Tips to Support a Loved One with Diabetes
Food and nutrition choices
Consider someone’s personal eating habits when helping to prepare a diabetes-friendly
meal plan for them. You can also think about what time of day he or she usually
eats.
These are some important factors when making food choices:
- Include vegetables, whole grains, fruits, low-fat meat and dairy, beans, and fish
in the meal plan
- Look for ways to include “good fats”, such as almonds, pecans, and olive oil
- Find a good, balanced mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats
- Carefully measure portion size
- Limit the amount of “junk food” (such as candy, chips, pastries, and other high-calorie
snacks) in
the house
A dietitian or nutritionist
can be helpful for creating a meal plan. They can also answer questions you may
have about food for people with diabetes and help provide recipes and create shopping
lists.
Communicating with doctors
Your support means a lot to your loved one. When you come along during visits to
the doctor, you can help make the visit more productive in several ways:
- Remember and write down questions and concerns that you have about your loved one’s
condition. You can ask them during your visit
- During your visit, ask the doctor to repeat anything that seems unclear, especially
if it seems like your loved one feels the same way
- You can write down what the doctor says during your visit and compare notes with
your loved one afterward
Caring for yourself
The role of caregiver can be a lot of pressure. Your loved one depends on you to
help them manage their diabetes and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
One thing to remember in all of this is to take care of your own needs. With all
of the time and energy you devote to your loved one, your needs may get lost in
the mix. Remember, if you’re not taking good care of yourself, you won’t be able
to care for someone else.
Be sure to go out and do the things you normally do to relieve stress. This could
be attending a yoga class, spending an afternoon at the park, or simply relaxing
with friends. You should also consider taking a vacation once or twice a year, even
if it’s just for a long weekend.
Caregivers of Levemir® FlexPen® Users
Levemir® FlexPen® is an insulin analog that works all day, when taken once or twice daily, with a low rate of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar.
When you’re using Levemir® FlexPen®, you have support in the form of
financial assistance and rich tools
and support on LevemirCare™.
