Louis and I have been married for 47 years. That's a long time by anyone's standards. Along the way, we've been through a lot together, and we've started to realize that our health is the greatest gift we have. Without it, we couldn't keep doing everything we love – acting, cooking, traveling, visiting our grandkids and just being together. We want to be around for our family for as long as possible. That's why the free Medicare diabetes screening for people at risk is so important.
We both went in to be screened for diabetes, especially because it runs in Louis' family. We found out that Louis has type 2 diabetes and now we can deal with it the right way. Now I remind him to eat healthy and get some exercise. He knows I'm doing it for the right reasons. That's what being a couple is about.
We hope you'll join us and commit to getting screened for diabetes. Find out what the risk factors are and manage your health. Learn your blood sugar number and what actions to take. For some people, diabetes and its consequences can be prevented if detected early enough. And it's free! So, just ask your doctor.
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About the Program
Academy Award® winner Olympia Dukakis and her husband, actor Louis Zorich, along with Novo Nordisk, a world leader in diabetes care, have teamed up to encourage adults 65 and older to ask their healthcare provider for the Medicare diabetes test. For many, it's free and it's easy. Knowing your blood sugar levels is important for everyone.
Diabetes is an epidemic, and older adults are particularly at risk. Approximately seven out of 10 adults age 65 and older have diabetes or pre-diabetes; and of those people with diabetes, almost half don't know it. The good news is that with early detection and treatment, the serious health problems of diabetes can be prevented or delayed.
Since 2005, Medicare has offered free diabetes screening services to those at risk for diabetes; however, utilization has been low. Older adults who may be at risk are not taking advantage of the benefit and many are undiagnosed. Novo Nordisk recognized an urgent need to expand efforts to champion in-office screening for people with Medicare, and teamed up with Olympia and Louis to launch this campaign.
About Novo Nordisk
Novo Nordisk is a healthcare company with an 86-year history of innovation and leadership in diabetes care. The company's highest priority is the health and well being of patients, and Novo Nordisk is committed to changing diabetes® and acting as a catalyst to advance the healthcare agenda to ensure patients experience quality care and optimal treatment. The company has the broadest diabetes product portfolio in the industry, including the most advanced products within the area of insulin delivery systems.