Senior Home Care in Granite Bay CA
Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in American adults. It is vision loss caused by damage to blood vessels of the retina. Early detection is vital in preserving vision. As a family 
caregiver of an elderly parent with diabetes, being aware of this possible complication will help keep your loved one’s vision strong into their senior years.
Symptoms
- Blurred Vision
- Seeing Floaters—wiggly spots that drift across their central vision
- Difficulty seeing at night
- Dark spots or shadows in vision field
- Eye Pain
- Cataracts
Prevention
Controlling your parent’s blood sugar levels is crucial to preventing this disease. In addition, it is recommended that those with diabetes have a yearly eye exam. If your loved one has already been diagnosed with Diabetic retinopathy, keeping their blood sugar in check will slow the progression.
There are several measures to take to ensure your loved one is managing their diabetes. Senior care providers are also educated in the dietary requirements of those with diabetes and can be a great help in ensuring your parent is following guidelines that keep the complications of diabetes at bay. Besides potentially damaging the eyes, diabetes can also lead to kidney nerve and heart damage.
Recommendations
Keep blood sugar within normal limits by:
- Make sure your parent is taking their medication at the prescribed times. A senior care provider can also remind them of this.
- Monitor and maintain blood pressure.
- Get regular exercise.
- Don’t smoke and limit alcohol intake
- Create a diabetes meal plan.
Diabetic Meal Plans
There are several different ways to develop a meal plan for your loved one with diabetes. Whole books have been written on the subject. There are three popular methods that many caregivers and senior care providers choose
- The Glycemic Index (G.I.)
The Glycemic Index measures how much a specific food raises blood glucose in comparison to glucose or white bread. The idea is to choose foods with a low to medium G.I. such as beans, nonstarchy vegetables, most fruits and some whole-grains.
- The Plate Method
Divvy up their plate into three sections. ¼ is high-protein foods such as lean meats. ¼ is whole grains or starchy vegetables. ½ is nonstarchy vegetables such as greens or broccoli. Include a side of fruit and some dairy to round out this healthy diet.
- Carb Counting
This involves keeping track of the amount of carbohydrates consumed. The suggested intake for carbs is between 45 – 65 % of total calories. IT’s also important to choose healthy carbohydrates such as sprouted whole grains over white bread.
Help
Senior care providers have been down this road before and are happy to assist with meal planning and preparation.
If you or an aging loved one are considering senior care in Granite Bay, CA, please contact the caring staff at Support for Home. Proudly Serving Sacramento, Yolo, Placer & El Dorado Counties. Call Today (916) 482-8484 or (530) 792-8484