APRIL // MAY 2018 â€˘ IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 25 Caregiving SUPPORTâ€˘INSIGHTâ€˘COMFORTâ€˘SERVICEâ€˘ENCOURAGEMENT The DayBreak Center, A Rare Jewel Caring for family members with dementia, Alzheimerâ€™s or memory impairment can feel like a never ending responsibility. Days and nights of caregiving with no time to unwind can wear family caregivers down, resulting in depression, isolation and declining health. DayBreak Center, an adult daytime care center for seniors who canâ€™t be left alone, is a wonderful opportunity for families. We provide a safe, caring, interactive environment for participants, while giving the family caregivers needed personal time. The benefits to both are many. A daughter told us her caregiving experience has transformed since discovering DayBreak. A granddaughter notes her grandmotherâ€™s mood shows improvement for days after attending our program. A wife comments her husband finally smiles when he comes in our door. Call us at 208-265-8127 and let us help. DayBreak Center is open Monday through Thursday, 8:30am to 5:30pm. We are located at 820 Main St. in Sandpoint, Idaho. The cost is $10/hour. Financial help is available through the Area Agency on Aging and the DayBreak Center Family Assistance Fund. DayBreak Center is a program of the Sandpoint Area Seniors, Inc., a 501c3 organization. Donations are tax-deductible. Stop by and check us out! ISI Could You Have Diabetes? GET TESTED BY JIM MILLER According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 115 million Americans have diabetes or prediabetes today, but most of them donâ€™t even know they have it. Hereâ€™s how to know if youâ€™re at risk. The problem with diabetes is that most people donâ€™t start thinking about it until theyâ€™re diagnosed, and thatâ€™s too late. Diabetes is a disease that develops over decades. Most people have prediabetes for a long time before the disease becomes full-blown type-2 diabetes, and even then it progresses gradually. That leaves a big window in which to stop, slow, or reverse the disease. Diabetes occurs when the pancreas doesnâ€™t produce enough insulin to remove sugar from the bloodstream. Excess blood sugar damages blood vessels and affects circulation, putting you at risk for a host of ailments, from heart attack and stroke to blindness, kidney failure, and nerve damage. ARE YOU AT RISK? If you answer â€œyesâ€? to any of the following questions, your odds of developing diabetes increases. << Are you over age 45? << Are you overweight? << Do you have high blood pressureâ€”140/90 or higher? << Do you have a parent or sibling with diabetes? << Are you sedentary? << Did you develop gestational diabetes during pregnancy? If you find that youâ€™re at risk for diabetes, your doctor can give you three different tests to diagnosis it. The most common is the â€œfasting plasma glucose test,â€? which requires an eight-hour fast before you take it. Thereâ€™s also the â€œoral glucose tolerance testâ€? to see how your body processes sugar, and the â€œhemoglobin A1C testâ€? that measures your average blood sugar over the past three months. It can be taken anytime regardless of when you ate. Most private health insurance plans and Medicare cover diabetes tests; however, if youâ€™re reluctant to visit your doctor to get tested, an alternative is to go to the drug store, and test yourself at home. Some top options, recommended by Consumer Reports, include FreeStyle Freedom Lite, Bayer Contour Next, True Metrix Blood Glucose Meter, OneTouch UltraMini, and the ReliOn (Wal-Mart) Micro, which all cost under $25. If you find that you are prediabetic or diabetic, you need to see your doctor to develop a plan to get it under control. In many cases lifestyle changes may be all you need to do to get your diabetes under control. For others who need more help, many medications are available. For information on diabetes or to find help, join a lifestyle change program (see CDC.gov/diabetes/prevention) that offers in-person and online programs in more than 1,400 locations. Over the course of a year, a coach will help you eat healthy, increase your physical activity and develop new habits. ISI DEDICATED Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of the book The Savvy Senior. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org Your story is still being written. HOPE, HEALING AND RECOVERY TO We Offer: t 5SBOTJUJPOBM $BSF 6OJU - Short-term Rehabilitation Unit Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy -Outpatient Therapy t $PNQMFY 8PVOE $BSF 5FBN t 4FMFDUJWF .FOV T 'JOF %JOJOH BOE 8J Ăś t 0O TJUF .FOUBM )FBMUI $POTVMUBOU t .FEJDBSF .FEJDBJE .BOBHFE $BSF $POUSBDUT BOE 7" BQQSPWFE MAKE A RESERVATION Please call to schedule a tour or just drop in. We are always available to show you the center and answer any questions you may have. t UI 4USFFU -FXJTUPO && If you have a scheduled surgery and will need Rehabilitation therapy following the procedure, call and make a reservation for your continued care. Our therapists will work with your physician to get you back home as quickly as possible. REHAB MADE EASY! American Falls 208.226.1856 | Soda Springs 208.547.0257 | edgewoodseniorliving.com