Clinical Practice Guideline for Diabetes Management in the Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Setting

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Endocrinology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Diabetes management in Post-Acute and Long-Term Care (PALTC) settings presents unique challenges.
• Older adults with diabetes require individualized care plans that consider comorbidities and functional status.
• Existing guidelines may not fully address the evolving landscape of diabetes medications and care goals in PALTC.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present the newly revised Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for Diabetes Management in PALTC Settings.
• To incorporate new evidence and perspectives on achieving optimal diabetes care goals in PALTC.
• To provide practical guidance for interprofessional teams managing diabetes in older adults.

Main Methods:

• The guideline revision incorporated new evidence and perspectives on diabetes care.
• Information is presented in usable tables for medication management.
• The guideline outlines the roles of interprofessional team members in diabetes care.

Main Results:

• The CPG promotes individualized diabetes management aligned with patient goals of care.
• It stresses consideration of patient health status, preferences, life expectancy, and treatment risks/benefits.
• The guideline details a systematic approach: recognition, assessment, treatment, and monitoring.

Conclusions:

• Implementation of the Diabetes Management in PALTC Settings CPG ensures evidence-based care.
• The guideline supports optimizing quality of life and functional independence for PALTC residents with diabetes.
• It empowers healthcare teams to provide appropriate and current diabetes treatment.