When someone you love is diagnosed with diabetes, you want to help. But finding the right balance between supportive and overbearing can be challenging.
“You should allow your loved one to express their fears about living with diabetes,” says Dr. Catherine Payne, a medical director at BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee. “Acknowledge those concerns and encourage your loved one that you will support them.”
How to be supportive without policing
Dr. Payne: Support from friends and family can be a key factor in successful diabetes management. Try to keep lines of communication open. Challenges come from the need to check blood sugars, administer insulin and resist temptations with sugary foods. Work with your family member and their doctor to identify solutions to manage those challenges.
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Ways to be supportive
Dr. Payne: Here are helpful ways family members can provide support to someone with diabetes:
- Help develop a management plan. Work with your family member to overcome barriers to managing their diabetes. This might include setting reminders to check blood sugar or exploring new ways of cooking to support a diabetic diet. It could also include attending doctor visits with them.
- Learn about blood sugar monitoring. Understand the doctor’s guidance on when and how often to check blood sugar. There should be a plan in place if blood sugar is too high or too low. Learn when to call the doctor and when emergency medical treatment is needed.
- Recognize signs of low blood sugar. Learning to identify the symptoms of high and low blood sugars. Patients often don’t recognize them — especially if they are elderly or young. Signs of low blood sugar include:
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- Shakiness or weakness
- Anxiety or irritability
- Sweating or chills
- Dizziness
- Hunger or nausea
- Blurred vision
- Anger or sadness
- Plan meals together. Find foods that are nutritious and low in sugars and carbohydrates. Encourage fresh foods whenever possible. Cooking together can also be a great time to connect and appreciate the meal that is shared. Plan ahead when traveling or eating out to ensure there are diabetic-friendly options.
- Encourage physical activity. Find an activity that the whole family can enjoy together. Getting outside and walking is a great way to alleviate stress as well as improve health.
- Support children with diabetes at school. If your family member with diabetes is a child, involve their school. Make sure they understand how and when to monitor blood sugars and administer insulin and confirm that they can support a diabetic diet at lunch and snacks.
Common mistakes
Dr. Payne: We should always meet patients where they are at the time. Avoid blaming or shaming them if they don’t follow their diabetic treatment plan. Instead, be supportive and work with them to find ways to comply in the future.
“The key is partnership rather than policing,” Dr. Payne says. “When you work as a team, you can help your loved one manage their diabetes while maintaining a supportive, loving relationship.”
More from Dr. Payne on WellTuned
Get more information about specific health terms, topics and conditions to better manage your health on bcbst.com. BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee members can access wellness-related discounts on fitness products, gym memberships, healthy eating and more through Blue365®. BCBST members can also find tools and resources to help improve health and well-being by logging into BlueAccess and going to the Managing Your Health tab.