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Caring For A Diabetic Elderly Person In His/Her Home: Why You Need Very Special Nurses

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When you have an elderly parent who has diabetes, and yet you want to allow him/her to remain in the family home, you need to hire nurses and in-home senior care services that know how to care for a person with diabetes. Since it is so important to you and this parent to remain in the home, you have to get the best possible care for him/her. The following reflects reasons why this is vital to the health and welfare of your parent. 

Diabetics Need Very Special Diets

​Your parent may love the sweets, but patients with diabetes cannot have sweets regularly. Nurses who work with your parent need to know and understand these basic diabetic care rules, and most of them do. However, they also need to know how to prepare food and arrange for special diets and meals for the person with diabetes. It helps to hire a dietician to develop a meal plan and/or grocery lists that the in-home care aides and nurses can easily follow and prepare to maintain a balanced and healthy diet for your parent. 

​Anyone Can Take Blood Glucose Readings, but Only LPNs and RNs Can Administer Insulin

​The home nursing service you hire can be a mix of all kinds of nurses and nursing assistants. However, only registered nurses and licensed practical nurses can administer insulin injections. If your parent can no longer hold a needle and administer the correct dosage of insulin him/herself, then you will need an RN or LPN to arrive at mealtimes to administer the insulin as prescribed. All other home healthcare staff can take blood glucose/sugar readings at the assigned times of the day to monitor your parent's blood sugar levels. 

Some Bathing and Personal Hygiene Tasks Have to Be "Outsourced"

​A person with diabetes has problems with circulation and healing. As such, if bed sores or infections occur, a registered nurse has to be present to provide daily treatment for these issues. Additionally, some personal hygiene tasks, such as toenail and fingernail trimming, cannot be performed by anyone except a licensed diabetic nursing professional or podiatrist who specializes in diabetic foot and fingernail care. If the home healthcare agency you hire for your mom or dad does not have these professionals working for them, then these personal hygiene tasks will need to be "outsourced" to professionals in clinics who can manage the tasks and help care for your parent. 


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