Second post;) Best BGM's & lancets for older folk?

[leafgreen]

I hope you all don't mind: I was very grateful for the answers I got to my first question, I thought I try one last time to use my 'newbie' card!

I'm trying to support my Dad, who's in his 80's and not familiar with computers, tech etc. Diabetes has taken its toll: he has neuropathy and retinopathy, so handling lancets, test strips and reading blood glucose meters is difficult for him. As a result, he doesn't take his measurements very often, it's a bit of a vicious cycle.

What are the best lancets and blood glucose meters out there for people with poor dexterity and reduced vision? Is there any tech that means you can avoid handling all the little parts? He's not ready for a body-worn device, I'm not looking for that although I see the advantages.

I recently bought him an internet-enabled scale (for tracking retained water, a whole other story) and that's made it much easier to track this together. Is there anything like that?

 

[Leadinglights]

The Care Sens N Voice is suggested as suitable for people with visual impairment but the strips still look fiddly so it still looks not terribly good if dexterity is an issue. But worth a look.
Some of the lancing devises are easier to use than others but you still have to apply the blood drop to the strip and insert it into the monitor.

 

[rebrascora]

Hi. Sorry to hear your Dad is struggling to manage his diabetes due to dexterity and sight issues.
When you say he isn't ready for a body worn device, how do you mean? Does he feel that it would be intrusive in some way? Most of us find that the Freestyle Libre is.... well "liberating"... rather than restrictive or inhibiting in any way.
If it's the cost which is the factor, then if your Dad is Type 1 it should become available on prescription to the majority of Type 1 patients very soon.
I seem to recall that there is a Roche BG meter which uses cassettes instead of individual test strips. I believe @trophywench may have knowledge of that and perhaps able to explain how it works. Apologies if I am wrong.

 

[Inka]

That’s the AccuChek Mobile meter @rebrascora and @leafgreen I have it and it’s great - very easy to use. It takes a cassette of 50 tiny testing strips. It has a finger-pricker on the side of the meter with variable depth.

The display is bright and clear to me but I have normal vision. It’s green rather than that grey colour on a pale grey background.

 

[Lucyr]

The wavesense jazz meter has very large print numbers, black on a backlit blue background. The test strips are absolutely tiny though so accuchek mobile is a better suggestion to try first.

I think the accuchek fastclix finger pricker would be easiest, no risk of stabbing your finger accidentally when changing lancet. I imagine something like that comes with the accuchek mobile meter.

 

[leafgreen]

Hi. Sorry to hear your Dad is struggling to manage his diabetes due to dexterity and sight issues.
When you say he isn't ready for a body worn device, how do you mean? Does he feel that it would be intrusive in some way? Most of us find that the Freestyle Libre is.... well "liberating"... rather than restrictive or inhibiting in any way.
If it's the cost which is the factor, then if your Dad is Type 1 it should become available on prescription to the majority of Type 1 patients very soon.
I seem to recall that there is a Roche BG meter which uses cassettes instead of individual test strips. I believe @trophywench may have knowledge of that and perhaps able to explain how it works. Apologies if I am wrong.

He's Type 2 and very reluctant to engage with diabetes in general, would rather ignore it (and has for a decade or so). Anything body-worn is going to remind him about it all the time and I'm pretty sure he wouldn't like that.

 

[Elenka_HM]

I think the accuchek fastclix finger pricker would be easiest, no risk of stabbing your finger accidentally when changing lancet.

I can't help with the meters but I do use this finger pricker and I agree, it seems easier to use than other prickers I've seen. The nurse gave it to me as the one included with my meter was rubbish (her words, not mine!). It works well. You don't even see the lancet, which may be an advantage for people who feels a bit anxious about sharps, besides the more practical aspect that Lucy mentions of not risking stabbing accidents.

 

[leafgreen]

That’s the AccuChek Mobile meter @rebrascora and @leafgreen I have it and it’s great - very easy to use. It takes a cassette of 50 tiny testing strips. It has a finger-pricker on the side of the meter with variable depth.

The display is bright and clear to me but I have normal vision. It’s green rather than that grey colour on a pale grey background.

This looks very promising! Thank you!

 

[Inka]

This looks very promising! Thank you!

I forget to say that the lancets for the finger-pricker also come in a mini-drum of 6, so there’s no fiddling with individual lancets.

It’s not the cheapest of meters if you’re having to buy it, but it’s a very good meter and might suit your purposes.

 

[Proud to be erratic]

I forget to say that the lancets for the finger-pricker also come in a mini-drum of 6, so there’s no fiddling with individual lancets.

It’s not the cheapest of meters if you’re having to buy it, but it’s a very good meter and might suit your purposes.

I have this and find it excellent. Its the 3rd I've had in my 2 yrs with DM. When I've been hypo and trembling it's much easier to control getting that drop of blood onto the meter 'window' rather than a test strip. The finger pricker has a considerable range of depths and I previously struggled to get a drop of blood without some pain; no more. It is heavier than my previous 2 devices, so marginally less convenient for carrying when out and about, but for me that is an insignificant penalty in relation to the comfort and convenience of this setup. The drum of lancets seem to last forever!