Live-in Diabetes Care and Support at Home

What is diabetes care at home?

Diabetes is a condition in which the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood is too high, either because the body does not produce enough insulin or because it cannot use insulin properly. Most people have type 2 diabetes, which is managed with diet, activity and often tablets or injections. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition treated with insulin. More than four million people in the UK have been diagnosed with diabetes, according to Diabetes UK.

Diabetes care at home helps someone keep on top of the daily routines diabetes needs, especially when age, memory problems or other conditions make that hard to do alone. With live-in care, a carer is there at every meal and every dose.

How a live-in carer supports someone with diabetes

• Regular, balanced meals — planning and cooking meals that suit the person's diabetes plan, and making sure they are not skipped, which is a common cause of hypos.
• Medication on time — prompting tablets and making sure insulin is taken as prescribed. Insulin injections are given by the person themselves or by nurses unless a carer has been trained and signed off by the nursing team.
• Blood glucose routines — supporting finger-prick tests or sensor checks as the diabetes team advises, and keeping a record.
• Hypo awareness — recognising the signs of low blood sugar, such as shakiness, sweating, confusion or unusual behaviour, and following the treatment plan with fast-acting sugar.
• Foot care — daily checks for cuts, blisters or colour changes, which can become serious quickly with diabetes, and reporting problems to the podiatrist or nurse.
• Activity — walks and gentle exercise, which help with blood sugar, mobility and mood.
• Appointments — eye screening, foot checks, blood tests and annual diabetes reviews.

Diabetes and other conditions

Diabetes rarely comes alone in later life. It often sits alongside heart disease, kidney problems, sight loss, circulation problems or dementia. Dementia in particular makes diabetes much harder to manage, because people may forget they have eaten or taken their medication. A live-in carer brings all of this together in one daily routine, and is often the person who notices that something has changed.

Recognising a hypo and a hyper

A hypo (low blood sugar) can come on quickly and needs treating straight away with a sugary drink or glucose tablets, followed by a snack, according to the person's plan. A hyper (high blood sugar) usually develops more slowly, with thirst, passing more urine and tiredness. Carers are briefed on each person's targets and plan, and on when to contact the GP, diabetes nurse or 111, or call 999 if someone becomes unconscious.

Paying for diabetes care at home

Live-in diabetes care starts from £1,200 a week, or £1,300 where there are more complex needs, such as diabetes alongside dementia. Attendance Allowance or PIP, and council support after a needs assessment, may help with the cost. See our diabetes care guide and funding guide.

Cooking for diabetes without making meals a battle

Good diabetes care is built in the kitchen, but meals should still be enjoyable. Carers usually aim for:

• Regular mealtimes — roughly the same times each day, which helps keep blood glucose steady, especially for people on insulin or certain tablets.
• Balanced plates — vegetables, a source of protein, and a sensible portion of starchy food, preferably wholegrain.
• Fewer sugary drinks and snacks — swapped for water, sugar-free drinks, fruit or small portions of nuts, without making favourite treats forbidden.
• Familiar food — adapting the dishes a person loves, rather than imposing an unfamiliar "diabetic diet".
• Enough to eat — in older people, especially those with dementia or poor appetite, not eating enough can be as risky as eating too much.

A dietitian or the diabetes nurse can give personal advice, and the carer puts it into practice every day.

When someone with diabetes is unwell

Illness, such as a cold, infection or stomach bug, can make blood glucose rise or fall unpredictably. The diabetes team usually gives "sick day rules", which may include checking glucose more often, keeping up fluids, and sometimes adjusting or pausing particular medicines. These rules are individual and must come from the GP or diabetes nurse. A carer follows them, keeps a careful record, and calls for advice early if the person is vomiting, cannot keep fluids down, or glucose readings are persistently high or low.

Diabetes complications carers keep an eye on

Over time, diabetes can affect the eyes, kidneys, nerves, feet and circulation. Regular checks catch problems early, and a carer makes sure they happen: annual diabetic eye screening, blood and urine tests for kidney function, foot checks by a podiatrist, and the annual diabetes review. Day to day, the carer notices things a person might miss or dismiss — a cut on the foot that is not healing, numbness, changes in vision, or new tiredness — and reports them promptly.

Supporting independence with diabetes

Many people with diabetes want to manage it themselves for as long as possible, and should be supported to. A carer can prompt rather than take over, help set up routines and reminders, and step in only where memory, eyesight or dexterity have made tasks unsafe. As needs change, support can increase gradually, always agreed with the person and their diabetes team.

A daily foot care routine for diabetes

Diabetes can reduce sensation and circulation in the feet, so small injuries may go unnoticed and heal slowly, sometimes leading to serious problems. A simple daily routine helps prevent this: checking both feet for cuts, blisters, redness, swelling or colour changes, including between the toes and on the soles; washing and drying them carefully; moisturising the skin but not between the toes; never walking barefoot; and wearing well-fitting shoes and seamless socks. Any problem should be reported promptly to the GP, practice nurse or podiatrist.

Diabetes and dementia together

When someone has both diabetes and dementia, daily management becomes much harder. They may forget whether they have eaten or taken their medication, be unable to recognise the signs of a hypo, or struggle with glucose testing. Treatment targets are sometimes relaxed for older people with dementia to reduce the risk of hypos, which the diabetes team will advise on. A live-in carer can make sure meals and medication are taken reliably and that any warning signs are noticed and acted on.

Written by the Live-in Care Direct care team. Last reviewed 24 September 2026.

Further reading and sources

• NHS: Diabetes
• Diabetes UK
• NHS: Low blood sugar (hypoglycaemia)