How To Be A Better Diabetes Caregiver? Check Out These Tips

The family and friends of a diabetic patient play an important role when it comes to coping with the disease. Their role generally includes injecting insulin when needed, taking the patient to doctors for appointments or emergencies. Diabetes care can also involve emotional support for the patient coping with the disease.

What you should know:

• What is the role of a diabetes caregiver?
• Essential tips for diabetes caregivers

What is the role of a diabetes caregiver?

Diabetes is a chronic condition that needs to be monitored and treated daily. In this process, the support of family and friends is vital for diabetics in their continuing effort to stay healthy. Here are some ways in which you can support your loved ones against this disease.

1. Diet: It is important to ensure that people with diabetes keep their blood sugar levels as stable as possible. For a caregiver, this means ensuring that they don’t skip meals and follow a healthy meal plan recommended by the doctor.
2. Foot care: Most diabetics know they need to focus on foot care. Diabetic foot care includes wearing soft shoes that don’t give them blisters, checking the foot for wounds and cuts, and ensuring no toenail infection builds up. Caregivers can help manage any of these foot conditions and also contact the doctor at an early stage.

3. Blood sugar control: It is important to keep a daily record of the blood sugar level of diabetic patients. They need a take a reading before, during, and even after every meal or workout. As a caregiver, it might be your responsibility to ensure that they follow a healthy schedule of medicine time, exercise, and meals.

You can use the help of our online calculators like the blood pressure and blood glucose calculators to know if the numbers are in the normal range or not.

Essential tips for diabetes caregivers

If you are responsible for providing care to a loved one with diabetes, it can be a challenging task. Here are some tips to help you out:

• Learn And Empathise:

Make an effort to learn everything you can about diabetes and the condition of the person you are taking care of. You can try and join them for their doctor appointments and check online trusted sources to manage diabetes. It is always better to listen and learn instead of offering advice based on assumptions.

• Join their fight:

A good way to boost the morale of diabetic patients is by joining them in their fight against diabetes. Instead of overseeing their health routine, you can start a workout routine together or follow a healthy diet.

• Be patient and persistent:

Diabetes might need lifestyle changes with a large number of information and recommendations. For example, you might need to spend more time reading food labels while grocery shopping. Monitoring blood glucose levels and performing diabetic foot care are important daily practices for diabetics which will require patience and persistence.

• Track your health:

You cannot provide proper care if you are exhausted or burnt out. Track your own mental and physical health to ensure that you are not stressed or working yourself till you are sick. Take time out for yourself to unwind with a hobby or a rest day. If needed, you can also set boundaries with the diabetic patient about the kind of care you can provide.

To understand the disease of diabetes and create a diabetes care plan for your loved ones you can read more here. For more fitness or nutrition related advice, visit Activ Living.