No matter your age, incorporating some form of exercise into your day is always  a good thing.  The benefits of exercise include helping to prevent obesity, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis.  The CDC recommends that adults between the ages of 50-64 get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week; or 75 minutes a week of vigorous intensity aerobic activity or an equal combination of moderate and vigorous intensity aerobic activity.

March is National Kidney Month.  Kidney disease may impact an individual’s ability to age in place, as the disease can affect safety, independence and ability level.

While small in size, the kidneys play an important role.

The role of the Kidneys include:

• Controlling blood pressure
• Removing the body’s waste products
• Stimulating bone marrow to make red blood cells
• Helping the body maintain calcium for the bones

When someone has kidney disease, the kidneys aren’t working properly, resulting in a buildup of waste materials in the blood.   Kidney disease is most often the result of diabetes or high blood pressure.

Diabetic Kidney Disease:

Type II Diabetes is a chronic condition and the most common form of diabetes.  It occurs when there is an excess of sugar in the bloodstream and the body becomes resistant to insulin or when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin to maintain a normal glucose level. With diabetic kidney disease, the nephrons, the part of the kidneys that remove waste, become damaged.  As a result, the body doesn’t break down glucose; instead, glucose remains in the blood.  Managing blood glucose levels is crucial and can delay or prevent diabetic kidney disease.    Source:

High Blood Pressure & Kidney Disease:

High blood pressure can cause damage to the blood vessels in the kidneys.  This damage can result in the inability of the kidneys to effectively remove waste products from the body.  The National Institutes of Health and The American Diabetes Association both recommend that the target blood pressure for someone with diabetes be less than 130/80 mmHG.  Blood pressure can be managed through medications, diet, and exercise.

The Kidneys can sustain damage several ways.

Acute Kidney Injuries can occur when:

• Someone looses a lot of blood
• Drugs make the kidneys stop working
• Poisoning occurs that prevent the kidneys from working

Chronic Kidney Disease occurs when there is a slow loss of kidney functioning.  People with chronic kidney failure are at increased risk for

• Heart attacks
• Stroke

End Stage Renal Disease occurs when there is permanent failure of the kidneys, resulting in the kidneys no longer having the ability to regulate electrolytes, remove waste, and concentrate urine.  Treatment for the disease includes dialysis or a kidney transplant.  Additionally, individuals may be placed on a restricted diet and be given medications to increase their urine output.

The kidneys play a huge role in our overall health.  When they don’t function correctly, it can impact many aspects of our health.  Knowing the link between diabetes and blood pressure and the importance of managing your blood pressure and glucose levels can help improve the quality of your life and in turn help you to age in place.

Click here to learn more about the test used to detect kidney disease.

Sources:  National Kidney and Urologic Disease Information Clearinghouse

The American Diabetes Association

Exercising can reduce the likelihood of developing heart disease, stroke, depression, and some types of cancer.  It can also help prevent obesity, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis.  So, how much exercise should you get?  The CDC recommends that adults between the ages of 50-64 should get at least 150 minutes (2 hours and 30 minutes) of moderate exercise a week; or 75 minutes (1 hour and 15 minutes) a week of vigorous intensity aerobic activity or an equal combination of moderate and vigorous intensity aerobic activity.  They recommend that aerobic activity should be performed in increments of at least 10 minutes and spread throughout the week. So, get moving!!

Source:  Promoting Preventive Services for Adults 50-64:Community and Clinical Partnerships

In keeping with National Diabetes month, The Aging Suite will be discussing diabetic neuropathy this week.  Diabetic Neuropathy can occur in all of the body’s organs, impacting the way in which individuals function safely in their homes. This impact can be due to issues such as sensation and vision loss as well as muscle weakness.  By educating our readers about diabetes’ effects on the body, we hope to continue in our efforts to help the elderly population successfully age in place.

It’s estimated that 60 to 70 percent of people with diabetes have diabetic neuropathy.  Diabetic neuropathy, nerve damage caused by diabetes, can occur in all of the body’s organ systems.  The cause of the nerve damage can be due to several factors such as:

• High blood glucose levels
• Abnormal blood fat levels
• Nerve inflammation
• Low insulin levels
• Smoking or alcohol use

Risk Factors for Diabetic Neuropathy include:

• Being overweight
• Being a diabetic for a long time period
• Diabetics who have a difficult time controlling their blood sugar
• Diabetics who have high levels of blood fat
• Diabetics with high blood pressure

There are 4 classifications of Diabetic Neuropathies; they are, peripheral, autonomic, proximal, and focal.

Peripheral Neuropathies
This is the most common type of diabetic neuropathy and is nerve damage in the arms, hands, legs, and feet.  Symptoms include:

• Numbness or tingling
• Pain and cramps
• Loss of balance
• Muscle weakness

Autonomic Neuropathies affect the eyes, heart, lungs, kidneys, sex organs, as well as the urinary, respiratory, and digestive systems.  Symptoms include:

• Hypotension
• Being unaware when your blood sugar levels drop
• Constipation
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Urinary tract infections
• Urinary incontinence
• Erectile dysfunction

Proximal Neuropathies are more common among older diabetics and individuals with type II diabetes.  This type of neuropathy initially starts off as pain in the legs, thighs, buttocks, or hips.  Proximal neuropathies cause leg weakness, resulting in mobility issues.

Focal Neuropathies are unpredictable and can cause severe pain.  It often impacts nerves in the legs, head, and trunk.  This type of neuropathy occurs more often in older adults and can cause:

• Double vision
• Pain in the lower back and pelvis area
• Thigh pain
• Chest or abdominal pain
• Bell’s palsy

Diabetic Neuropathies can be prevented by managing your blood sugar levels and keeping them to a normal or as close to normal as possible range.   Diabetic foot care is also essential.  Sores and ulcers can lead to infection.  Diabetic neuropathies that cause pain may be treated with pain medications.  For those who experience urinary tract infections, they may be treated with antibiotics.  Your physician may prescribe occupational and physical therapy to address muscle weakness.  Check out this week’s technology in the Suite to learn more about diabetic foot care.

Source:   National Institutes of Health

A major part of aging in place is living in your home safely and independently.  Diabetes can impact your independence, but you can limit its impact.  Education is key.  Continuing with our month long series on diabetes, The Aging Suite will be discussing blood pressure’s impact on diabetes.

Atherosclerosis occurs when deposits of fats, cholesterol, calcium, and other substances build up in the arteries and cause a plaque buildup in the lining of the artery.  High blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes can contribute to atherosclerosis. A diabetic is at increased risk for developing high blood pressure and other cardiovascular problems. In fact, it’s estimated that 60% of people with diabetes have high blood pressure.  So, for someone with diabetes, monitoring your blood pressure is crucial.

Your blood pressure is recorded as two numbers- the top number is the systolic pressure and the bottom number is the diastolic pressure.  The systolic pressure represents your heart when it‘s pumping, while the diastolic represents when your heart at rest between beats.

Low and High Blood Pressure:

Hypotension, or low blood pressure, occurs when your blood flow is so low that it can’t deliver oxygen to organs such as the brain, heart, and kidneys.  Low blood pressure can be a symptom of end stage renal disease and can cause:

• Dizziness
• Fainting
• Blurry vision
• Weakness
• Being light headed

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, typically does not present with symptoms.  However, individuals suffering from either can experience:

• Headaches
• Blurred vision, and/or
• Dizziness
• Nausea

Recommended blood pressure range for diabetics:

The National Institutes of Health and The American Diabetes Association both recommend that the target blood pressure for someone with diabetes be less than 130/80 mmHG.

Blood pressure can be managed through medications, diet, and exercise.  Manage your blood pressure and help manage your life.  Check out this week’s Technology in the Suite to find out more about technology for individuals with diabetes.

Sources:  WebMD The National Institutes of Health and The American Diabetes Association