Reach Out to Loved Ones Living with Diabetes. People with diabetes need to eat right, stay active, and take their medication. They need to keep their blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol under control. And that’s on top of handling all the other things in life! That’s why people with diabetes need the support of their friends and family, and why the National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) has tools to help.
Friends and family can be active participants in diabetes self-management, helping their loved ones learn and remember key diabetes tips to help manage their disease. Many older adults need extra support getting to the grocery store or running other errands; older adults with diabetes may have more urgent needs. You can also help by driving loved ones to their medical appointments and helping them keep an eye out for possible complications. And you can have fun together: share healthy recipes, take walks around town, or even go caroling!
For advice on how to help a loved one with diabetes, download or order a copy of NDEP’s “Tips for Helping a Person with Diabetes.” Developed in partnership with the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), the tip sheet also includes a list of resources where you can find additional support and some great ideas from diabetes educators, nutritionists, and other health care professionals.
For people with diabetes, NDEP’s “Tips to Help You Feel Better and Stay Healthy” shares the good news that diabetes self-management can not only help people feel better, stay healthy, and have more energy, but also reduce their risk for the complications of diabetes. This easy-to-read tip sheet is available in both English and Spanish.
People with diabetes need all the support they can get. Your local health department and the NDEP can help you help your loved ones manage their diabetes and stay healthy! For more information about diabetes or diabetes classes call the local health department and ask to speak to the diabetes educator. You may also find more information on the website at . Follow LCDHD on Facebook at facebook.com/LCDHD or Twitter at twitter.com/LCDHD.
Visit the NDEP website at ndep.nih.gov to download free copies of all materials, or call 1-800-438-5383 to order copies from our clearinghouse. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP) is jointly sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with the support of more than 200 partners.