Health and care
Diabetes and high blood pressure in older Latinos: daily care
Updated October 15, 2026 · Reviewed against official sources
In many Latino homes, Grandma's pill organizer sits on the kitchen table next to the coffee, and someone in the family already knows "what her sugar was today." Diabetes and high blood pressure are so common that people sometimes take them lightly. When they're well controlled, they allow many years of active life. Without control, over time they affect the heart, the brain, the kidneys, the eyes and the feet. The good news is that the family can help a lot with small daily habits.
This post is a practical guide for the family doing the caregiving. It doesn't replace the doctor. Each person has different blood sugar and blood pressure goals, and only their health care team can set them.
Why it matters in our community
According to the American Diabetes Association, using data from 2021 to 2023, 11.8% of Hispanic adults have diagnosed diabetes, compared with 7.1% of non-Hispanic white adults. Among people 65 and older, the overall figure reaches 28.8%.
High blood pressure is even more common. The CDC estimates that almost half of U.S. adults have it (48.1%), with similar numbers among Hispanic adults (44.9%), and that only about 1 in 4 people with high blood pressure have it under control. One important thing: it almost never causes symptoms. Measuring it is the only way to know how it's doing.
The daily routine
1. Medicines on time
An example of a routine: at 8 in the morning, check blood pressure and blood sugar, write them down, and take the pills with breakfast; at night, check the feet before bed. What matters is that it's always at the same time and that someone in the family knows where the notebook is.
- Use a weekly pill organizer with the days marked.
- Keep an up-to-date list of all medicines, including vitamins, teas and home remedies, and bring it to every appointment.
- Don't stop or change doses on your own, even if your loved one "feels fine."
- If your loved one sees several doctors, ask the pharmacist to review everything together. Some medicines cause dizziness and raise the risk of falls.
2. Measure and write it down
Blood sugar: check it when and how the doctor said to, and write down the results in a notebook or on your phone.
Blood pressure at home. The CDC recommends:
- Don't eat, drink, smoke, have coffee or exercise in the 30 minutes before, and empty the bladder.
- Sit with the back supported for at least 5 minutes, with feet flat on the floor and legs uncrossed.
- Rest the arm on a table at chest height, with the cuff on bare skin, not over clothing.
- Don't talk during the measurement.
- Take at least two readings, 1 or 2 minutes apart, at the same time each day, and write them down.
For the CDC, high blood pressure is blood pressure that stays at 130/80 mm Hg or higher; normal is below 120/80. Ask the doctor what your loved one's goal is.
3. Food made with love, and with less salt
You don't have to give up your family's food. It's about adjusting: less salt and powdered bouillon, more vegetables, moderate portions of tortillas, rice and bread, and water instead of soda. The CDC recommends limiting salt and alcohol to control blood pressure. Ask the doctor for a referral to a nutritionist.
4. Move every day
The CDC suggests about 30 minutes of physical activity a day, five days a week. For an older adult, that can be walking around the house or in the park. Ask the doctor what activity is safe for your loved one.
5. Check the feet every day (diabetes)
Diabetes can damage the nerves and the blood flow in the feet. The CDC advises:
- Check the feet every day for cuts, blisters, redness or swelling. Use a mirror, or help them yourself.
- Wash them in warm water, not hot, without soaking them, and dry well between the toes.
- Always wear shoes or slippers, even inside the house.
- Don't remove corns or calluses with a razor blade or with drugstore products.
- Call the doctor soon about a blister, sore or ingrown toenail, or if they feel tingling, burning or less feeling in the feet.
Low blood sugar: what to do
The CDC considers blood sugar low when it's below 70 mg/dL. Signs include shakiness, sweating, a fast heartbeat, dizziness, hunger, irritability or confusion. The signs vary from one person to another, and some people don't feel any warning at all.
The CDC recommends the 15-15 rule: give 15 grams of fast-acting carbs (for example, 4 ounces of juice or regular soda, not diet, or a tablespoon of sugar or honey), wait 15 minutes and check again. If it's still below 70, repeat. Once it's back to normal, give a snack with protein.
Call 911 if your loved one passes out, has a seizure or can't swallow safely. Don't give them anything by mouth if they aren't awake. Ask the doctor whether they should have glucagon at home, and learn how to use it.
When it's an emergency: call 911
Stroke (the CDC's B.E. F.A.S.T. test):
- Balance: sudden loss of balance or dizziness.
- Eyes: sudden trouble seeing.
- Face: one side of the face droops when they smile.
- Arms: one arm drifts down when they raise both.
- Speech: slurred or strange speech.
- Time: call 911 right away and write down the time the symptoms started. Don't drive them yourself.
Heart attack: chest discomfort that lasts more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back; pain in the jaw, neck, back, arms or shoulders; shortness of breath; weakness, a cold sweat or feeling faint. In women, unusual tiredness, nausea or vomiting are more common.
Frequently asked questions
Can my loved one keep eating tortillas, rice and beans?
In general, yes, in moderate portions and with vegetables on the side. The nutritionist or the doctor can help you put together a plate that respects your family's food and your loved one's goals.
What do I do if the care facility or the caregiver doesn't know their routine?
Write down on one sheet the medicines, the schedule, the goals the doctor gave and what to do if their blood sugar drops. Give it to the nurse or the caregiver, and ask them to let you know about any changes. Staff appreciate having that information clearly from the first day. If your loved one is moving, check what to bring on moving day.
How often should blood sugar and blood pressure be checked?
It depends on each person and their medicines. Ask at the appointment and write it down. Don't change doses based on a single reading: bring the notebook to the doctor.
Take care of yourself so you can care for them
Helping every day with medicines, appointments and meals wears you down. If you feel you can't go on, read our post on caregiver burnout. If your loved one needs help at home for a few hours, see our guide to home care for seniors or estimate the costs with the calculator. And if they need daily supervision while you work, an adult day center can be a good option; we explain how they work in this guide.
This post is for information only and doesn't replace your doctor's instructions.
Sources
- American Diabetes Association, "Statistics About Diabetes": https://diabetes.org/about-diabetes/statistics/about-diabetes (accessed October 15, 2026)
- CDC, "High Blood Pressure Facts": https://www.cdc.gov/high-blood-pressure/data-research/facts-stats/index.html (accessed October 15, 2026)
- CDC, "About High Blood Pressure": https://www.cdc.gov/high-blood-pressure/about/index.html (accessed October 15, 2026)
- CDC, "Measure Your Blood Pressure": https://www.cdc.gov/high-blood-pressure/measure/index.html (accessed October 15, 2026)
- CDC, "Low Blood Sugar (Hypoglycemia)": https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/about/low-blood-sugar-hypoglycemia.html (accessed October 15, 2026)
- CDC, "Treatment of Low Blood Sugar": https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/treatment/treatment-low-blood-sugar-hypoglycemia.html (accessed October 15, 2026)
- CDC, "Diabetes and Your Feet": https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/diabetes-complications/diabetes-and-your-feet.html (accessed October 15, 2026)
- CDC, "Signs and Symptoms of Stroke": https://www.cdc.gov/stroke/signs-symptoms/index.html (accessed October 15, 2026)
- CDC, "Heart Attack Symptoms, Risk, and Recovery": https://www.cdc.gov/heart-disease/about/heart-attack.html (accessed October 15, 2026)
This is general information, not medical, legal or financial advice. Rules vary by state and by year: confirm with the official agency that applies to you.
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