Please Help! Understanding insulin management and administration in senior diabetics

AaronSalter · Jan 11, 2022

lovinglife said:
@AaronSalter - I have filled in your survey from the point of view of my father who was an elderly T2 with blindness and dementia- he really struggled with administering his insulin in last couple of years and I thought it might be helpful to you

Thank you so much! That is really helpful actually exactly the kind of insight that can help improve my product!

JMK1954 said:
I'm a type 1 and have been since the age of ten. I am now 68. I have arthritis (it runs in the family) and my hands are severely affected. As a result, I find insulin 'pens' too heavy to use, When I last switched insulin, the Diabetic Specialist Nurse insisted that I should use an insulin pen that was heavy enough to use as a cosh. As I couldn't dismantle the thing to get the insulin cartridges in, it went rapidly into the bin.
I am not the only diabetic who has arthritis in their hands, but we find that nobody can suggest anything helpful. The previous insulin injector device made my hand ache for an hour or so every time I did an injection. I currently use disposable insulin syringes. They are light but less than ideal. I have to make several attempts to draw up the correct number of units.As osteo-arthritis just continues to get worse over time, I am likely to reach the point whrte I depend on someone else to do my injections. Could we have the lightest possible injector designed, please ? Apologies for hijacking your post.

No hijacking whatsover, this is a fantastic insight! I will use this feedback and make sure I select the right materials to make it as light as possible. The difficulties involved in dismantling current pens to refill them is an issue I have seen frequently, especially surrounding more senior diabetics and the dexterity issues which often crop up, so I am looking to make this one of the focuses of my device.

Riva_Roxaban said:
@AaronSalter Another couple of thing you should consider when designing your "wonder device" for older people to manage their insulin with, is cost effectiveness, and will will it be made from recyclable materials.

I have seen to many uni projects that end up reinventing the wheel in my lifetime.

I have not done the survey.

Hi Riva,

As I believe should be the case with any product designed in this era, sustainability will be at the forefront of my mind and certainly a lot of attention will be paid to material choices to ensure they dont inhibit the devices ability to enter the circular economy. I totally understand if you do not want to do the survey, it is totally voluntary! If you have any suggestions though I will always be eager to hear them, as I believe you could offer me some fantastic insights.

JMK1954 · Jan 11, 2022

Good luck with your designs, Aaron. I wish you every success.

kitskinner · Jan 27, 2022

Antje77 said:
OK, will fill it out and send.

As for the feedback, it's mostly about questions 5, 12 and 18.

5: How many times do you inject insulin per day?
You can choose 1 to 5 times a day, which assumes we all inject the same every day. While there will be more T2's for which this is correct (the ones on basal only, or on a mixed insulin who will inject once or twice a day) than T1's, many of have a variable number of injections, depending on food, activity and corrections.
For me the answer would be 'anywhere from 4 to 12 times a day'.

12: How often do you rotate your injection site per month?
You can choose answers between never and 4 times a month.
We're supposed to aim at a different spot with every injection, so for me the answer would be 'around 220 times a month'. The answers don't really make sense here.

18: Q: How comfortable would you feel about wearing a glucose monitor to assess your glucose levels throughout the day?
Many of us already do, even the ones with T2.
In my country, everyone on multiple daily injections or insulin pump gets a Libre funded, regardless of type. And many others self fund, even if they're not on insulin.

Hope this helps!

I`ve just filled out the form and stumbled over question 12 as well. I don`t think there`s a " Never " option anymore or else I missed it but as I use the width and height of my abdomen and don`t need to involve the rest of my body it seems a waste of a question!
Very anticlimatic ending, is that it? lol

Antje77 · Jan 27, 2022

kitskinner said:
I`ve just filled out the form and stumbled over question 12 as well. I don`t think there`s a " Never " option anymore or else I missed it but as I use the width and height of my abdomen

As far as I know, this counts as rotating.

dillydally · Jan 27, 2022

AaronSalter said:
Hi guys,

I am a student who studies Industrial Design at Loughborough University in the UK. I am in my final year, and for my major project I have decided to focus on redesigning insulin injectors from the ground up to be more suited to senior diabetics and their associated needs, as the largest and fastest growing diabetic group. To ensure I am addressing the right issues, I am completing primary research by interviewing diabetics as well as experts in the field.

This is why I would absolutely love if any diabetic on here who (preferably) 60+ , or has any problems with managing their diabetes, would consider filling out my survey (linked below). This will help give me the data I need to really help solve the many problems which exist in the current management of diabetes. TYPE 2 diabetics are preferred, but anyone who can help would be appreciated. The Surveys are FULLY ANONYMOUS, and have gone through full ethics procedures. Please send me a personal message and I will answer any concerns.

https://lboro.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/understanding-insulin-management-and-administration-in-eld-2

Hi. Just completed your survey. Was fine til I got to last page and saw title saying ELDERLY diabetics. At 68 I consider myself an OLDER diabetic HA Ha!!

Please Help! Understanding insulin management and administration in senior diabetics

AaronSalter

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JMK1954

Well-Known Member

kitskinner

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Antje77

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dillydally

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Please Help! Understanding insulin management and administration in senior diabetics

AaronSalter

Member

JMK1954

Well-Known Member

kitskinner

Member

Antje77

Guru

dillydally

Member

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