Making diabetes management work for the whole household
You might say diabetes is a family affair. Diabetes affects the entire household.
For example, if you are responsible for preparing meals for the family, others may not want to eat what you prepare. Teens may resist eating at regular times. Family members might not like the fact that you need to spend more time managing your diabetes.
Also, since the risk of diabetes can run in families, there might be more than one person in your home with diabetes. Lifestyle factors can also increase the risk for type 2 diabetes, so if you have diabetes, other people in your family may also be at risk, including your children.
When you have diabetes, having the loving support of the people in your life can make it much easier to cope. Sometimes, though, you may not get the understanding and support you need from your loved ones. In fact, sometimes they may actually interfere with your diabetes management.
The first step in your own healthy coping is to understand why your loved ones may be reacting in such unhelpful ways. Here are some possible reasons:
- They simply don’t understand diabetes or the importance of your diabetes care plan
- They don’t recognize the benefits that adopting your new healthy lifestyle can have for them, especially if they share your family history of diabetes
- They’re trying to be supportive, but they’re not going about it in the right way
- They don’t understand how to help you
With a little work, you can help your loved ones understand how they can support you in your diabetes management efforts.
Improve your coping by getting the support you need
Here are some tips to help get your loved ones support
- Help them learn more about diabetes. When they know more about diabetes care, they will be better able to support you in a helpful way.
- Be specific about the help you want. Be clear about the things they can do that will be helpful. Also, talk about things they do that don’t help. Try not to let any frustration you may be feeling get in the way. When you talk with loved ones about your needs, try to be patient and listen to their needs and viewpoint.
Get the whole household involved
It will be easier for you to stick to a healthy meal plan and stay active if the whole household is involved in similar efforts. The kinds of healthy lifestyle changes you need to make can most likely benefit your loved ones, too. If your loved ones are resistant, try making small changes at first. Soon, you’ll probably find that everyone has adopted healthier lifestyle habits, almost without noticing it.
In summary
It will be easier for you to follow your diabetes care plan if you have the support of your loved ones. However, you may need to ask for the exact type of support you need. A healthy lifestyle will not only be a benefit to you, but can also benefit other members of your family who may also be at risk for type 2 diabetes.
