If Diabetes was a country, it would be the world’s third largest (Diabetes Australia)

10 July 2016:

National Diabetes Week: 10-16 July

In 2015, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimated that around 415 million adults were living with diabetes around the world. The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2011-12 Health Survey indicated that 917,000 Australians over 18 (5.4% of the adult population) are living with this disease.

The ABS survey showed that in the 65 to 74 age group, 20% of men and 11.5% of women have diabetes, and in the 75+ age group, it affects 15.8% of men and 10.4% of women.

The National Diabetes Service Scheme (NDSS) states that 50% of all Australians with diabetes are aged 65 years or more.

Diabetes…

Is the leading cause of blindness in working age adults
Is a leading cause of kidney failure and dialysis
Increases the risk of heart attacks and stroke by up to 4 times
Is a major cause of limb amputations
Affects mental health as well as physical health. Depression, anxiety and distress occur in more than 30% of all people with diabetes

What is Diabetes?

When someone has diabetes, their body can’t maintain healthy levels of glucose in the blood. Glucose is a form of sugar and is the main source of energy for our bodies. Unhealthy levels of glucose in the blood can lead to health complications.

Our bodies must convert the glucose in our food into energy: this process relies on a hormone called insulin. In people with diabetes, not enough insulin is produced, or insulin does not work as it should, and when they eat food containing glucose, it is not converted into energy. Instead, it stays in the blood.

Type 1 Diabetes: the body makes little or no insulin. This develops most often in children and young adults.

Type 2 Diabetes: the body makes insulin but doesn’t use it the right way. This is the most common type of diabetes and is sometimes called ‘adult-onset diabetes’.

Consequences of Diabetes

Diabetes can lead to health problems such as heart attack, stroke, kidney disease, limb amputation, depression, anxiety and blindness. People with Type 2 diabetes have a greater risk for Alzheimer’s Disease.

Our Approach to Diabetes

At Vasey RSL Care, there are many ways that we use best practice in diabetes management to ensure that those residents living with it have the best quality of life possible.

Our approach is person-centred, with individualised treatment and goals, aiming for a symptom-free life with a focus on quality of life, wellbeing and comfort.

Foot care is an important part of diabetes management (photo: Diabetes Australia)

These are some of the things that we do:

Diabetes screening: some people are not diagnosed so a diabetes screening procedure takes place on admission to our care.
Care plan: diabetes management is included as part of each individual’s care plan.
Monitor blood glucose levels: testing is individualised and actions for levels which are outside their personal range are followed.
Monitor feet and skin: residents with diabetes have a daily foot and general skin check during personal hygiene and regularly see a podiatrist.
Avoid/monitor flu: residents receive the annual flu injection to protect them from current strains of flu. Also, all staff are offered the flu shot to help avoid flu being brought into the workplace. As with all residents, any signs of a cold, flu or infection are closely monitored and treated.
Kidney function: work with General Practitioner’s so that an annual check up occurs which includes monitoring of kidney function through blood tests.
Vision testing: optometrists visit each of our homes regularly to monitor vision.

Outcomes

One of the most important results of our diabetes management is that we do not have to provide different diets for those living with diabetes: they are able to eat exactly the same food as all other residents. This is not only simpler for the organisation and carers, it greatly improves the quality of life for those we care for. They are not denied the odd biscuit, piece of birthday cake or lolly!

Award-winning Diabetes Management

Vasey RSL Care received the Australian Aged Care Quality Agency’s Award for Clinical Care in 2015 for our better practice management of diabetes in caring for residents living with the disease.

We are very proud of the care we provide and for the work that our staff do to protect the health of our residents and clients and to ensure that they continue to live life to the fullest.