Healthwise
To print: Use your web browser's print feature. Close this window after printing.

Diabetes: Caregiving for an Older Adult

Table of Contents


Overview

Caring for an older adult with diabetes may feel like a lot to take on. Caregiving can be challenging at times because what seems best for that person may not be what they want. You may worry about invading their privacy or free will. There's also the stress of learning how to manage diabetes and often other health problems. No less important, you need good health and balance in your own life.

How can you be a good caregiver and take care of yourself? First, team up with the person and their doctor. And don't try to do it all.

Learning the art of caregiving

Caregiving is a selfless way of thinking, asking, listening, and responding. That can mean:

A main goal of caregiving is to help the person you're caring for have the best quality of life possible. To learn what that means for them, try asking questions like:

Help and support in any way you can, based on your time and ability. If there are critical needs that you can't meet, talk about them with the person you are caring for. Think about having more than one caregiver, or maybe a home health aide.

Teaming up with the doctor

Here are some ways to help your partner team up with their doctor to get the best care.

Helping them make good food choices

A person with diabetes doesn't need to eat special foods. They can eat what other people eat, including sweets once in a while. But it's important to pay attention to how often and how much they eat of certain foods.

To prevent big jumps and drops in blood sugar, it helps to:

Some good examples of snacks or small meals are a small apple with a tablespoon of peanut butter or half a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread.

When a person with diabetes isn't eating well, it's easy to take on the role of "food police." If you are struggling with this challenge, try to shift your approach. Here's an example.

Taking care of yourself

Taking care of yourself is your most important step as a caregiver. Caregiving can be stressful and cause feelings of depression and anxiety in some people. Here are some important things you need to find time to do—just for yourself.


References

Citations

  1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (2018). Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd ed. https://health.gov/paguidelines/second-edition. Accessed July 9, 2018.

Credits for Diabetes: Caregiving for an Older Adult

Current as of: November 16, 2023

Author: Healthwise Staff (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
Clinical Review Board (https://www.healthwise.org/specialpages/legal/abouthw/en)
All Healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.


Note: The "printer friendly" document will not contain all the information available in the online document. Some information (e.g. cross-references to other topics, definitions or medical illustrations) is only available in the online version.

© 1995-2024 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.
This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information.

The Health Encyclopedia contains general health information. Not all treatments or services described are covered benefits for Kaiser Permanente members or offered as services by Kaiser Permanente. For a list of covered benefits, please refer to your Evidence of Coverage or Summary Plan Description. For recommended treatments, please consult with your health care provider.