Care Partners have found the following tips helpful when starting a discussion about diabetes care.
Open-ended questions will give you much more information than yes/no questions.
Try asking questions like:
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“What’s going on with your diabetes care now?”
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“What are you most concerned about this week?
Reflective comments help your friend or loved one with diabetes know that you are really trying to understand what they’re saying and encourage them to tell you more. It doesn’t mean you agree, but it gives you both a chance to make sure you understand what they are trying to tell you.
Try using phrases like:
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“It sounds to me like you’re feeling….”
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“Let me know if I’ve got this right; you tried to….”
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“It seems like you thought that it was tough to….”