensation - I can empathise with your situation.

Perhaps the best thing we can do for ourselves is to stay as fit as we can to try and maximise the chances of staying out of a home when we're older, as some people do manage to stay out of them.

sugar1970 said:

Thanks for all your replies but by the time im in my eighties i will have had type 1 diabetes for over 70 years!!!I know i look after myself all the time(no one else does)!!!Everyone in my family think i am fit and healthy and dont know anyone else except me who has any type of diabetes let alone type 1.Even though i take 5 injections of insulin a day and nurmerous blood tests i seem to be fitter than all my own family!!!Well as long as i dont get shoved in a home (only joking) :lol: :lol: and can stay well in my own home thats all i worry about.

Click to expand...

All looks good to me Sugar, provided you keep this up then hopefully you'll live a long, happy and healthy old-age :thumbup:

Interestingly it's only something like 5% of the elderly that end up having to go into Residential care.. And dementia if I remember rightly (been out of the field for a while) is similar proportions.. I known that they say dementia is on the increase etc, but only the amount of suffers rather the proportion of the population of elderly people..

And from what you'll saying you keep yourself as fit and healthy as possible, so hopefully you won't be falling into this statistic of needing residential care..

There is only one alternative to getting old..

This poem was on the ward when I visited an elderly friend and I think it sums up the sort of care we would hope for in old age if we succumb to any sort of dementia. I searched and got a link to it. Some people in society tend to forget that the elderly had a life full of hopes and dreams.

Who do you see Nurse?
http://www.stargazerdownunder.com/gener ... g/see.html

Interested in menion of treatment in care homes. My aunt has recently gone into a care home- she's been on insulin for 25 years but this has been stopped. She has been told it is their policy (not sure who "they" are) not to give anyone in care homes insulin. Wondered if anyone else had heard of similar (or knows who "they" are)?

While it might be okay to review treatment options as we get older, what's worse for me, is that they are not even having her blood tested. She has complained but feels in a very vulnerable situation and, unfortunately, her family all live relatively far away.

She had similar problems recently, in a different home, obtaining gluten-free food. She was told they "didn't have any" and she could either eat what there was or go hungry. Next day she was told that all the food in the home was gluten-free (which seems a little unlikely).

Hi Sugar1970 I feel the same as you, I'm at that certain age too lol. I worry too, especially for my child, who is 11. I just want to get through life reasonably well without too many complications and live to a good age.
You can get a 'diabetes passport' and if you go into hospital and all you have to do is fill it in before hand, with your medical history, any medication you are on, dislikes and likes, allergies etc, just make sure you take it in with you and then hand it over. It's your right to be treated with compassion, empathy and above all excellent care from the hospital regarding your diabetes and also any other medical condition you have. I know that is not always the case, but I hope it's a positive outcome and not a negative one for the majority. Take care all.

gwendak said:

Interested in menion of treatment in care homes. My aunt has recently gone into a care home- she's been on insulin for 25 years but this has been stopped. She has been told it is their policy (not sure who "they" are) not to give anyone in care homes insulin. Wondered if anyone else had heard of similar (or knows who "they" are)?

While it might be okay to review treatment options as we get older, what's worse for me, is that they are not even having her blood tested. She has complained but feels in a very vulnerable situation and, unfortunately, her family all live relatively far away.

She had similar problems recently, in a different home, obtaining gluten-free food. She was told they "didn't have any" and she could either eat what there was or go hungry. Next day she was told that all the food in the home was gluten-free (which seems a little unlikely).

Click to expand...

Hi Gwen

This sounds highly highly unethical. They should have a doctor attached to the home, she,you, anyone needs to speak with them urgently.

Mary x

Hi Sugar 1970 That's unbelievable :shock: I can't believe their utter indifference, the passports are there to help both you and your care in the hospital.
I was going to watch a scary film tonight, but I think I will just think of a hospital, with dodgery old diabetics who are just TOO much trouble, even with the flipping passports. I hope I don't have to go into hospital either, A Nightmare on the NHS :roll: ( could be made into a John Carpenter film lol )

Best wishes to you.

sugar1970 said:

Robinredbreast said:

Hi Sugar 1970 That's unbelievable :shock: I can't believe their utter indifference, the passports are there to help both you and your care in the hospital.
I was going to watch a scary film tonight, but I think I will just think of a hospital, with dodgery old diabetics who are just TOO much trouble, even with the flipping passports. I hope I don't have to go into hospital either, A Nightmare on the NHS :roll: ( could be made into a John Carpenter film lol )

Best wishes to you.

Click to expand...

Hi Robinredbreast, i was laughing my head off when i read your reply :lol: Yes a film could be made where we are waiting for either our insulin or food and we are just left to die.I know this sounds awful but this is how i feel :evil: :evil:

Click to expand...

Hi there sugar if I didn't try to have a few laughs or some quirky thoughts and ideas, life would be so so depressing. Anyone want to help make a 'fictional' film, by DodgeryDilemia cinemascope? :lol: director,writer, producer etc needed, with funding from the NHS, probably at a push £5.99 :wink: :shock:

None of us know whats around the corner, lets just try and enjoy what we have now With lots of good positive wishes.

I think all people need to live happy and comfortably to enjoy their lives, whether they are suffering through a diseases. Specially our elders really need to provided with some necessary and luxuries facilities to be provided at their stage of live to happy and independently. Like some of old age home providers are providing at some reasonable prices.

http://www.fairwayssupportedliving.com.au/move-in-today

I would say, "don't borrow trouble"
However, my husband is T1 with many complications and aged 66. the best thing he's managed to do is to get his Hb A1c down o 6% [42], which has arrested all the problems although wsome are irreversible. He used o end up wih at least one hosptal admission per year, but we seem to have slowed that and there's not been one for a couple of years.
Take csre of yourself as well as possible and that should help. Richard Bernstein recommends that diabetics carry a letter seting out hteir intention of managing their own blood sugar if admitted to hospital.[That's in the US] In this country, under "Think Glucose" that should be offered to any in-patient.
Make sure your immediate family know your wishes. they are your best protection
Hana