Posted on June 27, 2007
Elderly diabetes is a serious issue because elderly diabetics have much microvascular and macrovascular disease and are two to three times more likely to need hospitalisation than their non-diabetic counterparts. So an enormous burden is imposed on healthcare systems. More diabetic complications like coronary artery disease, strokes, peripheral vascular disease etc. are expected to be found in residential or nursing homes. So, little orgainsed care is provided to one of the most difficult groups of diabetic patients, in terms of morbidity and complexity of management. And here the question of nursing care plan for diabetes comes into the picture.
The ultimate purpose of the care plan is to guide all who are involved in the care of the diabetic to provide the appropriate treatment in order to ensure the optimal outcome during his/her stay in the healthcare setting. A caregiver unfamiliar with the patient/resident should be able to find all the information needed to care for the diabetic in the care plan.
The problem of caring for diabetics in homes is also an important one, for which diabetes services need to take more responsibility. When elderly patients are transferred from hospital to home, the family members are communicated about a problem list and management plan. The management plan must be future-oriented specifying the aims of treatment which includes a safe level of diabetic control that minimises the risk of hypoglycaemia. The plan must be about diet, urine testing, insulin administration, and personal health of the diabetic.
Family members of the elderly diabetics must not feel isolated and perplexed by the complex problems of the same. They must constantly provide support and care to the elderly diabetics. Family members must be provided with the requisite skills to act as nursing home staff. Following are the necessary points that have to be stressed when teaching diabetic patients and their families about care plan:
- The body needs sugar.
- Take the type of insulin and the exact dose as prescribed by the doctor.
- The syringe and needle must be clean and in perfect condition.
- The site of injection should be rotated regularly and cleaned prior to every injection.
- The urinalysis must be performed exactly according to instructions.
- Some moderate exercises should be taken every day.
- Care should be taken to avoid infections of any kind. Meticulous care of the skin, especially of the feet by wearing firm leather house slippers, well-fitting shoes, and undyed hose needs to be done.
- Regular medical attention is very important.
Finally, those on diet or tablets a daily urine test or a weekly fasting blood glucose test and weight measurement needs to be done. It becomes a tough job for the nursing home staffs to administer the type of insulin as they are not the specialist in the field. For monitoring diabetic control and giving insulin a nurse is required with the necessary expertise.
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April 9th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
i fine your information very informative
March 12th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
the explaining is very well explained. I was wondering if it’s possible to make nursing care plan in a table format.
September 12th, 2009 at 4:36 am
As a nurse student in the philippines, I am always searching online for articles that can help me. Thank you