Kitchen staff found to hold outdated views on diabetes care.
Diabetes is common in the older population and the prevalence in residential care can be as high as 25 per cent. Management of type 2 diabetes is complicated by the fact that it may have no visible symptoms so can be regarded as not serious. It is important that assessment includes the health beliefs of patients and those who are caring for them. Kitchen staff in residential care homes were found to hold old-fashioned views; they thought that a diabetic diet meant that the patient should have no sugar and that diabetic products could be eaten in unlimited quantities.