Could You Be Suffering from Diabetes Care Burnout?
From beginning to end, a day in the life of someone with diabetes is brimming with a range of tasks to keep the disease under control. Between medications, insulin injections, checking blood sugar levels, exercising, and handling nutritional requirements, it’s common to become overwhelmed.
Home & Hearth Caregivers’ Illinois in-home elder care experts understand the challenges and struggles of diabetes care management, and provide the following tips to help minimize stress and remain in optimal health:
- Remember, no one’s perfect. Effective diabetes care does not mean having to be perfect with care every single day. Some days will simply be better than others and it is important to be forgiving for a periodic glucose fluctuation and then learn from errors.
- Identify care obstacles. Barriers to diabetic care management could be:
- Requiring more information/education on proper diabetic care
- Staying away from circumstances that could interfere with a care schedule
- Excuses to defeat regarding getting sufficient exercise
- Eating habits that may be influenced more by emotions than hunger
- Depression or other emotional concerns
- Stay positive. Throughout everything, a positive perspective can go a very long way. Instead of thinking, “I’ll never be able to manage my diabetes—I might as well plan on having health problems,” try thinking, “I didn’t pay enough attention to my portion sizes at dinner; that is why my blood sugar is elevated. I need to plan ahead and keep portion sizes in line with my meal plan or cover with extra insulin if I eat more than I intend.”
- Accept help. Family members, friends and coworkers often provide a great shoulder to lean on. Just let them know what is helpful and what to watch for. Home care is also an excellent resource for diabetic care support and encouragement.
For more tips on easing the burden of diabetes care management, contact Home & Hearth Caregivers at 800-349-0663. Our compassionate and highly skilled elder care team is on hand to plan and prepare nutritious and delicious meals, pick up prescription medications, provide transportation to doctors’ appointments, and much more. And we’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for your senior loved one according to his or her preferences and schedule. We look forward to helping make life easier and more enjoyable for you and the seniors you love!