When working with the older adult population we have many health care challenges. One health concern for older adults is diabetes type 2. Diabetes can be defines as a raised glucose level and symptoms on two separate occasions. Diabetes type 2 is a metabolic disorder where a person shows some, but not complete, lack of insulin verses type 1 in which a person has a complete lack of insulin. The prevalence of diabetes among Americans has steadily increased over the years. “In 2010, 25.6 million Americans over 20 years old were estimated to be living with diabetes, with an additional 79 million estimated to have prediabetes” (Robertson, 2012, p. 225). Without proper education about the disease and how to manage it, the prevalence among our older population is likely to increase. “The epidemic of type 2 diabetes is clearly linked to increasing rates of overweight and obesity in the U.S. population, but projections by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest that even if diabetes incidence rates level off, the prevalence of diabetes will double in the next 20 years, in part due to the aging of the population” (Kirkman et al., 2012, p. 2342).
Diagnosing diabetes type 2 can be difficult. There is not a single factor in determining if one has T2D but rather a number of factors. Some of the signs and symptoms older adults must be mindful of include increased thirst, increased hunger after just finishing a meal, and increased urination. They may also experience significant weight loss not attributed to diet, fatigue, numbness or tingling in the hands or feet and blurred vision. Older adults that experience any of these should report them to their physician.
Older adults with type 2 diabetes must keep their ...
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...ause depression and increase anxiety. To avoid these severe consequences older adults should be encouraged to stop smoking which will help with circulation, continue to manage their blood sugar, schedule a foot exam with their physician and perform self foot exams daily. They should also be advised to wear proper footwear to help avoid foot injuries.
Being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes can be difficult for older adults not only physically but emotionally as well. If the older adult is properly motivated then they may see the importance of managing their symptoms through proper diet, exercise and blood sugar monitoring. They may see that being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes does not mean they are dying and that death is upon them. By being properly educated they can develop an understanding that they can prolong their life and be more active and feel healthy.
... found out that my great grandmother also passed away due to type 2 diabetes. Given the knowledge from public health I didn’t know the extinct of diabetes until the discovery of my family’s history. Until then I never knew how imminent the level of diabetes could be. This has prompt me to become more aware and create more awareness about diabetes more importantly type 1. Unfortunately type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented and there is no screening for those that don’t develop symptoms. This is adversely unfortunate for young children that have to learn how to be insulin dependent at an age early as 1. In conclusion living with type 1 diabetes isn’t easy; individuals with type 1 diabetes have an increased risk of anxiety and depression. Understanding your not alone Is a coping mechanism, becoming more educated is the first step into living a healthier and longer life.
The prevalence of diabetes according to the CDC is 26 million Americans currently diagnosed with diabetes, 79 million with pre-diabetes, and 7 million unaware they have diabetes.1 Diabetes is currently more prevalent in the western countries due to physical inactivity and obesity, but as more Eastern countries develop the western lifestyle it becomes an increasing worldwide epidemic.1 The risk for developing type 2 diabetes increases with age (especially after age 40), but is increasing most rapidly in the adolescent and young generation.1 It is therefore critical that education as well as drug therapies are implemented to decrease the rising prevalence of this illness.
Diabetes is a disease that affects the body’s ability to produce or respond to insulin, a hormone that allows blood glucose (blood sugar) to enter the cells of the body and be used for energy. Diabetes falls into two main categories: type 1, or juvenile diabetes, which usually occurs during childhood or adolescence, and type 2, or adult-onset diabetes, the most common form of the disease, usually occurring after age 40. Type 1 results from the body’s immune system attacking the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The onset of juvenile diabetes is much higher in the winter than in the summer. This association has been repeatedly confirmed in diabetes research. Type 2 is characterized by “insulin resistance,” or an inability of the cells to use insulin, sometimes accompanied by a deficiency in insulin production. There is also sometimes a third type of diabetes considered. It is gestational diabetes, which occurs when the body is not able to properly use insulin during pregnancy. Type 2 diabetes encompasses nine out of 10 diabetic cases. Diabetes is the fifth-deadliest disease in the United States, and it has no cure. The total annual economic cost of diabetes in 2002 was estimated to be $132 billion, or one out of every 10 health care dollars spent in the United States. Diabetes risk factors can fall into three major categories: family history, obesity, and impaired glucose tolerance. Minority groups and elderly are at the greatest risk of developing diabetes.
The purpose of this study is to research the disease Type 2 Diabetes and to discover whether it is being effectively treated and prevented in Merced County, California. According to the National Institutes of Health, Diabetes Mellitus is “a lifelong (chronic) disease in which there are high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood. It is also the most common form of Diabetes”.1 Furthermore, there are many risk and lifestyle factors associated with this disease, but the most prevalent are; obesity (#1 risk factor), sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy eating habits, family history and genetics, increased age, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and a history of gestational diabetes.2 The long term complications of having type 2 diabetes can include but are not limited to; eye problems (cataracts and glaucoma), foot problems (neuropathy/ nerve damage), skin problems (infections), high blood pressure (which raises your risk for heart attack, stroke, eye problems and kidney disease), hearing loss, oral health, mental health and early death.3
Most common people will see that they are suffering from type 2 diabetes. Unlike type 1 diabetes, type 2 is not because your immune system is attacking the insulin but is because your body simply does not produce the required insulin. 90% of people who have diabetes are diagnosed with type 2 (Medical News...
The risk of developing type 2 diabetes grows with age. Type 2 diabetes usually affects people over 45 years of age,
According to the CDC, diabetes is becoming more common and has more than tripled from 1980 through 2011, from 5.6 million to 20.9 million (Diabetes public health resource, 2013). Type two diabetes can be managed through diet and exercise. Type two diabetes is a condition formerly called ‘adult-onset’ or ‘non insulin-dependent’ where the body doesn’t
As of the year 2011, 28.8 million people living in the United States were suffering from diabetes. This accounts for 8.3% of the US population (CDC, 2011). While this number may seem small, diabetes is a rapidly growing disease that needs a solution given that it is the seventh leading cause of death. According to the American Diabetes Association, (A.D.A.), diabetes is a condition in which the pancreas is unable to produce the amount of insulin needed to convert food, sugars, and starches to energy for the body. Therefore, the blood sugar levels rise, also known as hyperglycemia. There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes is commonly found in children or young adults and only makes up 5% of diabetes cases. A person with Type 1 diabetes does not produce insulin at all. Type 2 diabetes is the more common form of the disease. People who struggle...
Some of the symptoms associated with type II diabetes include polyuria, polyphagia, and polydipsia. At diagnosis, 33 percent of patients have ketonuria, and 5 to 25 percent have ketoacidosis, both of which can be tested for by simple urinalysis (American Diabetes Assoc. 2000). Most patients of T2DM are obese with little to no weight loss, which allows doctors to distinguish them from type I diabetics. The total lack of insulin among type I diabetics, or insulin dependent diabetics, will result in problems in the storage of fat and mu...
Diabetes is a very serious disease that takes many lives each year. It is a lifelong disease that can be fatal to both adults and children if it is uncontrolled. Diabetes does not have to be fatal if certain precautions are taken. If diabetics maintain a healthy diet and watch their carbohydrate intake they can keep their diabetes under control. Monitoring blood sugar is also necessary to live a healthy life. If diabetics know the right way of maintaining their diabetes, they can live a very normal and active life.
Diabetes affects 18.2 million people in the United States. It is often referred to by doctors as diabetes mellitus and described as, “… a metabolic disease in which the person has high blood sugar …” (Collazo- Clavell et all. 2009), either because the insulin is inadequate or the body’s cells don’t respond well to the insulin. The health and economic consequences of diabetes are considerable. The majority of people that have diabetes live in low and middle income countries, where the prevalence of the disease is high. There are three types of diabetes that are called type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Although diabetes is a disorder, it can lead to other diseases such as heart attack, kidney failure or death. A person that has diabetes has to maintain a healthy lifestyle, by eating the right diet, controlling their blood sugar level, and be optimistic.
A significant rise in the diabetes has been observed in the state of Illinois over the past twenty years. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), diagnosed diabetes among adults aged 18 or older in 1994 in IL had been between 4.5% - 5.9%, in 2010 that number jumped to 7.5%-8.9% (CDC Division of Diabetes Translation, 2011). Diabetes has many potential complications that include heart disease, stroke, hypertension, eye problems, and amputations (National Institutes of Health, 2011). Obesity and physical inactivity can lead to diabetes (American Heart Association, n.d.). In order to become a healthier community and not part of the state statistics for increase diabetes the focus
The first step to knowing if you have diabetes is to identify its symptoms. Patients frequently overlook symptoms of: “Urinating often,” “Feeling very thirsty,” “Feeling very hungry even though you are eating,” “Extreme fatigue,” “Blurry vision,” “Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal” (“Symptoms”). These “symptoms of diabetes are typical. However, some people with type 2 diabetes have symptoms so...
In conclusion, diabetes is a serious disease and can be life threatening. With the right research and implementation of new studies diabetes can be reduced among the populations. We as a people need to realize this epidemic and all get together and beat it. Restaurants need to stop putting chemicals and unnecessary fats in their food. Not only diabetics but everyone should educate themselves on what is going in your body when you eat. Also, exercising and getting off the couch, in children, needs to be addressed and that alone would help reduce diabetes in the younger population. I can’t stress enough on education. If you know what you are eating or how you are exercising you protect yourself from poor health and live a great life. Type 2 diabetes can be dwindled down with a conscious individual and group effort.
Type 2 diabetes is a condition that affects the way the body processes glucose. I stated things that I can do to lower my chances of having type 2 diabetes is watching what I eat, decreasing the amount of sugar, chips and snacks I consume. I can start now to try to eat more balanced meals and choose healthier snack options. Risk factors that contribute to type 2 diabetes are physical inactivity and moderate body mass index.