March 24 is Diabetes Alert Day

Did you know that diabetes affects about 30.3 million Americans but nearly 1 in 4 adults living with the disease are unaware that they have it?

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) is sponsoring Diabetes Alert Day on March 24, 2020 as an opportunity to raise awareness of the disease. The organization encourages everyone to learn more about the seriousness of diabetes and the importance of understanding their risk.

According to the ADA, the sooner you know you’re at risk, the sooner you can take steps to prevent or manage diabetes. If you have a family history of diabetes, you have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes. You are also more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you are over age 45, are overweight, or are not physically active.

It only takes one minute to take the test.

In today’s unprecedented health crisis, the ADA also offers some facts about the new coronavirus (COVID-19) and those living with diabetes:

People with diabetes are not more likely to get COVID-19 than the general population.
The problem people with diabetes face is primarily a problem of worse outcomes, not greater chance of contracting the virus.
People with diabetes do face a higher chance of experiencing serious complications from COVID-19. In general, people with diabetes are more likely to experience severe symptoms and complications when infected with any virus.
If diabetes is well-managed, the risk of getting severely sick from COVID-19 is about the same as the general population.

To learn more about diabetes and better understand your risk for the disease, visit the ADA website.

Dina Kadan White2021-02-28T13:49:34+00:00March 23rd, 2020|

About the Author: Dina Kadan White

As Vice President of Kadan Homecare, White oversees the day-to-to day operations and assists with strategic planning for company. White has worked with Kadan full-time for the past 11 years, although she has been engaged with the family-run firm at some level for most of her adult life. Prior to joining Kadan, White served as Director of Product Development at Equifax and previously was a Marketing Director with Wachovia. These jobs prepared her well for a position where she works for the benefit of all aspects of this highly client-focused agency. White holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from the Georgia Institute of Technology. She is a member of the National Private Duty Association, a membership organization for firms whose homecare model is to employ, train, monitor and supervise caregivers, create a plan of care for the client and work toward a safe and secure environment for the person at home. White is also a member of the National Association for Home Care and Hospice.