DIAGNOSIS

get family on board

Living with diabetes on your own is hard. Uncooperative family and friends can hinder diabetes management. Whether it’s your sister complaining about you ditching your weekly pizza dates or your spouse micromanaging everything you put in your mouth, you can use various strategies to help loved ones be more helpful and less damaging.

3 Ways to Help Friends and Family “Get It”

1. Educate Many people are confused about what diabetes is and how to manage it, and they often make comments or recommendations based on unreliable, inaccurate, or unrealistic information. Invite friends and family members to a diabetes education or support group. Ask your spouse or partner to join you at a doctor’s appointment or CDE visit to get credible information firsthand. He or she is more likely to listen to info coming from an authoritative figure.

2. Request Specifics A direct request detailing how family can help is often best. Some examples: provide a shopping list of healthful foods to keep on hand; ask for reminders for medication or glucose testing schedules; get help with stress management techniques, such as regular massages (stress can elevate your blood glucose and trigger the urge to eat when you’re not hungry). Ask someone to take on a chore so you can go for a walk.

3. Make It a Family Affair Explain how eating better and moving more can benefit everyone. Try a new recipe together. Take up a new physical hobby as a family, such as kayaking or biking. At a restaurant, share a meal. Better yet, suggest outings that don’t center around food, such as a trip to a museum or a Sunday afternoon visit to your nearest park. And remember: If family or friends continue to blow off your requests and disregard what’s best for you, it’s OK to explain that you may have to limit contact to stay healthy.

7 tips for loved ones

(Feel free to copy and give to a family member!)

1. AVOID BLAME AND SHAME. PWDs have a lot to handle, and they need your support more than anything. Blaming only adds to stress.

2. LISTEN to the PWD’s wants and needs.

3. LEARN ABOUT DIABETES and how it can affect the body and emotions.

4. JOIN THEIR NEW HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. Try to eat like a PWD and exercise together.

5. PROVIDE HELP. Ask what the PWD needs. For example, help make a healthy dinner or offer rides to the pharmacy.

6. BE A CHEERLEADER. Encourage PWDs and remind them they’re doing a good job.

7. PROVIDE ACCOUNTABILITY. For example, you can offer to hear a weekly update on goals and act as a sounding board for new strategies.

how to model a healthier family

If words fail, lead by example.

• Invite loved ones to medical appointments to help them understand the seriousness of the disease.

• Live your life in a healthful way: Limit alcohol intake, stay active, eat well, and don’t smoke, .

• Help everyone focus on other health goals that make managing diabetes even more worth it. Some examples are improving your tennis game and keeping up with the grandchildren.

• Ask loved ones to join you on your journey: What’s good for me is also good for you.

• Keep tempting foods out of the house. If you buy it, you’ll be more tempted to eat it.