An Easy-to-use Glucometer for the Elderly: Minimizing the Barriers That May Come With Age

If you’re getting older and noticing your diabetes-related needs are changing, an easy-to-use glucometer for the elderly can make a big difference in your ability to manage your diabetes. If you’ve been using glucometers for years, you know the hassle that preparing lancets and test strips can bring—and it may be time to try something new. By assessing your current needs and understanding your options, you can ensure that you have the best tools for supporting your health.

Age Brings New Challenges to Blood Glucose Monitoring

As you age, you may experience new challenges that affect your ability to perform daily blood sugar checks.

Mobility and Dexterity Problems

Dexterity issues from arthritis, tremors, poor joint mobility, and carpal tunnel syndrome can make self-monitoring with a traditional blood glucose monitor (BGM) difficult. You may be at increased risk of spilling or dropping test strips, experience difficulty inserting the test strip, or have a hard time obtaining a blood drop and placing it on the right part of the test strip.

Forgetfulness

The forgetfulness that sometimes comes with age can interfere with blood glucose monitoring. This is particularly true if using the glucometer requires remembering how to perform a multistep process and remembering to carry all the components with you. If your glucometer relies on separate lancets and test strips, even minor forgetfulness can throw your routine off track. 

Vision and Hearing Loss

Vision impairment can make using a traditional BGM harder, as it too can contribute to difficulty inserting the test strip or obtaining a blood drop and placing it on the right part of the test strip. If you rely on sound-based alarms to keep you on schedule, hearing loss could affect your ability to stay on track, which may reduce your motivation to check your blood sugar as often as you should.

What Makes the POGO Automatic® Monitoring System Easy to Use? 

The POGO Automatic Monitor makes checking your blood sugar fast, easy, and discreet at any age, and its innovative features make it a must-have for aging adults. If you’re looking for an easy-to-use glucometer for the elderly, POGO Automatic will meet your changing needs and help you manage your diabetes as you age. 

One-Step^TM Testing

Unlike traditional glucometers that use separate test strips and lancets, the POGO Automatic Monitor uses 10-test cartridges with built-in test strips and lancets. You don’t have to keep track of multiple components, and there’s no complicated multistep testing process, which means it’s easy to use even for people with vision and dexterity issues. To check your blood sugar, you simply place your finger on the test port and press. POGO Automatic lances and collects blood automatically and gives you an accurate result within seconds. This simplified process is ideal for people experiencing age-related challenges.

Whether you struggle with cognitive, mobility, dexterity, vision, or hearing challenges, POGO Automatic’s One-Step testing is a blood glucose monitoring system that could be easier to use.

Portable Design

POGO Automatic features a pocket-sized design and is easy to take with you wherever you’re going. You don’t have to remember or carry multiple components; there’s only one thing to carry. Before you get going, just make sure you have enough tests remaining in the POGO Automatic Cartridge. Then go!

Easy-to-read Screen

POGO Automatic uses a full-color display with a large font so you can easily see and respond to your results. And it shows you when to place your finger on the test port and when to lift your finger off the test port.

Data Storage and Sharing

The POGO Automatic Monitor syncs your results with the Patterns® for POGO Automatic app, a free app that comes with the POGO Automatic Monitor. You don’t have to manually log results or worry about making mistakes, because Patterns automatically records and tracks your readings. You can also share your blood glucose with your healthcare provider directly from Patterns. Whether you prefer to email or download and print reports, Patterns makes it easy. 

Reminders and Notifications

Patterns can send you reminders when it’s time to check your blood sugar, which makes it easy to stay on track. It will also send you notifications after high or low blood sugar readings and give you tips on how to bring your blood sugar back into your target range. You can set your personal target range in your profile settings. You can choose to receive reminders and notifications via push, email, and/or text and use your smartphone settings to tailor how they show up on your phone. For example, you could choose a unique tone for the app to ensure you don’t miss important messages. 

Switch to an Easy-to-use Glucometer for the Elderly

As you grow older and wiser, it’s smart to take stock of whether your current diabetes management plan is still working for you. If your blood glucose monitoring routine isn’t as trouble-free as it once was, switching to an easy-to-use glucometer could be the answer. POGO Automatic makes blood glucose monitoring simple and can help overcome age-related challenges so you can manage your diabetes confidently.

Jaclyn Owens Jaclyn Owens is a product director specializing in diabetes management tools. She is committed to using technology to empower people with diabetes and help them take control of their health.

All content on this website is for educational purposes only and does not replace the guidance of your healthcare practitioner. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new healthcare regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.