Diabetes is a common health problem for older people. Many older adults have diabetes or are at risk of getting it. The number of older adults living with diabetes will keep growing in the future.
To help prevent diabetes and pre-diabetes, or to find it early, the American Diabetes Association recommends that all adults over the age of 45 and overweight adults with risk factors be screened every 1-3 years for diabetes or pre-diabetes. If you are healthy and aged 65 or older, you should still get checked. This is because there are things you can do to prevent or delay getting diabetes, and these things can also help you feel better and lower your risk for other health problems.
Research shows that making changes to your lifestyle or taking medication can help prevent or delay diabetes. This has been proven in studies, even in older adults. One study found that older adults who made changes to their lifestyle had better results than younger adults. Another study found that older adults who made changes to their lifestyle had a better quality of life and lower risk for heart problems.
It’s important to know that diabetes often has no symptoms for many years. This is why it’s important to get checked. If you do have diabetes, it’s important to work with your healthcare provider to manage it and lower your risk for complications.
Bottom line, it is important to talk to your healthcare provider about getting checked for diabetes or pre-diabetes. They can help you learn about ways to prevent or delay getting diabetes through recommendations for managing a .
healthy lifestyle and perhaps a combination of medications that will help postpone/prevent diabetes.
https://diabetesjournals.org/ care/article/35/12/2650/ 38582/Diabetes-in-Older-Adults
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