1. Health
2. Other Concerns

Diabetes

• Article - 9 Things to Do When Your Parent Is Diagnosed With Diabetes

  A handy checklist of things you can do to help your parent when she's newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.

• Article - 15 Essential Diabetes Drug Tips

  15 tips for people with type 2 diabetes, and their caregivers, about taking oral medications

• Article - 12 Common Diabetes Myths Debunked

  Discover the truth about 12 common diabetes myths so you can help your parent with type 2 diabetes sort fact from fiction.

• Checklist - 10 People You Need on Your Diabetes Care Team

  Learn which doctors and other health specialists provide the medical help your parent with diabetes needs, and how to find them.

• Article - How to Help Your Parent With Type 2 Diabetes Deal With Stress

  Effective strategies to help your parent with type 2 diabetes deal with stress.

• Article - 8 Ways to Help Your Parent With Diabetes Handle Sick Days

  Eight tips to help your parent with type 2 diabetes deal with illnesses.

• Checklist - 25 Essential Questions to Ask Your Parent's Doctor About Type 2 Diabetes

  Whether you accompany your parent to doctors' appointments...

• Checklist - 10 Essential Diabetes Resources on the Web

  Ten trustworthy and invaluable websites that offer education and support for people with type 2 diabetes.

• Article - Monitoring Blood Glucose: What You Should Know to Help a Parent with Diabetes

  Monitoring the blood glucose of a parent with diabetes helps identify which treatments work best. Here are the basics of blood glucose monitoring.

• Article - 3 Acute Diabetes Complications You Can Help Your Parent Avoid

  Find out how to help your parent with type 2 diabetes avoid short-term complications such as low or high blood sugar (hypo- or hyperglycemia).

• Article - How to Help Your Parent With Diabetes Stick With Diet Recommendations

  Help your parent with diabetes make smart food choices. Educate yourself and them about what they can and can't eat without driving them crazy.

• Article - 2 Emergency Diabetes Complications You Can Help Your Parent Avoid

  Find out what you can do to help your parent with type 2 diabetes avoid two potentially life-threatening diabetes complications.

• Article - Drugs for Type 2 Diabetes: A Beginner's Guide

  A guide to the oral medications available to people with type 2 diabetes.

• Article - How to Help Your Parent Make Dietary Changes

  Advice on how to help your parent with chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease make dietary changes for the better.

Blog Posts

• Blog Post - Note to People With Arthritis and Diabetes: Move It or Lose It

  That's the advice coming out of a major new study linking diabetes to arthritis.

• Blog Post - With Diabetes, Diet and Dumbbells Make a Difference

  Making lifestyle changes can help people at risk for type 2 diabetes prevent or delay the disease, includes diet and exercise tips.

• Blog Post - Could You Have Diabetes -- And Not Know It?

  Find out if you're at risk for type 2 diabetes by taking the American Diabetes Association's Diabetes Risk Test.

• Blog Post - Got a Parent With Diabetes? Chew on This

  A new chewing gum, infused with the widely-prescribed diabetes drug metformin, is in development.

• Blog Post - Say What? Hearing Loss Common Among Adults with Diabetes

  NIH researchers discover that hearing loss is widespread among adults with type 2 diabetes.

• Blog Post - Dementia Caregivers: You Really Ought to Talk About It

  New study shows one on one therapy helps reduce the burden on caregivers and their depressive symptoms.

• Blog Post - Caregiving: Does it Have to Be This Hard?

  A summary of caregiving in the U.S. in 2008: some statistics and how it got this way

• Blog Post - Can You Keep Type 2 Diabetes at Bay With a Mediterranean Diet?

  Type 2 diabetes may be kept at bay by eating a Mediterranean diet, a new study suggests.

• Blog Post - Diabetes Studies: Good News? Bad News? Who Knows?

  How to make sense of drug study findings for people caring for parents with type 2 diabetes.

• Blog Post - Weighty Matters: Diabetes Drugs Can Pack on the Pounds

  Some prescription drugs, it turns out, have an unintended side effect: They lead to weight gain.

• Blog Post - Depressed? Try Sleeping It Off

  Research shows insomnia prolongs depression in some elderly people. Tips to help your parent sleep better -- and help her overcome depression.

• Blog Post - Seven Words of Wisdom for Dealing with Diabetes

  Find seven words of wisdom for dealing with diabetes.

• Blog Post - Yelling and Nagging: Not the Way to Keep Someone With Diabetes on Track

  Practical advice on how to help your parent or partner with diabetes comply with health recommendations.

• Blog Post - The Link Between Diabetes and Alzheimer's

  What to watch for and what you can do.

• Blog Post - Fat Belly Now Doubles Risk of Dementia Later

  A new study links belly fat in midlife with an increased risk of developing dementia later in life. It's the first-ever study to link excess weight to Alzheimer's-type dementias.

• Blog Post - Getting to the Heart of Recent Diabetes Findings

  Making sense of three type 2 diabetes studies, known as ACCORD. ADVANCE, and the Veterans Affairs Diabetes Trial, intense glucose control, and heart trouble.

• Blog Post - In Men With Type 2 Diabetes, Bedroom Blues May Signal a Broken Heart

  In men with type 2 diabetes, erectile dysfunction may be a warning sign for serious heart trouble, including heart attack and death.

• Blog Post - The Connection Between Diabetes and Sleep Apnea

  People with type 2 diabetes urged to get checked for sleep apnea.

• Blog Post - The Plot Thickens: Another Clue in the Alzheimer's-Diabetes Mystery

  New research may help explain the connection between diabetes and Alzheimer's disease. Plus tips if you suspect your parent with type 2 diabetes has Alzheimer's disease.

• Blog Post - A Drug for the Bones Causes Risk to the Heart

  New research shows that the osteoporosis drug Fosamax nearly doubles the risk of atrial fibrillation.

• Blog Post - Dementia Caregivers: Ready to Make Your Brain a Promise?

  Scary new statistics about Alzheimer's disease and dementia are a wake-up call to caregivers to take better care of themselves.

• Blog Post - Wanted: Companionship for a Dad with Diabetes

  How to find senior companionship for your aging and ailing parent.

• Blog Post - Old Meets New: High-Tech Toys Help Seniors Deal With Diabetes

  A handy list of high-tech gadgets that can help take the hassle out of dealing with diabetes for seniors and their caregivers.

• Blog Post - Healthy Gums May Keep Type 2 Diabetes in Check

  Type 2 diabetes and gum disease are linked. Here's a simple solution to dealing with this dilemma.

• Blog Post - A Big Butt May Keep Diabetes at Bay

  New research suggests that body fat found around the buttocks may help reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

• Blog Post - The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People With Diabetes

  Find advice from self-help writer Stephen R. Covey in a guide for people with type 2 diabetes and their caregivers called The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People with Diabetes.

• Blog Post - Should You Put Type 2 Diabetes to the Test?

  Researchers are asking whether daily self-monitoring is worth the effort and expense.

• Blog Post - Solutions for Seniors Who Struggle to Get Enough Zzzs

  Sleep problems are common among the elderly; find ways to help your parents get a good night's rest.

Questions & Answers

• Question - Is it OK if my mom with type 2 diabetes drinks alcohol?

  Know the guidelines, dangers, and precautionary measures involved in mixing alcohol with type 2 diabetes and hypoglycemia.

• Question - What can I do to get my mom to take her diabetes pills, which she doesn't think are keeping her blood sugar in check?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Should my dad, who’s scheduled to have an operation unrelated to his diabetes, keep up his normal diabetes routine?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What extra precautions should my dad with diabetes take when he has the flu?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - My dad eats lots of sweets and doesn't like to drink water--could he have diabetes?

  Find out if a sweet tooth or a lack of thirst are symptoms for type 2 diabetes.

• Question - How can I get my father with diabetes to eat appropriately?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I help my mom, who seems really down about her diabetes diagnosis?

  Offers guidance on helping your parent deal with depression following a diabetes diagnosis.

• Question - What can I cook for my diabetic husband?

  Find tips on how to help your newly diagnosed partner or parent with diabetes eat well.

• Question - Is type 2 diabetes less serious than type 1?

  My mom, just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, keeps it under control without taking insulin. So is type 2 diabetes less of a problem than insulin-dependent type 1?

• Question - Is diabetes affecting my mom's brain?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can a new diabetes drug also help my mother lose weight?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What's an A1c test and why is it important for my dad to take it?

  A diabetes expert gives you the scoop on A1c tests and why your parent with diabetes might need one.

• Question - Should my father, who has type 2 diabetes, avoid carbohydrates?

  Explains whether it's okay to cut out carbs completely to quickly lower blood sugar following a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.

• Question - How can I convince my stubborn father to see a doctor about his diabetes?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I help my parent figure out when her blood sugar is too high?

  Blood sugar needs to be monitored often when someone has type 2 diabetes. How do you help a person with diabetes keep track of glucose levels?

• Question - What's carbohydrate counting and should my dad do it?

  A diabetes expert gives you the scoop on why your parent might want to count carbohydrates and what carb counting means.

• Question - Because of her diabetes, my mom has nerve damage to her feet -- what kind of footwear does she need to avoid problems?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can we prevent my mom, who has type 2 diabetes, from constantly getting yeast infections and cystitis?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - My parent’s blood sugar is going up and down from 275 to 43 on metformin and glipizide, what should we do?

  When blood sugar goes up and down on Metaglip, what does it mean? Diabetes patients must see their doctor when blood sugar goes up and down wildly.

• Question - Does stress affect my parent's blood sugar levels?

  My mom is diabetic and has a tendency to get upset and anxious. Does stress have an impact on her blood sugar level, and if so, what can I do to help?

• Question - What is insulin resistance?

  What "insulin resistance" means, how it affects people with type 2 diabetes, and what you can do to treat the condition.

• Question - Does it matter when my dad takes his diabetes pills?

  This question has been answered by a Community Member

• Question - Will Lantus help with the dawn phenomenon?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Can a TIA have residual effects?

  An expert's perspective on the damage that can follow a transient ischemic attack.

• Question - Can the new drug Symlin help my overweight dad with diabetes?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Can diabetes cause depression and forgetfulness?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Does Medicare cover prescription eyeglasses?

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Should I let my dad, who has diabetes, drive?

  Help your parent with diabetes avoid hypoglycemic episodes while driving, and learn some legalities of driving with type 2 diabetes.

• Question - How do I handle my dad's denial about his diabetes?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I help my mom deal with high blood sugar, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol?

  Along with high blood sugar, someone with diabetes might also have high blood pressure and cholesterol. But she can reduce all three the same way.

• Question - How can I help my father deal with the "dawn phenomenon," or high blood sugar on awakening?

  Dawn phenomenon, having high blood sugar in the morning, is a common problem for diabetics. Get advice on dawn phenomenon treatment strategies.

• Question - What precautions should my dad, who has type 2 diabetes, take when traveling?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Should I be concerned that my mom has lumps where she injects insulin?

  Lumps under the skin from insulin injections (lipohypertrophy) may appear in someone with diabetes. Insulin like Novolog or Humalog might avoid these.

• Question - My mom has type 2 diabetes, so does that mean I'll get it?

  Know your risk factors for type 2 diabetes if one or both parents have the disease -- and the steps to take to avoid developing diabetes later on.

• Question - How long does insulin last once it's been opened?

  After I open a bottle of insulin, how long is it good for, how should I store it, and how do I know whether it's gone bad? Does insulin expire?

• Question - Should I take my 80-something parents with me to check out assisted living facilities for them or go alone?

  This question has been answered by two Community Members

• Question - Should my active parent check his blood sugar during exercise?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How do we help my mom, who has moved into an assisted living facility, "say goodbye" to her old home?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - How can I help boost my mother's mood after her bypass surgery?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Does Medicare help cover shoes for diabetics?

  Medicare Part B pay most of the cost of therapeutic shoes for people with diabetes-caused foot problems.

• Question - my husband doesnt understand severe fibromyalgia and how my...

  Unanswered. Can you help?

• Question - Could my mother's sleeping pills be causing her sundown syndrome?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - Do you have any healthy recipe suggestions for a stroke patient?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert and a Community Member

• Question - How can I help my mother handle low blood sugar incidents?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

• Question - What could be causing my 80-year-old father's repeated falls?

  This question has been answered by a Caring.com Expert

Tips & Reflections

• Tip - Safely Dispose of Used Diabetes Sharps

  Advice on how to safely dispose of used needles and lancets for people with diabetes and their caregivers.

• Tip - Medicare Coverage for Your Parent With Diabetes

  Find out what diabetes services and supplies are covered under Medicare.

• Tip - Easier Injecting With Insulin Pens

  An insulin pen may be the sharp of choice for the elderly with diabetes who need to inject insulin.

• Tip - Correctly Trim the Toenails of Your Parent With Diabetes

  Advice for people with diabetes and their caregivers on how to correctly cut toenails.

Links

• External Link - Diabetes Mine