Non-medical diabetes care in Gainesville can help an older adult follow the daily routines already set by their medical team. Care Pros assist with various tasks, including meal preparation, reminders, organization, transportation, and others. Care Pros will not diagnose diabetes, alter treatment, determine the significance of a reading, or provide clinical care.
That is important. Diabetes has a clinical side, but daily life still continues grocery shopping, meal preparation, scheduling appointments, maintaining household activities, and remembering what comes next.
I think of diabetes care for adults as support surrounding the medical plan, versus the plan management.
Meal Preparation and Routine Support Around an Existing Medical Plan
For most older adults, the hardest part of a diabetes plan is not the recognition that meal preparation is a daily activity. The hardest part is plan adherence when the tasks of everyday life become more difficult due to fatigue, or when other health conditions and disabilities limit mobility.
Care Pros can assist with meal preparation as prescribed, planning, cooking, grocery shopping, setting mealtime reminders, and routine organization of kitchen supplies and tools. Care Pros can provide mealtime companionship. Finally, Care Pros can assist with other supportive services to help older adults maintain easy routines.
The key term is existing plan.
A non-medical Care Pro should not determine how many carbohydrates an older adult should consume, develop a therapeutic diet, change nutritional targets, or determine the diet based on a glucose reading. These decisions are outside the scope of practice for Care Pros and are the purview of the adult's physician, diabetes educator, dietitian, and other medical professionals.
Your parent's nutrition guidance from their medical team is one of the many things that can aid in the formation of the Care Plan. The Care Pro’s job is to then aid in the achievability of the agreed upon routine within the family’s home.
It can be very useful for people who still make their own health decisions, but are in need of assistance for the physical part of it. For example, needing assistance in preparing a meal does not take away a person’s control over which meal is prepared.
Families looking to pursue more home care services in Gainesville are encouraged to clarify the tougher/more challenging parts of the day. Sometimes the best kind of support is actually support that is not diabetes-focused. This can be support for grocery shopping, meal prepping, getting ready for an appointment, and/or organizing the kitchen.
Clarifying Organizational Support Versus Medication
Clarifying the role and boundaries of what is considered organizational support versus what is considered medication administration is very important.
Tasks that are considered organizational support can include reminders, routines, and providing prompts for the user to carry out their medication routine and keeping reminders and/or notes concerning the user’s appointments and routine tasks.
The Care Pro should not make any of the following decisions:
- Whether a medication should be taken
- Whether a dose should be skipped
- Whether a dose should be increased or decreased
- Whether a medication should be substituted for another
- Whether a glucose reading should result in a dosing adjustment
A Care Pro should not make clinical decisions.
Distinguishing between what a family member does for informal support at home and what a paid caregiver should provide can be complicated. Knowing that a daughter sees that her father has to do this after his shift at work does not mean that a non-medical caregiver can do it too.
To see where the boundaries are, I would suggest that you first jot down the actual medication-related support that your family member requires. Following that up, you would have to decide in which parts of the non-medical home care service a caregiver would be helpful and where a nurse, pharmacist or physician, or another professional would be required.
A good Care Plan is designed to simplify and make boundaries clear.
Transportation and Appointment Preparation
There could be significant time and effort expended in doing all the things required for the myriad of follow-up appointments and ancillary care, e.g. checking lab work, foot care, diabetes eye care, nutrition visits, pharmacy visits, etc.
Depending on the Care Plan, a Care Pro may be able to do several of the non-medical elements of the day. This may include assisting the older adult with the preparatory activities, supporting them in transportation, and accompaniment.
Planning and preparation is especially important when Ordering several steps to be done on the same day.
When preparing for an appointment, there are several materials that you may need to organize. These items may include: the appointment time and location; a current medication list from the older adult or the medical team; written questions for the older adult; any instructions/documents the medical office has requested; notes the older adult wants to bring home; and any materials the Care Pro has assisted the older adult to prepare. The Care Pro is trained to assist in the organization of these materials, but should not answer any medical-related questions in lieu of the clinician.
This distinction supports the older adult's involvement in the discussion. The intent is to ensure the older adult arrives to the appointment prepared and is an active participant of their care. This is not a substitution for the older adult attending the appointment.
It is worthwhile to have this discussion during the Care Consultation, as those days tend to be the most difficult for the older adult. It may be related to any of the following: the morning routine to prepare for the appointment, meals before and/or after the appointment, remembering the paperwork, transportation issues, or simply having another person for the appointment.
When Glucose Concerns or Symptoms Belong With the Medical Team, Not a Care Pro
A Care Pro may notice a concern, but should not clinicaly interpret it.
If an older adult has a glucose reading that is outside of the parameters set by the medical team, develops new or concerning symptoms, or states they do not feel well, the next steps should be per the instructions of the healthcare professionals.
This may include contacting a family member, ringing the medical office, or implementing the previously created crisis plan. The response should be tailored to the person's medical instructions and to the particular situation.
A Care Pro should never decide on their own what a glucose reading may signify or what their course of action should be.
I'll make this very clear before my first visit:
|
Situation |
Non-medical Care Pro role |
Medical role |
|
Meal needs to be prepared |
Help prepare the meal according to the existing Care Plan |
Medical team sets dietary or treatment-related guidance |
|
Established medication time arrives |
Provide an approved reminder if included in the Care Plan |
Clinician determines medication, dose, and timing |
|
Appointment is scheduled |
Help with preparation or transportation if included |
Health care professional evaluates and treats the condition |
|
A glucose concern occurs |
Observe, report, and follow established instructions |
Medical professional interprets readings and directs treatment |
|
New symptoms appear |
Report the concern and follow the established response plan |
Medical professional evaluates symptoms and recommends care |
This is why the medical boundary is not a small disclaimer. It should drive the entire Care Plan.
Non-medical home care can support the day around diabetes. It cannot substitute diabetes management by healthcare professionals.
How I Would Build a Diabetes Support Plan at Home
Maybe grocery shopping is easy, but everything around getting medication and getting to appointments is draining. Perhaps they can handle breakfast, but they struggle with tasks involved in getting dinner ready. Maybe your parent is good at preparing breakfast but need assistance for preparing evening meal.
I get it, the point is not to take charge of their day.
I Also want to separate my plan into other categories of
What your older adult wants to do themselves
What a Care Pro can do to assist them
This includes, but is not limited to, preparing meals, shopping, being a company to them, providing needed transport, helping with organization, personal care, or with needed housework within the Care Plan.
What should be left to the medical team
Decision making for the diagnosis, treatments, and changes in medications along with the interpretation of the glucose readings are all part of this domain.
The above separation helps frame the conversations about the needed care.
You can also check out the Gainesville service area and see if local in-home support fits your schedule and needs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Diabetes Care in Gainesville
Can a Care Pro manage an older adult's diabetes?
No. A non-medical Care Pro can assist with the daily routine in the context of an existing diabetes plan. They cannot diagnose, instruct or direct diabetes treatment or changes to medications, interpret glucose readings, or replace the person's medical care team.
Can a Care Pro prepare meals for someone with diabetes?
A Care Pro can assist with the preparation of meals in accordance to the person's preferences and Care Plan. Changes to medical nutrition and the use of special diets should be made by a qualified health professional.
Can a Care Pro remind someone to take medication?
Yes, medication reminders can be part of non-medical care when they are included in the Care Plan. A reminder is different from taking medication, choosing a dose, adjusting a dose, or deciding if someone should take their medication.
Can home care assist with diabetes clinic appointments?
There is non-medical care for that. There is non-medical care for that. There is non-medical care for that includes reminders for the appointments, organization of supplies and records, and any transportation. The job of the healthcare professionals is to make medical recommendations and provide treatments, so non-medical care is focused on record organization, reminders, and transportation.
What is the next step if a glucose reading is concerning?
Follow the directions of the client’s healthcare team. A Care Pro is not permitted to make judgment on a glucose reading or control the care of diabetes. They should notify the care team and follow the Care Plan.
Do they need care assistance all the time for diabetes management?
No. The amount of non-medical care assistance should be based on the needs and routine of the client. An older adult may need assistance a few hours of the day, but the rest of the day and the night may remain independent.
What do I need to know before I get started on non-medical care for diabetes at home?
What tasks and responsibilities does this job have, how are medication reminders addressed, what actions can a Care Pro take if there is a concern recorded, how does the agency communicate recorded information to the family member, and what responsibilities of the agency does the Care Plan address.
We can assist you in figuring out where your parent’s needs, due to diabetes, may be fulfilled by the non-medical home care services versus those met by the medical team. Feel free to reach out to our Gainesville team in order to discuss the Care Plan which may aid your parent in holding on to the routines while providing additional support in the areas of the plan as necessary.
About the Author
Matt Cohn has spent more than 25 years helping older adults and their families consider the support they need to remain safe and comfortable at home. As an owner of Home Instead locations including Gainesville, he shares practical guidance about home care, family decisions, and building care around each person's preferences.
