According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), 1.4 million people will be diagnosed with diabetes this year. While there is a great diabetes community to connect with, creating an in-home support system for diabetes care is one of the most effective tools for successful, long-term management. A new diagnosis may come with challenges, but when you make changes as a family and have a strong support system at home, things can feel a bit less overwhelming. Here, we'll go over some key information on how to support a loved one with diabetes.
Understanding the Family Impact of Diabetes
A chronic condition like diabetes changes more than just medical routines. In many instances, a new diabetes diagnosis in the family can require a bit of reshaping and restructuring of routines. If you or a loved one has been newly diagnosed with diabetes, here are a few changes that may occur within the family structure.
- Emotional Stress: Although diabetes is a manageable condition that doesn't necessarily equate to long-term complications, a new diagnosis may be associated with fear, worry, and uncertainty.
- Lifestyle Changes: Diabetes can affect how your day-to-day life looks, especially regarding food and medication use. Meal planning, grocery shopping, and other lifestyle choices may need to shift.
- Financial Planning: Although many insurance policies cover the tools and resources for life with diabetes, there may still be some added costs. Medications, supplies, and doctor visits can add up quickly, even with insurance. Updating your financial plan for diabetes management can make a big difference.
- Role Changes: Helping a loved one manage their diabetes can require a change in responsibilities throughout the family. Whether it's by helping them take medication or working to create more blood sugar-friendly meals, family members may need to take on a caregiving role or at least offer diabetes support when necessary.
- Communication Struggles: A new diagnosis is going to come with a bit of a learning curve, especially if no one else in your family has it. Working with a Certified Diabetes Care & Education Specialist (CDCES) can help you avoid misunderstandings and learn how to prevent frustration early on.
The Emotional Impact of a Diabetes Diagnosis on Families
When offering help and support to the person who has diabetes in your family, it's essential to consider some of the emotions they may be experiencing. Regardless of their age, it's good to encourage your loved ones to express themselves. Other family members may also share similar feelings, especially in parents of children with a new diagnosis. It's essential to validate these feelings, as acknowledging emotions is a vital step in healthy coping mechanisms and better mental health overall. Some of the most common emotions include fear, anxiety, guilt, blame, frustration, sadness, and even grief. It's completely normal to have these emotions, but if you or your loved one is struggling with processing them, seeing a mental health professional can be highly beneficial.
How to Support a Loved One With Diabetes
Supporting someone who has just been diagnosed with diabetes goes beyond managing medications and meal plans. It’s about creating an environment where they feel understood and empowered. Whether you’re a spouse, parent, child, sibling, or close friend of someone with diabetes, your role can make a big difference in how your loved one adjusts to life with diabetes. Some tips to help you support a friend or family member living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes (or any form of diabetes) include the following:
1. Provide Emotional Support
A new diagnosis can come with an array of emotions, as people have a misconception that diabetes requires constant control and meticulous management. Still, it’s important to try to support your loved one as they process new information. Some things you can do include:
- Listen without judgment. Let your loved one share their thoughts and simply be present to hear them.
- Remind your loved one that diabetes is manageable and they don't have to face it alone.
- Try to encourage positivity without dismissing concerns. Avoid phrases like "it's not a big deal" and reconsider offering unwanted advice, especially if they haven't asked.
- Attend your loved one's doctor's appointments with them or look into diabetes support groups.
2. Be a Partner in Healthy Habits
Diabetes management often requires lifestyle adjustments, and this can be a lot easier when the whole family gets involved. This doesn't necessarily mean that you have to go from one extreme to the next, but even minor adjustments can go a long way in successfully managing diabetes. For example:
- Eat together as a family to help normalize healthy changes rather than singling out the person with diabetes.
- Prepare balanced, nutritious meals to help with blood sugar management that the entire family enjoys.
- Find ways to be active together. Go for family walks, play sports, or try new exercise classes.
- Try stocking the house with healthier snacks.
3. Help With Practical Management
Managing diabetes requires daily attention to detail, and it can sometimes feel overwhelming for one person to carry alone. However, understanding some symptoms and what to do in cases of high blood sugar or low blood sugar levels can ensure that everyone knows how to act.
- Learn about diabetes care. Understand what blood glucose monitoring is and how it works, along with the different types of insulin and diabetes medications.
- Ask your doctor for recommendations on physical activities that the whole family can enjoy.
- Research the symptoms of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) and what to do in case of an emergency.
- Understand what to do when blood sugar levels get too high (hyperglycemia).
- Assist with organization by keeping track of supplies, doctors' appointments, or refill schedules.
- Learn how stress can raise blood sugar levels and how relaxation techniques can help.
4. Respect Their Independence
Unless you're a parent trying to help a young child with their diabetes needs, give your loved one some autonomy. Being overbearing can sometimes be worse than ignoring the condition altogether and may even result in adverse outcomes.
- Avoid policing what they eat.
- Don't assume that your loved one needs (or wants) help with everything. Ask how you can provide the best support and let them prioritize their diabetes self-care in their own way.
- Respect their boundaries. If your support starts to feel controlling, it's better to take a step back.
Supporting a child with diabetes will require more of a hands-on approach, especially if they're still relatively young. You can find more information on what to do following a diabetes diagnosis in children here.
5. Support Through Challenges
Diabetes management isn’t always smooth. There will be times of burnout, discouragement, or setbacks. Learn how to support these moments in a way that helps your loved one let out their emotions and recenter. Some ways to do this include:
- Offer encouragement during tough times. Remind them that bad days don’t erase progress.
- Celebrate small victories. Recognize when goals are achieved, even if they seem relatively minor.
- Stay patient and avoid getting frustrated when they struggle; ongoing management can be complex, and compassion goes a long way.
A new diabetes diagnosis can feel overwhelming, not only for the person diagnosed but for the entire family. However, with a bit of patience and open communication, families can adapt in ways that bring them closer together and create healthier habits for everyone. To make sure you and your family have everything you need for ongoing diabetes management, Byram Healthcare is here. We carry a wide variety of online diabetes products that can be shipped directly to your doorstep. Browse our product catalog or contact us today for more information. And our free diabetes helpline has experts available to answer your questions: Call 1-877-902-9726, ext. 43397.
