Diabetes Caregiving: Helping a Loved One, Chapter 6: Caring for an Older Parent
Planning Ahead for Changing Needs
Plan early for changing care needs, using one current medicine list and a named backup person.
Start a simple plan for how care needs might change and who will help with them.
Needs can change fast, and hard choices are harder in a rush.
Talk about care wishes early, while things feel calm. Your parent leads, and you listen and take notes. A plan made together is easier to follow later.
It is like packing a bag before a trip, not during a storm.
Keep one current list of every medicine your parent takes. Add over-the-counter products and supplements too. Add allergies and the names of their doctors.
Update it after any change, and bring it to every appointment. Ask the doctor or pharmacist to review it once a year.
Name a backup person who knows where this list is kept. They can step in when you cannot help.
Online diabetes coaching is one kind of support some families use. Before you use any service, check who is behind it.
Look for the coach's training, credentials (proof of that training) and clear contact details. Clear details help you check a coach before you rely on them.
Key takeaways
- Talk about care wishes early, while things feel calm.
- One current list holds every medicine, allergy and doctor.
- Name a backup person, and check an online coach's training first.
Try it
Today, think of one person who could step in, and ask if they would be willing.