5 tips for diabetes caregivers: helping loved ones take control of their health
The content in this article should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult your healthcare provider regarding your individual health needs.
For people living with diabetes, it can be a long and challenging journey to find a balance between living their lives and managing their health. Along the way there’s much to learn, from monitoring glucose levels to understanding food choices and the impact of different medications. As a result, many experience frustration, burnout, and anxiety. Having support from caregivers or loved ones can make a world of difference, especially to those who are struggling.
If you're a caregiver, here are 5 tips for caring for and helping someone manage their diabetes:
1. Take some time to educate yourself
Diabetes is a complicated disease. By educating yourself, you can play a more active role in helping someone manage it. This allows you to have more effective discussions, provide better support, and understand any health changes happening with the person in your care. Also, knowing how insurance works gives you the ability to explore more options for medication and tools available to help with daily management.
2. Team up with your loved one's doctors
Because diabetes is a lifelong condition, treatment and management can change over time. It’s important to make sure your loved one has regularly scheduled check-ins with their doctors. At these appointments, you can work with the doctor to develop and adjust their treatment plan.
Even if you and your loved one are well educated on diabetes, doctors can always offer additional insights, knowledge, and personalized guidance. Suggestions coming from doctors can sometimes be more persuasive to patients than suggestions from their caregivers. Therefore, facilitating communication between them can help everyone reach a consensus smoothly.
smart devices sold separately.*
3. Have ongoing, supportive discussions
Diabetes requires ongoing attention, especially when it comes to making lifestyle and medication adjustments that might be needed when the patient’s condition changes. Making decisions can be challenging and setting some time aside to have deliberate discussions to offer support and suggestions can be especially impactful.
Research shows that having teamwork discussions with your loved one can help improve their quality of life and health outcomes. Topics of discussion may include good food choices, appropriate exercises or activities, the effectiveness of new medications, and more. This approach helps patients feel less isolated and more supported.
Smart device sold separately.*
4. Make the most of Dexcom G7
The Dexcom G7 Continous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) System is a useful tool for keeping track of glucose trends and allowing users to see how food, activity, and medication impact their glucose levels in real-time. It also allows them to share their CGM data with their doctor, supporting more informed, data-driven discussions at office visits. If your loved one isn’t already using Dexcom CGM, ask their doctor at the next appointment. Most people with coverage pay $20 or less.†,2
Dexcom G7 also allows users to share their CGM data with up to 10 followers.‡ This enables caregivers and others to see glucose data remotely, so they can stay actively engaged with their loved one's health, remind them to grab a snack or take insulin, and be aware if their glucose drops too low (hypoglycemia). A study of caregivers also revealed that they felt CGM data-sharing contributed to a better relationship with their loved ones with diabetes.3
smartdevice sold seprately*
5. Don't forget to look after yourself
Looking after someone and helping them manage a health condition can be overwhelming, so it’s important to also take care of yourself. One of the best ways to do this is to find ways to relax and reduce your stress. Consider engaging in fun activities during your free time, enjoying a good meal, or incorporating regular exercise into your routine.
Most importantly, look after your mental health and don't hesitate to seek advice or support if needed.
Get started on Dexcom G7
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with diabetes and not using CGM, talk to your doctor about Dexcom G7. We can help you get started with a free benefits check. Fill out a quick form to send us basic information and we'll take it from there.
Related stories
5 tips for diabetes caregivers: helping loved ones take control of their health
Are you a caregiver for someone living with diabetes? These five tips will help you care for loved ones and support them in better managing their diabetes.
Diabetes discussions: caring for kids with CGM
Nurse practitioner Kacie Doyle-Delgado and a mother of two kids with type 1 diabetes discuss about the peace of mind a CGM brings when caring for kids with diabetes.
Diabetes discussions: food and activity
David Padilla shares how real-time continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data helps him take better health decisions, control his diabetes, and enjoy food.
*An internet connection is required for users to send their glucose data to Dexcom Clarity via a compatible smart device: dexcom.com/compatibility. †Individual pricing may vary depending on insurance coverage. IQVIA FIA retail data, paid sensor claims from 1/1/2022 to 2/28/2023, cost reflects monthly payments. ‡Separate Dexcom Follow app and internet connection required.
1 Polonsky, WH and Fortmann, AL. J Diabetes Sci Technol. 2022 Jan;16(1):97-105. 2 Dexcom, data on file, 2023. 3 Kristianingrum ND, Ramadhani DA, Hayati YS, Setyoadi S. J Public Health Res.2021;10(2):2227.
BRIEF SAFETY STATEMENT: Failure to use the Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitoring System and its components according to the instructions for use provided with your device and available at https://www.dexcom.com/safety-information and to properly consider all indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions, and cautions in those instructions for use may result in you missing a severe hypoglycemia (low blood glucose) or hyperglycemia (high blood glucose) occurrence and/or making a treatment decision that may result in injury. If your glucose alerts and readings from the Dexcom CGM do not match symptoms, use a blood glucose meter to make diabetes treatment decisions. Seek medical advice and attention when appropriate, including for any medical emergency.