When you’re caring for someone with diabetes, you may be most worried about helping them maintain a healthy diet and keep up with their medications. But it’s important not to overlook the risk of falling down, which can be significantly higher for someone with diabetes. How does diabetes affect fall risk, and what can you do, as a caregiver, to prevent falls?
How Diabetes Increases the Risk of Falling
Research has shown that people who are dealing with diabetes might suffer from health complications that put them at higher risk of falling:
- Fainting
- Nerve damage
- Foot pain and foot ulcers
- Reduced vision
- Medicine complications
Related Blog: The Caregiver’s Guide to Reducing Falls in Older Adults
Fainting
- Cause: When blood sugar levels drop too low (hypoglycemia), your loved one may experience symptoms like dizziness, confusion, sweating, and rapid heartbeat. If left untreated, hypoglycemia can lead to fainting.
- Prevention: It’s important that your loved one gets regular blood sugar monitoring, and it’s crucial to have glucose tablets or gel on hand in case of a sudden drop in blood sugar. If you’re a caregiver, you may want to familiarize yourself with the signs and symptoms of hypoglycemia so you can respond quickly when symptoms emerge.
Nerve Damage
- Cause: Diabetes can cause nerve damage (neuropathy), in different parts of the body. Neuropathy can affect the nerves in the feet and legs, leading to numbness, tingling, pain, and muscle weakness, and the loss of leg strength and stability may put your loved one at a higher risk of falling.
- Prevention: Muscle exercises can be so useful in helping your loved one retain leg strength and stability. Pedal exercises, aerobic exercises, and regular strolls (with balance support from a walker or rollator) can make a huge difference.
Useful for Mobility: NOVA Pedal Exerciser
Foot Problems
- Cause: Nerve damage and poor circulation can lead to foot ulcers and infections. These can be painful and increase the risk of your loved one falling down.
- Prevention: Daily foot inspections are essential for detecting early signs of foot problems, but you can also make sure that your loved one is wearing properly fitting shoes and socks to help prevent blisters and infections. If your loved one is already dealing with foot problems, then consider getting them a cane, walker, or rollator so they can move around more easily.
Related Blog: How To Choose a Walker
Reduced Vision
- Cause: Diabetes can result in diabetic retinopathy, a condition that damages the blood vessels in the back of the eye. It can cause blurred vision, double vision, or even blindness, conditions which can put your loved one at risk of falling.
- Prevention: Regular eye exams are essential for detecting and monitoring diabetic retinopathy, but if your loved one is already dealing with vision loss, then you might want to provide them with a cane or walker for extra stability. You can also make the home safer by removing trip hazards where you can; removing loose carpet, opening up wider walking lanes through the home, and keeping things picked up off the floor. We wrote a whole blog on this subject if you’d like some more information!
Related Blog: Five Fall Risk Areas In & Outside the Home
Medicine Complications
- Cause: Some diabetes medications can have side effects that increase the risk of falls. For example, certain insulin types can cause hypoglycemia, while some oral medications can cause dizziness or lightheadedness.
- Prevention: Speak with your healthcare provider about the medications that your loved one is using to treat diabetes, and ask them whether the benefits of the medication outweigh the risks. If side effects are causing problems, the medication may need to be adjusted or changed. But it’s important to remember that you can significantly reduce fall risk by providing your loved one with mobility aids, and also taking small steps to minimize fall hazards at home.
Make the Home Safer for Someone with Diabetes
As you might have noticed, there’s a common thread about fall prevention when you’re caring for someone with diabetes: creating a safe home environment with minimal fall hazards is crucial in keeping your loved one safe.
Mobility aids, such as canes, walkers and transport chairs are there to provide an added layer of protection for individuals who want to preserve their mobility as they treat their diabetes.
That might seem like an overwhelming task, especially with everything you have on your plate as a caregiver, but it’s really not as tough as it seems! We created the NOVA Home Safety Toolbox for caregivers with simple, but effective methods for keeping your loved one safe from fall hazards, whether they’re dealing with diabetes, aging, or a chronic health condition. Check it out and get the resources you need to make an impact.
