Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a chronic disease. It is characterized by a prolonged elevation of sugar (glucose) in the blood.

This type of diabetes appears in adults around the age of 40. However, some people are diagnosed around the age of 65 and men are more affected than women. Type 2 diabetes affects 90% of people with diabetes.

Progression

Type 2 diabetes is a disease that cannot be cured. Close monitoring and lifestyle adjustments are essential to ensure the person’s survival and quality of life.

In general, the person’s outcome depends on the following:

• the types of symptoms;
• follow-up and access to services and resources;
• the adoption of a healthy lifestyle, such as eating well, being physically active, and achieving or maintaining a healthy weight;
• the ability of the caregiver and those around them to become informed. The caregiver needs to know the details of the disease, medication, complications, nutrition, hypo- and hyperglycemia, to name a few.

Ask your CIUSSS about the availability of a program for people with pre-diabetes and diabetes to learn more about their disease and how to control it.

Questions and possible solutions

The diabetes of the person I care for requires me to follow up on many details: how can I make my task easier?

The type 2 diabetes of the person you are caring for requires management and monitoring; for the caregiver, it is challenging! Involve them and make sure everyone understands their roles. Encourage self-management and self-monitoring by the individual as much as possible, and make use of practical tools. Together, identify the resources and services you need. And remember to find out what you can do to make your daily life as a caregiver easier and seek help from InfoDiabete, Caregiver Support or telephone helplines.

I am trying to learn about type 2 diabetes but I am at a loss. Do you have a simple and clear explanation?

Diabetes Québec has developed some information about what you need to know when caring for someone with type 2 diabetes: target values, hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, act now, measure blood glucose.

Physical activity is recommended by the physician of the person I am caring for. How can I encourage them to stay more active?

Why don’t you start together? Walking is a good idea; both of you should come up with ideas to be active and keep up the pace!