Diabetes Caregiver’s Perspective: How To Take Care Of A Diabetic Patient?

Why Is The Role Of A Diabetes Caregiver Important?

A study of more than 5000 adults with Diabetes highlighted the importance of family, friends, and colleagues in improving well-being and self-management. Family members are often asked to share the responsibility for disease management. They can provide many forms of support, such as instrumental support in driving patients to appointments or helping to inject insulin and social and emotional support in helping patients cope with their disease.

Through their communication and attitudes, family members often have a significant impact on a patient’s psychological well-being, the decision to follow recommendations for medical treatment, and the ability to initiate and maintain changes in diet and exercise.

Family members can feel distressed by their loved one’s diabetes due to limited knowledge about diabetes or not knowing how to support their loved one.

The family may also have misconceptions, such as believing that the patient knows more about diabetes than the patient actually reports or not understanding their loved one’s needs in diabetes management.

A diabetes caregiver should be made aware of the signs to identify any complications of eye, foot or kidney problems at an early stage and report to the physician. Paying attention to even loss of sensations or slippers slipping off the foot might be helpful to report at follow-ups.

Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D. in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology

Read More About: Tips for Diabetes Management

Knowledge about the disease, strategies to alter family routines, and optimal ways to cope with the emotional aspects of the disease are some of the aspects of diabetes self-management that family members need.

Educating family members about diabetes-care needs can help ease this strain by explaining why these changes are necessary, how these changes can best be implemented, and where to find additional information, such as healthy recipes or exercise routines.

Everyday care for diabetic patients includes “Check your feet every day for cuts, blisters, red spots, and swelling. Brush your teeth and floss every day to keep your mouth, teeth, and gums healthy. Stop smoking, Keep track of your blood sugar.”

Dr. M.G. Kartheeka, MBBS, MD(Pediatrics)

The Cornerstones Of Diabetes Care For Diabetes Caregiver

The following 4 cornerstones of care are fundamental to pay attention to when taking care of a family member with Diabetes:

1. Healthy Eating. Making smart food choices and building a diabetes-friendly meal plan (with a variety of foods) will help make sure they get the right amounts of protein, fats, and carbohydrates. Read more about the 4 best foods for a diabetic diet.
2. Being Physically Active. Exercising and staying active are important for every diabetic patient
3. Taking Medicine. Your diabetes care team will tell you which medication/insulin is right for your family member. It is also important that you make sure they take all of their other medicine(s) as directed.
4. Tracking. Checking and recording blood sugar can help you to see patterns. These patterns can tell you how his or her diabetes care plan is working and what (if anything) needs to change.
5. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
   a. Listen First: One way to start is by doing lots of listening rather than talking. That way you can gauge whether someone is ready to accept help. Everyone is at different stages with their diabetes.
6. Ascertain where they are in their journey as this will determine how you can best help them. Don’t assume anything.
7. Have an open conversation: Ask what you can do to help.
8. Make it a joint effort: Join your friend or family member in his or her efforts to live a healthier lifestyle. Offer to start an exercise program with him or her. Or adopt better eating habits. Let the person you are caring for, know he or she is not alone in this.
9. Going to the doctor together: It is a good idea to attend medical appointments.
10. Watch for low blood sugar called hypoglycemia: Symptoms might be sweating, feeling hot, shakiness and a fast-beating heart. It can be dangerous for many reasons and can result in falls or a decline in cognitive functioning.
11. Check that they’re taking the correct doses of insulin and medication and not skipping meals.
12. Avoid Getting angry: Especially if you’re dealing with kids suffering from type 1 diabetes. Take a deep breath and control your feelings.
13. Attend a diabetes support group with them: Encourage the person to attend a diabetes support group, and offer to go along. Both of you can receive support and learn strategies to cope up with your feelings and the disease.
14. Be positive: A diabetes diagnosis can be scary, especially since there’s always a risk of complications. Although life-threatening complications can happen, you should keep conversations positive when speaking to someone living with diabetes. They are most likely aware of the possible complications, so they don’t need to hear about people who died from diabetes or had limbs amputated. Offer positive support, not negative stories.

Over time, diabetes can damage blood vessels in the heart, eyes, kidneys and nerves. People with diabetes have a higher risk of health problems including heart attack, stroke and kidney failure.

Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D. in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology

If you have a child with diabetes, gradually teach him or her how to manage the condition: Although parents should always have a role in monitoring their child’s diabetes, as they get older, teens can take an increasing role in blood sugar monitoring and meal planning. Read more about symptoms of diabetes in children

Administering or tracking medications, encouraging changes to diet and activity levels, and ensuring regular monitoring as directed by a healthcare provider especially identifying any ulcers that don’t heal and reporting any changes in vision.

Dr. Ashish Bajaj, M.B.B.S., M.D. in Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology

Disclaimer: The above information has been prepared by a qualified medical professional and may not represent the practices followed universally. The suggestions listed in this article constitute relatively common advice given to patients, and since every patient is different, you are advised to consult your physician, if in doubt, before acting upon this information. Lupin Limited has only facilitated the distribution of this information to you in the interest of patient education and welfare.

References

1. https://diabetes.org/diabetes/loved-ones
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8129740/
3. https://www.cdc.gov/aging/caregiving/caregiver-brief.html