Diabetes can be a chore to manage; the patient has to constantly watch out for what they eat or drink, check their blood sugar regularly, then take lots of medication to keep the blood sugar level at an acceptable value.
If any of your loved ones are living with diabetes, you might want to assist or care for them, but it’s not a walk in the park. You have to know what to do and what not to do.
Here are a few tips:
1. DO: Learn about diabetes and how it works. If you’re going to care for someone, you need to have basic knowledge, at least, of what they’re dealing with. Learn about the types of diabetes, facts, myths about it, low blood sugar, high blood sugar, et cetera.
DON’T: Never assume you know it all and can manage on your own. You might have to visit a health center or verified health resources online to seek information on how to help one manage diabetes effectively.
2. DO: Keep an eye on your loved one. Help them make healthy choices and avoid complications. Understand that they have it harder than you do and shower affection on them.
DON’T: Nag. Looking out for them while trying to look after yourself might be tasking and frustrating, but bear in mind that your attitude also affects their well-being. Instead of nagging and yelling, encourage them.
3. DO: Encourage a healthy diet. Whether it’s diabetes Type 1 or Type 2, a healthy diet is instrumental to the wellbeing of your loved one. It might be difficult for them to adapt, but encourage them and let them get used to it. At the end of the day, their good health would benefit you, too.
DON’T: Indulge them in substances that are bad for them or watch them make unhealthy choices in food. If you take up the responsibility of caring for them, ensure that you leave no stones unturned in ensuring that they eat healthily.
4. DO: Help manage medications. Medication is extremely important to the health of people living with diabetes. So, make sure you monitor it and that they take the right dosages as prescribed. It might also help to get a pill calendar to help you keep tabs on how often they take their medications.
DON’T: Be nonchalant about it. Don’t Indulge them when they default on taking their medication. Also, don’t let them take drugs without proper prescriptions by qualified medical personnel. Contact us immediately if you have issues finding the medication that works for them.
5. DO: Attend a diabetes support group with them. Support groups help people gain a sense of solidarity and comfort in the fact that they’re not alone. So, find outlets where they can relate with other diabetes patients and encourage them to join them. You can reach out to community health services in your neighborhood to help you with this.
DON’T: Let them spend time idly or moping around about their health status. The state of one’s mind is instrumental to overall health, so don’t let them shy away from receiving support from others who know what they go through and are willing to guide them into better health.
6. DO: Exercise together. Apart from cultivating good and healthy eating habits, exercising is extremely important for a diabetic person. Being physically active and shedding weight can help them manage their blood sugar level.
DON’T: Let them default to regular exercise. It can be challenging to adopt an exercise routine, but it’s worth it in the end. So, encourage and motivate them to stick to their routine.
