Special Considerations: Older Adults and Families
As people are living longer, there is a growing population of people over age 65 in the United States. Because diabetes risk increases with age, over 25 percent of people in this age group have diabetes. There is no one-size-fits-all approach for this age group due to wide range in health status, so individualization is important. In this part, we explain diabetes management considerations unique to older adults related to nutrition, physical activity, and medications. Screening for depression, malnutrition, and dementia is also covered here.
As children in the United States become increasingly overweight and obese, type 2 diabetes in youth (ages 10 to 19) has become a growing concern. When parents have type 2 diabetes, the odds of their children developing diabetes goes up significantly. So in this part, we also discuss nutrition and physical activity recommendations to get the whole family involved in creating a healthy lifestyle to prevent or treat diabetes in children. Creative, nutritious sack lunch ideas are shared, as well as the importance of eating together as a family. We also outline how to create a diabetes plan for your children while at school.