Diabetes

What is Diabetes?

Type 1 diabetes develops when the insulin-producing cells in the body have been destroyed and the body is unable to produce any insulin.

Insulin is the key that unlocks the door to the body’s cells. Once the door is unlocked glucose can enter the cells where it is used as fuel. In Type 1 diabetes the body is unable to produce any insulin so there is no key to unlock the door and the glucose builds up in the blood.

Nobody knows for sure why these insulin-producing cells have been destroyed but the most likely cause is the body having an abnormal reaction to the cells. This may be triggered by a virus or other infection. Type 1 diabetes can develop at any age but usually appears before the age of 40, and especially in childhood. Type 1 diabetes accounts for between 5 and 15 per cent of all people with diabetes and is treated by daily insulin injections, a healthy diet and regular physical activity.

Type 2 diabetes develops when the body can still make some insulin, but not enough, or when the insulin that is produced does not work properly (known as insulin resistance). It usually appears in people over the age of 40 & accounts for between 85 and 95 per cent of all people with diabetes. It is treated with a healthy diet and increased physical activity. In addition to this, medication and/or insulin is often required.

Having diabetes can cause anxiety for the person as they come to terms with the condition & how it affects their daily life. It is important to ensure that the person with diabetes feels that they are in a safe environment with people who understand what to do and how best to support them through their diabetes whether they require regular blood sugar monitoring, medication by tablet or injection or through carefully monitoring their diet & being aware of signs & symptoms. This is especially relevant when supporting people who have limited understanding of their condition, communication difficulties and learning disabilities.

Because people are all so individual it is essential that staff supporting someone who has diabetes as well as a learning disability gets to know their idiosyncrasies to be able to make good joint decisions about how to manage their care & develop a regime that works safely & effectively to ensure that the person who has epilepsy is enabled to live as ordinary a life as is possible.

Our goal at Dignity is to enable people who have learning disabilities & diabetes to have, as much as is possible, a full life, supporting them in managing risks to take part in life-enhancing activities and ordinary experiences so that they can take up opportunities & not feel unhelpfully limited by their medical condition.

Understanding Diabetes & how it can affect people who also have learning disabilities is essential to beginning the process of planning, preparing & providing appropriate support. At Dignity Group we have been successful in offering appropriate long term placements for people who have learning disabilities & diabetes

Contact us to find out more about
Dignity Group services for people with learning disabilities & diabetes

01243 811482