How To Ensure a Diabetic Loved One Gets Proper Care in a Nursing Home

Diabetes is a chronic condition where the body cannot produce enough insulin or use it effectively to balance a person’s glucose level. By recent estimates from the American Diabetes Association, 38 million Americans have been diagnosed with a form of diabetes. Although this is considered a manageable disease, if left untreated, it can lead to serious health complications, including amputation and death.

When someone with mobility challenges or diminished cognitive functions is diagnosed with diabetes, they might no longer be able to take care of themselves. That is when the trained staff of a nursing home can step in to provide the prescribed managed support. At least, that is the plan.

While your loved one’s care in a nursing home is your primary concern, they are just one of many residents the facility’s staff is helping. In fact, the average nursing home can have upwards of 107 residents, all needing their own version of support. That is why the best way to ensure a diabetic loved one gets proper care in a nursing home is to work closely with the staff to develop a dedicated care plan that everyone can follow.

What to Include in Your Diabetes Care Plan

A diabetes care plan should outline everything staff members need to know to meet your loved one’s needs best. It is the kind of plan that can be handed off between shifts. That means it needs to be clear, specific, and easy to access. Any time you meet a staff member on a visit, you should ask them if they’ve read the plan. If not, provide them with a copy.

This is what your diabetes care plan can include:

1. Blood Sugar Monitoring

Blood sugar monitoring is a vital part of diabetes management. The results of a blood sugar test can determine if an immediate response is needed to balance the glucose levels. Diabetes patients will have a prescribed monitoring schedule based on their doctor’s recommendations. The Cleveland Clinic provides a comprehensive guide on blood sugar monitoring. Generally speaking, someone with type 1 diabetes might need to be tested between 4 to 10 times a day, while type 2 patients might need testing between meals and before going to bed. A consistent diet should help keep the levels consistent.

2. Diabetic Medications

Your loved one’s doctor may prescribe insulin injections and other diabetes medications as part of a diabetic management plan. These prescriptions are meant to stabilize your loved one’s blood sugar levels. It is beneficial to know that the majority of nursing home staff are trained to administer injections. However, the staff must adhere to the prescribed dosage at the right time to avoid insulin errors that can lead to significant health complications.

3. Proper Nutrition

The other benefit of nursing home care is having the dietary needs of your loved one met on a consistent basis. You shouldn’t have to worry if they are eating properly. Your loved one can also control their body weight issues with a consistent, healthy diet. Your care plan can dictate the types of foods that should be included and excluded from your loved one’s daily three meals and snacks. Giving food to your loved one after insulin injections is also essential to help level out the potential spikes or drops in blood sugar levels.

4. Foot Checks

Diabetes patients often experience numbness or nerve damage in their feet, which can put them at risk of developing bedsores. Your diabetes care plan should include daily foot checks for redness or other discoloration. Kaiser Permanente explains why checking feet is so vital for diabetes patients.

When Neglect Occurs

Another consideration for a diabetes patient in a nursing home is infection control. The blood sugar monitoring and insulin shots have to all be done using sterile protocols. That means no sharing of needles or devices. If a staff member is negligent in their care, it can lead to serious health problems.

If you notice a change in your loved one’s health or demeanor, it could be a medication error issue with their diabetes care plan. That is when you’ll need to step in to file a complaint and request information about how the facility will respond. If there is a lack of a satisfactory response, you might need to get an attorney to act as your family’s advocate. That attorney will be in a strong position to bring about effective change and help get your loved one the care they deserve.