For the average senior, normal blood sugar levels are considered to be less than 100 mg/dL after not eating for around eight hours. After eating, they should be less than 140 mg/dL. However, keep in mind that a physician is the best person to state when your aging loved one's glucose levels are off.
Adults over the age of 60 should try to maintain glucose levels between 100 to 140 mg/dL. Below are some of the issues associated with high glucose levels and what your aging loved one can do to maintain healthy blood sugar.
Normal Blood Sugar Levels Chart for Older Adults [ Ages 65+]
Those who do not have diabetes may be held to the same glucose range as healthy younger adults, keeping glucose between 70-140 mg/dL during the day.
ORGANIZATION'S GUIDELINES. The Endocrine Society suggests an A1c from 7 percent to 7.5 percent for the healthiest older people, depending on whether they're taking drugs that can cause hypoglycemia.
For those without other major comorbidities, an A1C goal of 7–7.5% and a fasting glucose target range of 6.5–7.5 mmol/L (117–135 mg/dL) are recommended, whereas for frail older adults and those with multisystem disease, an A1C goal of 7.6–8.5% and a fasting glucose target range of 7.6–9.0 mmol/L (137–162 mg/dL) are ...
For individuals aged 20–39 years the upper reference limit (URL) for HbA1c was 6.0% (42.1 mmolmol) increasing to 6.1% (43.2 mmol/mol) for individuals aged 40–59 years while for people aged ≥60 years the URL was 6.5% (47.5 mmol/mol). Reference intervals for men and women differ only slightly.
Glucose and insulin levels among older adults tend to be higher than among younger people. These higher glucose and insulin values may indicate that your body cannot utilize glucose for energy efficiently. It causes a cycle of elevated glucose values and more insulin production.
In most cases, doctors ask people to measure fasting blood sugar immediately upon waking and before they have anything to eat or drink. It may also be appropriate to test blood sugar before eating or 2 hours after a meal, which is when blood sugar returns to normal levels.
Normal ranges of blood sugar levels are between 70 and 130 mg/dL before eating meals. The American Diabetes Association recommends seniors have blood glucose levels of less than 180 mg/dL two hours after eating. Not every senior has the same care needs, which means they don't all need the same type of at-home care.
Diabetes symptoms in older adults can range from mild to severe. They include excessive thirst and urination, blurry vision, and fatigue. If you have any of these diabetes warning signs, talk to your doctor. Detecting diabetes early can help prevent serious complications down the road.
For most young, healthy adults, caffeine doesn't appear to noticeably affect blood sugar (glucose) levels, and having up to 400 milligrams a day appears to be safe. Some studies suggest that drinking coffee — whether caffeinated and decaffeinated — may actually reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Blood sugar below 70 mg/dL is considered low. If you think you have low blood sugar, check it. If you aren't able to check it, go ahead and treat it. Untreated low blood sugar can be dangerous, so it's important to know what to do about it and to treat it immediately.
A blood sugar target is the range you try to reach as much as possible. These are typical targets: Before a meal: 80 to 130 mg/dL. Two hours after the start of a meal: Less than 180 mg/dL.
What should your blood sugar be when you wake up? Whenever possible, aim to keep your glucose levels in range between 70 and 130 mg/dL in the morning before you eat breakfast, and between 70 and 180 mg/dL at other times.
Recommended finger: the World Health Organisation recommends the middle or ring fingers are used for blood glucose tests (second and third fingers). You may want to avoid using your little finger due to the skin being thin.
Drink plenty of water
Drinking plenty of water helps your kidneys flush out excess sugar. One study found that people who drink more water lower their risk for developing high blood sugar levels. And remember, water is the best. Sugary drinks elevate blood sugar by raising it even more.
Testing is usually recommended before meals and at bedtime if you're taking multiple daily injections. You may need to test only before breakfast and sometimes before dinner or at bedtime if you use just an intermediate- or a long-acting insulin.
Be active. Walking and other forms of daily exercise can help improve glucose levels in older people with diabetes. Set a goal to be more active most days of the week, and create a plan for being physically active that fits into your life and that you can follow. Your health care team can help.
Just 2 minutes of walking after eating can help blood sugar, study says.
A third test to diagnose diabetes and prediabetes is the measurement of glycohemoglobin (A1c) in the blood. A value less than 5.7% is considered normal, a value between 5.7 and 6.4% is considered intermediate (prediabetes), and a value equal to or higher than 6.5% is suggestive of diabetes.
Older adults need about the same amount of sleep as all adults—7 to 9 hours each night. But, older people tend to go to sleep earlier and get up earlier than they did when they were younger. There are many reasons why older people may not get enough sleep at night.
In general: Less than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L ) is normal. 140 to 199 mg/dL (7.8 to 11.0 mmol/L ) is consistent with prediabetes. 200 mg/dL (11.1 mmol/L ) or higher after two hours suggests diabetes.