Journal of Korean Diabetes  2018;19(4):232-236

doi:10.4093/jkd.2018.19.4.232

Management of Elderly Diabetes Patients Who Are Unable to Self-Care.

Bok Rye SONG 1

Affiliations

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Keywords

Hyperglycemia; Hypoglycemia; Older adults with diabetes

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

Modern medical advances have led to an aging society with longer life expectancy, and now the health awareness of the elderly is increasing, presuming an average age of 100 years. The elderly present with various clinical symptoms, delirium, falls, senility, dizziness, syncope, and urinary incontinence, which are defined as elderly syndromes not distinguished by separate diseases. In addition, 91% of people aged 65 or older have chronic diseases, 31.9% of which are limited by one or more of the six basic activities of daily living, while 3.5% do not perform their basic activities of daily living. In particular, the diabetes prevalence rate in the elderly has been reported to be around 30%, and since older adults with diabetes have a number of disturbing factors that cannot be self-controlled, we want to analyze them and consider alternative measures. The medical, social, mental, and functional approaches to diabetes assessment of patients inform the development of individualized treatments. Diabetes patients believe that personal and social efforts are very necessary to improve their quality of life and restore their physical and social functions through adequate self-care.