For Family and Carers Information for carers of people living with diabetes Living with diabetes requires daily care and attention. As the carer of someone living with diabetes, you are a vital member of their healthcare team. You might help them with their medication, make and accompany them to medical appointments or help with their day-to-day living needs. Your support is absolutely vital to their health and wellbeing. When caring for someone with diabetes, having a care plan from their doctor can give you helpful guidance and structure around how best to support them. Talking with their diabetes team, GP, or a practice nurse about their care needs can also help you access services like homecare nursing. This can offer you some down time and help to support the quality care you provide. Caring for someone with diabetes can be challenging at times. It’s very important that you get the support you need to manage your own well-being. It may be useful to explore your local community for support programs so that you don’t feel alone in facing these challenges. Diabetes Australia provides a range of support services, including: Community education and prevention programs for people with or at risk of diabetes, their carers and family. A dedicated Helpline for anyone seeking support or information including advice from health professionals on diabetes, its complications and prevention strategies. A diabetes counselling service for anyone needing advice and support for the stress and anxiety which can come from caring for a loved one with diabetes. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander specific education and support. Education and programs in a number of different languages that offer culturally appropriate diabetes information. (link to multicultural resources page) Educational forums and events where people living with diabetes and their carers can meet and support one another and learn about the latest in diabetes research and management. The NDSS Diabetes Youth Zone has information for parents, including a short video series take you through the initial steps you can take with your child upon diagnosis, and a library of resources to support your as your child grows and transitions into adult care. Contact us to find out more about any of these support services. The Federal Government’s Carer Gateway also has a range of information and advice to help you learn more about being a carer. When your child has diabetes Raising a child is both wonderfully rewarding and hugely challenging. If your child has been diagnosed with diabetes, those challenges can increase greatly and it’s common to feel overwhelmed. Always remember that your child can lead a healthy and happy life with the right care and support Children are totally dependent on their parents and carers, so it’s normal to feel fatigued and frustrated with the demands of managing diabetes. We have some suggestions that may help. Make diabetes normal With young children, incorporating play into their diabetes routine can really help. For example, pretending to give their teddy bear an injection or pushing the button on the meter with teddy’s paw, can help children begin to understand and normalise their diabetes routine. DiaBuddies Days are organised to enable families with kids with type 1 diabetes to come together to celebrate life and form supportive connections with each other on the journey with diabetes. Find out more about DiaBuddies. Don’t be afraid to ask for help Your diabetes healthcare team is always there for support and guidance. Ask for support from your partner, family and friends. Share diabetes-related tasks with them. Encourage others to attend education sessions or support groups to learn more about diabetes, so they are better able to provide you with support. Share your feelings with others such as your partner, friends or relatives, support groups, your doctor, or other health professionals such as a social worker or psychologist. Support groups can be a great place to pick up and share tips and tricks or just talk about how you feel with people who are experiencing similar challenges. Meeting other children and families can be helpful. Check out our DiaBuddies days Keep in touch with your diabetes educator (CDE). Ongoing education can help you and your child during different stages. Make time for yourself Managing the daily demands of your child’s diabetes may seem to take up most of your time, but to care for your child you need to take care of yourself, so find time for yourself as well. It’s an important and worthwhile investment to help you cope with the daily demands of parenting. More Information You can find more information and tips regarding young people and diabetes and diabetes at school on our website, or contact us for more information.
