If you love someone with diabetes, you’d probably do anything to make their life easier. Fortunately, there are lots of ways you can help lighten the load of type 1 diabetes. Whether it’s your child, spouse, friend, or neighbor, here are some ideas you can use to show your support.

1. Educate Yourself

People with type 1 diabetes spend a lot of time discussing their condition with health care providers. They may also have to share it with others more often than they’d like to, including whenever they need to interrupt what they’re doing to have a snack break or check their blood sugar levels.

You can do your part by reading up on type 1 diabetes and making an effort to understand what really goes into daily diabetes management. By educating yourself, you can save them the trouble of having to explain things to you unless they feel like it. You’ll also have a better baseline knowledge of diabetes education to help them during a low blood sugar emergency.

2. Make Fun Snacks

Most people get tired of trying to decide what to buy, cook, and eat. For people with type 1 diabetes, there’s an extra layer of thought that goes into healthy eating. You can help ease the burden by preparing some diabetes-friendly snacks for your loved one.

Start by finding out what flavors they like and don’t like. Some people with type 1 diabetes include carbohydrates in their snacks between meals, while others try to avoid them. This information would also be helpful when planning good snack ideas. If you’d rather keep the snacks a surprise, you can learn a lot about what the other person likes based on what’s in their fridge and cabinets already. You can also ask what they like to eat or what types of restaurants they prefer.

Since people with type 1 diabetes need to know how many carbs are in their meals and snacks, provide this information to make life easier for them. If you follow a certain recipe, you can use an app or online nutrition calculator to help you discover nutrition facts. Sometimes recipes already have the carbohydrates listed, so that can save you this extra step.

3. Join in Healthy Habits

Taking good care of your health sets a positive example for everyone around you, including your loved one with diabetes. It also gives them a go-to partner in crime when trying to stick to healthy routines. Getting regular physical activity, preparing healthy food, sleeping enough, and avoiding things like smoking and alcohol aren’t always easy choices. But just knowing that you’re doing it too (rather than telling others what they should do) can provide inspiration.

4. Roll With the Punches

Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong condition. Even the most vigilant person is going to have ups and downs with their diabetes care. If you feel like your loved one is “falling off the wagon,” take a minute before being too quick to criticize. Although you may be coming from a place of genuine concern, people don’t like to feel judged. Coming on too strongly can have the opposite effect and make your loved one feel defensive and resentful.

While it’s important to check in, avoid nagging the person about what you think they’re doing wrong. An adult with diabetes is in charge of managing their condition. Sometimes, sharing your struggles can help others feel less alone and more open to discussing the things they’re struggling with as well. Giving them a chance to reflect without feeling criticized could be enough to help them turn things around.

5. Focus on Other Things

No one wants to be defined by their diabetes. You can support your loved one with diabetes by showing interest in other aspects of their life. Encourage them to be the best version of themselves by appreciating their positive personality traits and talents. You can be supportive by attending activities that interest them, such as music concerts, art museums, and sporting events. You might offer to take a class together.

Always remember that their chronic condition is just one small part of who the person is. And they probably would enjoy a break from being constantly reminded about their diabetes by friends and family members.

6. Just Listen

It’s always difficult to see a loved one have hardships. With type 1 diabetes, it’s normal for people to feel a range of emotions. They may be anxious about the future, angry that they have to work harder to manage their health, or frustrated that their numbers aren’t in a good range despite their best efforts.

You may be tempted to jump in and try to fix every problem for them. But sometimes, you can’t. Fortunately, just listening can offer others profound healing and comfort.

Being a good listener is a skill that most people haven’t mastered. Here are some tips to improve your listening skills:

• Allow moments of silence — Silence encourages the other person to continue sharing. There’s no need to fill every second of silence with your words.
• Ask questions — Resist the urge to give advice or judge. Instead, ask questions to learn more.
• Don’t interrupt — Interruptions can disturb the other person’s train of thought and cause frustration.
• Notice body language and tone of voice — These cues can provide more insight into how the person is really feeling.
• Reflect what’s been said — Paraphrasing what the other person has shared with you demonstrates that you’ve been listening and gives them a chance to hear their thoughts said back to them.

Learning to be a better listener takes the pressure off from feeling like you need to solve every problem but still provides a valuable gift to the people in your life. Remember, you don’t have to have all the answers. Sometimes, you should just listen.

Talk With Others Who Understand

On myT1Dteam, the social network for people living with type 1 diabetes and their loved ones, more than 3,600 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with type 1 diabetes.

How do you provide practical and emotional support to your loved one with diabetes? If you have diabetes, what role do your loved ones play in your health care? Share your experience below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.