3.2 Explain how to work with an individual, and or their carer, to optimise self-care skills

This guide will help you answer 3.2 Explain how to work with an individual, and or their carer, to optimise self-care skills.

Helping a person with diabetes to look after themselves well takes patience, clear communication and practical support. It also needs a good understanding of their daily routines, preferences, and any challenges they face. When working with the person, and if appropriate their carer, the focus is to help them to manage their condition independently where possible and to prevent long-term complications.

Diabetes and Its Impact

Diabetes is a long-term health condition that affects how the body processes blood glucose. There are different types, with Type 1 and Type 2 being the most common. In Type 1 diabetes the body cannot produce insulin. In Type 2 diabetes the body either does not make enough insulin or cannot use it effectively. Gestational diabetes can occur during pregnancy.

Diabetes can affect many parts of daily life. It requires careful attention to food choices, activity levels, medication, and checking blood glucose levels. Poor management can lead to serious health issues such as heart disease, kidney problems, nerve damage, and vision loss.

Building a Supportive Relationship

A trusting relationship is the basis for helping someone with diabetes to improve self-care skills. If the person feels respected and listened to, they are more willing to share problems, ask questions, and try new habits.

Ways to build trust include:

• Speaking in plain English without medical jargon
• Listening actively without interrupting
• Respecting cultural or personal choices
• Showing empathy for challenges they face
• Praising small successes

The carer, if they are involved, should also feel included and respected. This helps create consistency in how advice is followed.

Assessing Current Skills and Needs

Before offering advice or training, it is important to understand what the person can already do for themselves and where they need help. This may include:

• Checking if they can use their glucose monitor correctly
• Asking how they store and take their medication
• Understanding their usual diet and meal preparation habits
• Discussing how they manage exercise and rest
• Asking about any recent symptoms or changes

The assessment should be done in a supportive way so the person does not feel judged. The aim is to find out what is working well and what can be improved.

Setting Realistic Goals

Agreeing on clear, achievable goals helps keep the person motivated and allows progress to be monitored. Goals should be based on the person’s abilities and lifestyle rather than an unrealistic standard.

Examples could include:

• Checking blood glucose every morning and before main meals
• Reducing sugary snacks to one day a week
• Increasing walking time by ten minutes a day
• Learning to use an insulin pen without help

Goals should be reviewed regularly with the person and adapted if their needs change.

Providing Clear Information

Knowledge is central to self-care in diabetes. The person and their carer need accurate and up-to-date information to make good decisions. This includes:

• What diabetes is and how it affects the body
• What type of diabetes they have and how it is managed
• The importance of regular glucose monitoring
• How food, exercise, and stress affect blood sugar
• Safe storage and correct use of medication
• Signs and treatment of low and high blood sugar

Information should be presented in a way the person understands. Written reminders, diagrams, or step-by-step guides may be helpful. If English is not their first language, translations or interpreter support should be used.

Supporting Blood Glucose Monitoring Skills

Checking blood glucose is a daily task for many people with diabetes. To optimise self-care, the person should be confident in:

• Using the glucose meter correctly
• Understanding when to check levels
• Recording the results in a logbook or app
• Interpreting what the readings mean
• Knowing how to respond to high or low results

Workers can support by observing how the person uses their meter, showing them correct technique, and explaining the importance of clean hands and correct storage of test strips.

Encouraging Healthy Eating Habits

Diet plays a big role in controlling blood sugar. Supporting the person in making healthy choices does not mean banning all favourite foods. It is about balance and portion control.

Practical ways to support include:

• Discussing the role of carbohydrates and how they affect blood sugar
• Helping with meal planning that fits their culture and taste preferences
• Encouraging regular meals to avoid sudden changes in blood glucose
• Promoting higher fibre foods, vegetables, and lean proteins
• Suggesting healthier swaps for high sugar items

Cooking sessions or food shopping support can help the person and their carer put advice into practice.

Promoting Physical Activity

Regular physical activity helps lower blood sugar, improves circulation, and supports general health. The worker can support by:

• Discussing activities the person enjoys
• Encouraging short regular walks if long sessions are hard
• Advising on safe exercise when blood sugars are low or high
• Helping them build activity into daily routines like walking to the shop or using stairs more often

For those with reduced mobility, gentle chair exercises or stretching routines can be shown. All activities should be safe for the client’s health condition.

Supporting Medication Management

Insulin and other diabetes medicines must be taken correctly to be effective. Support may include:

• Teaching the person how to use insulin pens, syringes or pumps
• Helping set reminders for medication times
• Explaining how certain meals or exercise may affect medication needs
• Checking they understand how to store medication safely
• Helping them dispose of sharps correctly in a sharps bin

If the carer is involved in giving medication, they should be trained to follow the correct procedure.

Recognising and Responding to Problems

Part of self-care is knowing when something is wrong and acting quickly. The person and carer should be able to recognise:

• Low blood sugar signs such as sweating, shaking, confusion, or blurred vision
• High blood sugar signs such as thirst, frequent urination, tiredness, or nausea
• When to treat at home with fast acting glucose
• When to seek medical help

Workers can role-play scenarios with the person and their carer to build confidence in responding.

Emotional and Social Support

Self-care skills are affected by mood, confidence, and social support. Living with a long-term condition can be frustrating and tiring. Workers should:

• Encourage the person to talk about how they feel
• Link them to peer support groups or online forums
• Support them in stress management techniques such as relaxation or breathing exercises
• Recognise signs of depression or anxiety and refer for help if needed

The carer’s wellbeing is important too. They may also need emotional support and breaks from caring.

Reviewing and Adjusting the Self-care Plan

Regular reviews give a chance to celebrate successes and adapt plans as health or circumstances change. Reviews may include:

• Checking progress towards goals
• Reassessing skills such as insulin use
• Updating dietary advice if needed
• Setting new goals for the next period

Review meetings should be positive and constructive, aiming to keep the person motivated rather than focusing only on what has not worked.

Working in Partnership with Other Professionals

To support full self-care, workers may need to liaise with:

• Diabetes specialist nurses
• Dietitians
• Pharmacists
• GPs
• Podiatrists for foot care
• Ophthalmologists for eye checks

With consent, sharing progress and concerns with the healthcare team helps provide consistent messages and prevents conflicting advice.

Recording and Confidentiality

All advice, training sessions, and agreed plans should be recorded according to workplace policy. Records should be:

• Accurate
• Up-to-date
• Confidential

Only those who are authorised should access these records. This protects the person’s privacy and meets legal requirements such as the Data Protection Act 2018.

Cultural Sensitivity in Diabetes Self-care

Culture influences diet, activity, and health beliefs. Workers should respect and adapt advice to fit cultural needs. Examples include:

• Suggesting healthier versions of traditional meals
• Respecting fasting periods but helping adapt medication and monitoring routines
• Understanding that exercise preferences may differ

By taking culture into account, advice is more likely to be followed.

Involving the Carer Effectively

A carer may be a family member, friend, or paid worker. Their involvement can make a big difference in how well a person manages diabetes.

Workers can support carers by:

• Including them in education sessions
• Providing written or visual reminders for daily routines
• Encouraging positive reinforcement rather than criticism
• Helping them understand signs of blood sugar changes
• Making sure they know what to do in an emergency

Where possible, carers should support independence, stepping in only when needed.

Encouraging Self-motivation and Independence

While carers and staff can support, the aim is for the person to take control of their condition. Encouragement can come from:

• Letting them take the lead in checking blood sugar or preparing food
• Gradually reducing the level of assistance as confidence grows
• Celebrating each achievement, no matter how small
• Reminding them of the health benefits of their actions

This helps avoid over-reliance on others and builds self-belief.

Final Thoughts

Supporting someone with diabetes to optimise their self-care is about working together with respect, patience, and encouragement. It involves understanding their abilities, challenges, and preferences, then providing the right information and tools to help. Building trust and focusing on small achievable changes makes a big difference over time.

Including the carer in this process can improve consistency, reduce mistakes, and create a stronger support network. At every stage the aim is to support the person to live more independently, manage their condition well, and enjoy the best possible quality of life.