Objective

To know the management practices of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the elderly regarding the use of medications and lifestyle.

Materials and Methods

This is a qualitative and descriptive study, in which 20 elderly people with diabetes, residing in the interior of the State of Bahia, were interviewed between September 2016 and March 2017. The results were analyzed according to the Thematic Content Analysis proposed by Bardin. This project was approved by the Ethics Committee of the State University of Southwest Bahia under number 1.535.559.

Results

Two categories were identified after the analysis: Managing "diabetes medication" and "Managing lifestyle: breaking, maintaining and adjusting behaviors". Management practices related to both the use of medications and the adopted lifestyle, as well as the experience coming from the own coexistence with the disease, have led to the reinterpretation of the scientific knowledge by professionals. It is also worth highlighting the dialogues and the cooperation received from the group studied, since they make possible enhancing and integrating this knowledge in daily actions to improve health status and promote comprehensive well-being.

Conclusion

Healthcare professionals should implement person-centered care approaches and support users in making decisions about their health care.