The number of elderly people with diabetes is increasing rapidly and projected to continue rising. Elderly diabetics face greater risks of cognitive and physical decline than non-diabetics. While diabetes is a serious condition, it is often not adequately addressed in elderly patient care. Home health care is well-suited to managing diabetes for elderly patients and can help achieve better health outcomes through education, monitoring, and coordination of care.

1. Diabetes and Home Care A Good Fit for the Diabetic

5. American Diabetes Association reports: Diabetes causes more deaths a year than breast cancer and AIDS combined. Two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke.

6. STILL… diabetes is often put on the back burner of elderly patient care. Case in point: Many patients never achieve glycemic control in the hospital and are found on admission to home care to have blood glucose levels well over 200 mg/dl. This toxic level: • Impairs leukocyte function • Predisposes infection

7. Diabetic Solutions… Optimizing diabetic health and wellbeing

19. Differences in Home Care Options

20. Private Duty/Private Pay Services are usually paid directly by the patient or his or her family members.