1. These conversations are meant to focus on your diabetes self-care.
Even if it feels a little uncomfortable at first, it is important to focus on your health. After talking about your diabetes self-care, you can move on to other topics.
2. Remember that your Care Partner is trying to help you.
Even if you don’t always agree with your Care Partner's advice, try to listen carefully and be respectful.
3. No one can manage their diabetes perfectly.
Be honest about how you are doing with your Care Partner. Even if you are a little embarrassed or worried about disappointing them, let your Care Partner know about the things that might not be going so well.
4. Do your best to develop ideas and solutions to problems on your own, then discuss them with your Care Partner.
YOU are the best person to know what will and what won’t work. Sometimes it can be helpful to talk through the options with someone. If you don’t know what to do, you and your Care Partner can work on it together.
5. Agree on action plans with your Care Partner and try them out.
Be honest if you have doubts about meeting your goals. If things don’t work out, you and your Care Partner can discuss why it didn’t work and change plans. See the Action Planning page for more information.