While blood sugar is often linked to diabetes, it can shift in anyone, especially older adults. Unfortunately, the symptoms of low or high blood sugar can be mistaken for normal aging, a bad day, or fatigue, which may delay proper support. Understanding the effect of blood sugar on seniors—and how home care assistance can help—helps catch problems early and keeps seniors safe.
Why Blood Sugar Regulation Changes With Age
With age, the body naturally becomes less efficient at producing insulin—the hormone that helps move glucose from the bloodstream into the body’s cells—and at responding to it. This means that blood sugar levels can fluctuate more easily in older adults than in younger adults, even without a diagnosis of diabetes.
Add in other common factors such as reduced physical activity, appetite changes, and polypharmacy, and it’s no wonder that controlling blood sugar becomes more difficult.
The Dangers of Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia)
Hypoglycemia is when blood sugar levels drop too low, often because of taking too much diabetes medication, skipping a meal, or increased exercise. Early signs include shakiness, sweating, hunger, and difficulty concentrating. If not treated in a timely manner, it may advance to confusion, loss of coordination, slurred speech, and even seizures or loss of consciousness.
These symptoms are especially dangerous to seniors. Confusion and dizziness increase the risk of falling, and repeated low blood sugar episodes have even been linked to a higher risk of dementia in older adults. Some seniors also develop “hypoglycemia unawareness,” in which the typical warning signs fade over time, making regular monitoring with the help of home care assistance even more important.
The Dangers of High Blood Sugar (Hyperglycemia)
High blood sugar, meanwhile, can leave seniors feeling drained and sluggish all the time. This is because the glucose builds up in the blood instead of providing energy for the body’s cells. Other common signs include increased thirst, frequent urination, and cuts or sores that are slow to heal.
Because fatigue is so often attributed to “getting older,” high blood sugar may go unrecognized for a long time, particularly in seniors who have not yet been diagnosed with diabetes.
How Home Care Assistance Helps
Trained home care assistance caregivers know to be alert for warning signs, such as minor changes in mood, energy, or coordination that may indicate a blood sugar problem. Additionally, they help seniors stick to regular meals and routines, which can reduce the risk of low blood sugar caused by skipping or delaying meals. They also help in other ways, including the following:
- Proper Monitoring: Caregivers can help seniors test and track readings to share with family or doctors, whether it’s a traditional glucose meter or a continuous glucose monitor.
- Medication Management: Home care assistance offers reminders regarding taking medications on time, which helps prevent the swings that lead to hypo- or hyperglycemia.
- Encourage Physical Activity: Caregivers know that gentle, regular movement helps the body use glucose better.
It’s easy to dismiss blood sugar fluctuations as “just getting older,” but they deserve real attention. With home care assistance by their side, seniors can better keep blood sugar levels in a safer, healthier range.
If you or an aging loved one are considering Home Care Assistance in Carlsbad, CA, please contact the caring staff at A Passion for Care today. Call (858) 798-5005
A Passion for Care is a Trusted Home Care Agency serving San Diego, La Jolla, Del Mar, Rancho Bernardo, Encinitas, Oceanside, Rancho Santa Fe, Point Loma, and surrounding areas.
Sources:
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hypoglycemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20373685
- https://www.verywellhealth.com/elderly-blood-sugar-levels-chart-5176546
- https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/is-tight-blood-sugar-control-right-for-older-adults-with-diabetes-2018091714772
- https://www.nutrisense.io/blog/aging-and-blood-glucose-levels?srsltid=AfmBOoqdVEt8sFYQUZU34ObKRKMpBRkQtX3_hsCwO7__yRjiMKk1CbjQ
- https://www.healthline.com/health/does-high-blood-sugar-make-you-tired
Making the transition to a completely new industry brought the opportunity to learn and grow, which continues still today. Pat studied Gerontology in San Diego State University’s certificate program and became licensed as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA), a Home Health Aide (HHA), and completed the California Certification Program for Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCCFE) as a Certified Administrator. She presented workshops at Aging in America Conference four years in a row and served as Chair of the San Diego Regional Home Care Council 2019-2020 and was the education board member for several years. More recently, Pat became a Certified Senior Advisor and was a San Diego Business Journal “50 over 50 2022 Women of Influence Honoree”.
Pat and her husband Roland have lived outside San Diego in the San Pasqual Valley for over three decades. She has two children who are grown professionals and three grandchildren. Pat enjoys traveling to, and visits from, family and friends throughout the year. While at home in San Pasqual Valley, she and Roland enjoy peaceful views and exploring the surrounding valleys.
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