4. Understand your parent's diabetes.
Each person's experience with diabetes is different. What things are hard for your friend to manage? What things are easy? Find out what your loved one needs.
Try asking these questions.
- What do I do that helps you with your diabetes?
- What things are harder for you to do because of your diabetes?
- What do I do that makes it harder for you to manage your diabetes?
- What can I do to help you more than I do now?
Instead of nagging, find ways to be helpful.
5. Get Regular, Ongoing Care
As a caregiver, it is important that you see your elderly parent's health care team regularly to check for problems that diabetes can cause. Regular check-ups help to prevent problems or find them early when they can be treated and managed well. Along with the checks of your A1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol (see Principle 5), here are some tests that your aging parent will need:
- Triglycerides (a type of blood fat)
- Dilated eye exam to check for eye problems
- Complete foot exam to check for circulation, loss of feeling, sores, or changes in shape
- Urine test to check for kidney problems
- Dental exams to prevent gum disease and loss of teeth
Ask your doctor about these and other tests your loved one may need to have.
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