Is Healthy Aging in Diabetes an Achievable Goal? With Medha Munshi, MD

The strain placed on health systems and society by type 1 and type 2 diabetes in recent decades has grown by leaps and bounds. Few conditions have placed as great of a strain on health systems since the 21st century and, with an aging population and growing population of people with diabetes, the need for optimal treatment strategies has become imperative.

This imposing issue was the subject of a presentation led by Medha Munshi, MD, director of the Joslin Geriatric Diabetes Program and an associate professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, titled “Why healthy aging with diabetes is a challenge?,” at the 16th annual conference on Advanced Technologies and Treatments for Diabetes (ATTD 2023).

During her presentation, Munshi described the hurdles faced by people with type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes as they age as well as optimal strategies for confronting these hurdles. Munshi’s presentation, which occurred on day 3 of the 4-day conference, focused on how various aspects of aging impact people with diabetes and the most persistent gaps in contemporary care of this patient population. Among the strategies highlighted by Munshi was an increased emphasis on telemedicine techniques despite the age-related barriers associated with disinterest in such technology among some patients as well as a specific focus on adherence to guideline-directed care in elderly people.

With an interest in learning more about the concept of healthy aging in diabetes and what clinicians with elderly patients with diabetes should know about the process, HCPLive sat down with Munshi following her presentation.