Navigating Your Role as a Caregiver

With a chronic condition like diabetes, caregiving can be a long-term and often challenging commitment.1 This page serves as a quick reference guide to help support you in your role as a caregiver.

 

Table of Contents

Practical Tips Arrow icon
Support for Seniors Arrow icon
Important Reminders Arrow icon
Solutions for Success Arrow icon

How to Support Someone with Diabetes?

Some tips on how to help a person living with diabetes as well as day-to-day tasks that may help you include:1

  • Knowing how to help test blood sugar levels and understanding the results
  • Ensuring easy access to testing equipment and spare blood glucose test strips
  • Keeping track of daily blood glucose test results using a logbook or using digital tracking solutions to help monitor your loved one’s data
  • Helping to maintain good hygiene or perform light housework
  • Checking on your loved ones’ general well being
Type 1 and 2 Diabetes Assistance Programs with Financial Help
 

How to Support Someone with Diabetes?

Managing diabetes can be expensive. On average, people with diabetes incur annual medical expenditures of about $19,736, with roughly $12,022 directly attributable to diabetes. In fact, individuals with diabetes have medical costs that are 2.6x higher than what would be expected without the condition. Because of this financial burden, many people with diabetes need help covering their care costs.6

Assistance can come from private or government health insurance, local programs, patient support groups, and medical-assistance programs.

  • Being informed about financial assistance for people with diabetes and potential disability benefits. You can find a list of government and privately funded organizations that commit to supporting persons living with diabetes using comprehensive resources.
  • If your loved one is unable to work, you may want to explore options such as the SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance).
  • State financial assistance programs are also available.
  • Additional list of resources available with tools to support diabetes assistance.
 

Support for Seniors

There are some additional tips that may be particularly useful when helping manage diabetes in seniors, including ways to help you notice early signs of diabetes in a loved one who has not been diagnosed. Seniors may attribute symptoms to the natural aging process (i.e., frailty, difficulty walking, depression, dementia, changes in weight) rather than potential signs of diabetes onset2.

Advocate for screening when you suspect diabetes may be present, but more importantly, encourage healthy behavior, which is beneficial for all persons, including those of advanced age.2

 

How Can You Support Someone with Diabetes Emotionally?

There is an emotional component to living with diabetes. Below are some other reminders pertaining to how to help a person living with diabetes outside of treatment-related tips.3

Diabetes is a chronic condition. Your loved ones do not get a break from their condition. Sometimes, people living with diabetes may feel like a failure. Tell them that they are not failing and empathize with their daily struggles and range of challenges.

Worrying is normal. Complications, as well as financial and emotional burdens, can cause loved ones to worry. Remind them that this is okay. If you are concerned about something pertaining to your loved one’s physical health, kindly reach out to their healthcare provider to help determine appropriate next steps.

Education makes a difference. Learning about diabetes by attending healthcare appointments, diabetes education classes or conducting self-research from accredited sources can help you better support your loved one.

Resources are available. Apps can help your loved ones share blood glucose readings with their healthcare team and you, as well as learn how meals and activities are impacting their diabetes.

You are part of the journey, and you need support, too. Remember to prioritize your own well-being through self-care. If you are a sole caregiver, you may sometimes feel lonely or isolated. Joining diabetes support groups or online communities are just some of the ways you can feel connected to others going through similar experiences.

 

Remote Patient Monitoring Diabetes

You and your loved ones’ healthcare provider can access and monitor patient blood glucose readings remotely via Glucocontro.online. This hub works seamlessly with the CONTOUR®DIABETES app, which is free to download from the Apple App and Google Play Stores so that blood glucose readings can be more easily shared with healthcare teams and caregivers.

Explore purchasing options for all Blood Glucose Monitoring Systems

Explore purchasing options for all Blood Glucose Test Strips

Explore purchasing options for all CONTOUR®NEXT Bundles

Explore purchasing options for all Complementary Diabetes Products

Explore purchasing options for KETOSTIX® and Other Diabetes Testing Supplies

Related Articles

Choosing a Blood Glucose Meter

References:

  1. Sinclair AJ, Armes DG, Randhawa G, Bayer AJ. Caring for older adults with diabetes mellitus: characteristics of carers and their prime roles and responsibilities. Diabet Med. 2010;27(9):1055-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2010.03066.x. 
  2. Meneilly GS, Kimp A, Miller DB, et al. Diabetes Canada Clinical Practice Guidelines Expert Committee. 2018 Clinical Practice Guidelines: diabetes in older people. Can J Diabetes. 2018;42:S283-S295.
  3. Diabetes Canada. 10 ways to support your loved one with diabetes. Diabetes Canada. Published February 11, 2021. Accessed December 5, 2024. Available from https://www.diabetes.ca/about-diabetes/stories/10-ways-to-support-your-loved-one-with-diabetes.
  4. Living with diabetes. Government of Canada. Public Health Agency of Canada. Published December 28, 2023. Accessed December 5, 2024. Available from https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/chronic-diseases/diabetes/living-with-diabetes.html.
  5. Canada Pension Plan disability benefits. Government of Canada. Modified September 20, 2024. Accessed December 5, 2024. Available from https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/publicpensions/cpp/cpp-disability-benefit.html
  6. Parker ED, Lin J, Mahoney T, Ume N, Yang G, Gabbay RA, ElSayed NA, Bannuru RR. Economic Costs of Diabetes in the U.S. in 2022. Diabetes Care. 2024 Jan 1;47(1):26-43. doi: 10.2337/dci23-0085. PMID: 37909353.