It's National Diabetes Week with Right at Home! Diabetes Australia’s 2024 theme is the impacts of diabetes technology and what needs to be done to improve access to this technology. 

Diabetes Technology

There is a range of diabetes technology available to Australians living with type 1 diabetes.

Insulin injections. Insulin is injected under the skin using a syringe or an insulin pen. ‘Smart’ insulin pens provide historical information about the timing and quantity of recent doses.

Insulin pumps. An insulin pump delivers insulin through a small cannula inserted under the skin. Pumps allows a more fine-tuned approach to insulin delivery by varying the amount of insulin and the timing of delivery. While using an insulin pump may help keep blood glucose more tightly within a desired range, it can also mean more frequent glucose checks.

Blood glucose monitoring. A ‘finger prick’ blood sample is taken and checked using a blood glucose meter. This provides a ‘snap shot’ of the blood glucose level at that moment in time. This is the most common form of glucose monitoring.

Flash glucose monitoring. A small, 14-day sensor is worn on the upper arm and measures glucose levels in the fluid under the skin, not blood. The person scans the sensor with a scanning device (or using an app on a smart phone) to see their glucose levels. The scanning device/phone app shows the current glucose level, uses arrows to show if glucose levels are rising, falling or remaining stable, and can track trends over time.

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). A small, wearable device that measures glucose levels continuously, giving a reading of the person’s glucose level every five minutes. It provides information on patterns and trends of glucose levels throughout the day and night. Arrows show whether glucose levels are rising, falling or remaining steady. CGM devices can be programmed to sound or send alarms and warnings if glucose levels are getting too high or too low.

GPs can help patients who use diabetes technology with practical considerations, including day-to-day device attachment and skin problems, travelling with diabetes technology, and more complex situations like technology failure.

Diabetes Australia has produced a Position Statement cautioning against DIY diabetes technology solutions. Basically, these DIY technologies are not approved technologies and are highly experimental. Any person using a DIY technology solution does so at their own risk. The Position Statement is an excellent resource to learn more about what technology is and isn't available in Australia. 

Diabetes in Australia

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) estimates that in 2021, 1 in 20 Australians (5.1%) were living with diabetes. What’s more, 1 in 5 Australians (19%) aged 80-84 were living with diabetes, almost 30 times higher than Australians aged under 40 (0.7%). 

In 2023, type 1 diabetes was responsible for around 19,000 years of healthy life lost (0.7 DALY per 1,000 population) and contributed to 0.3% of the total disease burden in Australia. Type 2 diabetes was responsible for around 124,000 years of healthy life lost (4.7 DALY per 1,000 population) and contributed 2.2% to the total disease burden in Australia – the 11th leading specific cause. 

Diabetes remains one of the 10 leading causes of death in Australia and was the underlying cause of around 6,000 deaths in 2022. 

How we can Help

If you or a family member suffers from diabetes, Right at Home can help you manage the disease by providing quality care and assistance.  

Right at Home as part of your care plan can:   

• Through our nurse care managers, provide education on what affects blood glucose levels 
• Coordinate a healthy meal plan 
• Develop a light exercise schedule 
• Assist with grocery shopping 
• Assist with meal preparation 
• Manage medications and schedule reminders 

Right at Home is Australia's trusted home care provider. We provide assistance for adults living with a disability, assistance for seniors, assistance with daily living such as grooming, cancer care, care at home for adults with special care situations, companionship and personal care. If you need diabetes support at home, contact your local Right at Home office today. 

Keep up to date with COVID 19 information on the following links: 

Australian Government Department of Health 

Victorian Health and Human Services 

NSW Health 

Queensland Health 

ACT Health 

WA Department of Health 

Tasmanian Department of Health 

Northern Territory Department of Health 

SA Health 

Founded in 1995, Right at Home offers in-home companionship and personal care, and assistance to seniors (elderly and aged care), and any adult who needs our care at home including adults living with a disability who want to continue to live independently or age in their home. Right at Home is your local expert for issues related to caring for your loved ones and is dedicated to keeping you informed about home care. With no package management fees, Right at Home allows you to get more care from your package or budget. 

Right at Home is a 'My Aged Care' government approved, home care provider for levels 1 – 4 and offers flexible in-home care services such as nursing care, after hospital care, post-operative care, respite care, dementia and Alzheimer's care. Right at Home also offers assistance with daily living and personal care such as grooming, hygiene, transport, shopping, meal prep, domestic services and social support, so your loved one can enjoy a more independent, vibrant life. Our nurses and caregivers are screened, highly trained, and insured prior to entering your home so you can trust us with the caregiving while you focus on your loved one. 

To find out more, please give us a call on 1300 363 802 or visit our website. 

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