How to Care for an Obese Relative

Last Updated: August 4, 2020 References

This article was co-authored by Pouya Shafipour, MD, MS. Dr. Pouya Shafipour is a Family Medicine Specialist, Primary Care Physician, and a Weight Loss Specialist based in Santa Monica, California. Dr. Shafipour specializes in dietary, nutritional, behavioral, and exercise counseling to manage obesity and medical conditions related to excessive weight gain or loss. Dr. Shafipour received a BS in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California, Berkeley, an MS in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University, and an MD from the Loma Linda University School of Medicine. He completed his internship in general surgery at UC Irvine and a residency in family medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, and became board certified in family medicine in 2008.

There are 19 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

This article has been viewed 35,597 times.

If you are in the situation of caring for an obese family member, you may be concerned about their health. If your relative has limited mobility or other health issues related to their weight, you can provide practical help with daily activities and medical treatment. If your relative is interested in losing weight, be supportive and encouraging—having an advocate and cheerleader can make all the difference for someone going through this difficult process. Let your loved one know that you are there for them and love them unconditionally.

A newspaper story hits a nerve with patients, doctors

by Cathie Gandel, November 14, 2016 | Comments: 0

Tetra Images / Alamy Stock Photo

Are doctors prejudiced against obese patients?

En español | Are doctors prejudiced against obese patients, immediately assuming that any medical problem they’re having is due to their weight? That’s the question a New York Times article recently posed, criticizing the health care system for being unprepared — and often unwilling — to respond to the growing population of Americans who are severely overweight.

More on Health

• Building your doctor-patient relationship
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• 10 tips to beat obesity
• Tool: BMI Calculator

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The story hit a nerve, drawing nearly 1,200 impassioned online comments from both patients and health care workers. “I’m not surprised at the reaction to this story,” says Barbara Berkeley, a doctor who specializes in weight management at a clinic in Beachwood, Ohio, who called it “a subject that needs to be out there.”

Weight bias needs to be addressed, agreed Kimberly Gudzune, M.D., of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, who studies the impact of obesity on the patient-physician relationship. This kind of media attention can “help raise physicians’ awareness of the problem.”

Comments to the Times story came from men and women who identified with overweight patients spotlighted in the article and who added their own stories of being treated poorly, as well as from physicians who objected to all doctors being lumped together as insensitive, countering that many physicians are sympathetic to obese patients and their problems.

But not all doctors. The problem begins, according to the Times, with the doctor’s attitude. Often health care professionals don’t look beyond the patient’s weight. The knee-jerk reaction is to tell the patient to lose weight and everything will be OK. When patients who are obese (measured as a body mass index, or BMI, of 30 or higher) visit a doctor, they may never get to discuss the problem that brings them into the office. A 2015 study found that the stigma of obesity causes doctors to spend less time with patients and fail to refer them for diagnostic tests. Compared with patients of normal weight, patients who are obese were more likely to be told to make lifestyle changes for their symptoms, while patients who weigh less are prescribed medication.

Some doctors flat-out refuse to treat obese patients. In 2011, the Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Sun Sentinel conducted a poll among 105 obstetricians and gynecologists. Almost 15 percent of the doctors polled revealed they would not accept women over 200 pounds as patients for fear of complications and potential malpractice lawsuits. Some surgeons also refuse to do hip or knee replacements on those who are obese. These blanket biases are unacceptable, say both doctors and patients.

Heart, Spine, and Limb Defects Seen More

Aug. 6, 2007 — Babies born to mothers who are obese prior to and during pregnancy are at increased risk for a range of major birth defects, new research shows.

Pre-pregnancy obesity has previously been linked to an increase in birth defects involving the brain and spinal cord. This association was seen in the new study, and researchers also reported an increase in heart, limb, and gastrointestinal birth defects among babies born to obese moms.

Obese women were at increased risk for delivering babies with seven of 16 major birth defects evaluated by the researchers.

But researcher D. Kim Waller, PhD, of the University of Texas School of Public Health, tells WebMD that the chance of delivering a child with a major birth defect is still low for obese moms.

According to Waller, based on the study’s findings, major birth defects could be expected in four out of 100 babies born to obese mothers. The average birth defect risk is closer to three in 100 births among babies born to normal-weight mothers, he notes.

“Obese women should not be overly alarmed by these findings, but it is important to understand the risk,” she says. “While the absolute risk that an obese woman will have an infant with a birth defect is low, the contribution to the public health, given high rates of obesity in the U.S., is significant.”

Twofold Rise in Spina Bifida

Interviews were conducted with 10,249 women in eight states who gave birth to babies with birth defects between 1997 and 2002 and with 4,065 women who delivered babies without birth defects during the same period.

The birth defect found to be most strongly linked to obesity in the study was the neural tube defect spina bifida.

Compared with babies born to normal-weight women, babies born to obese women in the study were twice as likely to have the neural tube defect even though obese moms were just as likely to take folic acid supplements prior to conceiving.

Taking folic acid before pregnancy dramatically reduces the risk of spina bifida and related neural tube birth defects.

Continued

A slightly lower increase in risk was identified for omphaleocele, a condition in which the intestines or another abdominal organ protrudes through the navel.

Obesity-related risk increases in the range of 20% to 50% were also seen for heart defects, limb abnormalities, malformations in the anal opening or urethra in boys, and a condition known as diaphragmatic hernia, which can interfere with lung development.

The study is published in the August issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.

Diabetes and Birth Defects

Having uncontrolled or poorly controlled diabetes prior to conception or early in pregnancy has been linked to an increased risk for major birth defects in both animal and human studies.

While women with known, nongestational diabetes were excluded from the latest study, it is likely that some of the obese women had type 2 diabetes and didn’t know it.

Waller says undiagnosed diabetes could be largely responsible for the increase in birth defect risk seen among babies born to obese women in the study.

When the researchers reanalyzed the data excluding women who developed gestational diabetes during pregnancy, the maternal obesity-birth defect link was much smaller, she says, but it did not disappear entirely.

“Obese women need to follow the same recommendations as other women prior to becoming pregnant,” she says. “But it would also be a good idea for them to see their doctor and get tested for diabetes. We know that many women have diabetes and don’t know it. Identifying diabetes and controlling it prior to pregnancy can make a big difference.”

March of Dimes acting director Michael Katz, MD, calls the study intriguing, but he adds that more research is needed to confirm the link between obesity and major birth defects.

“No matter what a woman’s weight, it is important to plan a pregnancy,” he tells WebMD. “Planning ahead and taking steps to reduce modifiable risks can make all the difference.”

Sources

SOURCES: Waller, K. Archives of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine, August 2007; vol 161: pp 745-750. Kim Waller, PhD, associate professor of epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Texas at Houston. Michael Katz, MD, acting medical director and senior vice president for research and global programs, March of Dimes.

Affiliation

• 1 Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington 98101, USA. [email protected]

• PMID: 22011416
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2011.07.020

• Search in PubMed
• Search in NLM Catalog
• Add to Search

Authors

Affiliation

• 1 Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington 98101, USA. [email protected]

• PMID: 22011416
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amepre.2011.07.020

Abstract

Background: Reports from the 1990s observed lower receipt of preventive care services among obese individuals, but a few recent studies in older adults and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) patients have failed to do so. Additional studies, using population-based samples, are needed to understand whether disparities in care by obesity continue to exist in the U.S.

Purpose: To investigate whether receipt of preventive care services varies in relation to BMI.

Methods: This study used data from the 2008 and 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (analyzed in 2011), a state-based national telephone survey of non-institutionalized U.S. adults, to examine associations between receipt of preventive services (influenza and pneumococcal vaccination; cholesterol and HIV screening; fecal occult blood test; colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy, mammogram, and Pap) and BMI category (normal, 18.5-24.9; overweight, 25-29.9; obese Class I, 30-34.9; obese Class II, 35-39.9; and obese Class III, ≥40), after adjusting for confounding factors.

Results: Receipt was lower for mammography and Pap testing (6.1 and 5.6 percentage points, respectively, relative to normal weight women) in obese Class III women. For immunizations, cholesterol screening, and colon cancer screening, receipt was similar or greater in overweight and obese individuals.

Conclusions: This study suggests that for most services, obese individuals received as much if not more preventive health care as normal-weight individuals. Although these findings are reassuring, the evidence for disparities for cervical and breast cancer screening in obese women demonstrates that efforts to ensure more equitable service delivery are still needed.

Affiliation

• 1 Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6021, USA. [email protected]

• PMID: 20371786
• DOI: 10.1001/jama.2010.339

• Search in PubMed
• Search in NLM Catalog
• Add to Search

Authors

Affiliation

• 1 Philadelphia VA Medical Center, Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6021, USA. [email protected]

• PMID: 20371786
• DOI: 10.1001/jama.2010.339

Abstract

Context: Clinicians often have negative attitudes toward obesity and express dissatisfaction in caring for obese patients. Moreover, obese patients often feel that clinicians are biased or disrespectful because of their weight. These observations raise the concern that obese patients may receive lower quality of care.

Objective: To determine whether performance on common outpatient quality measures differs by patient weight status.

Design, setting, and participants: Eight different performance measures were examined in 2 national-level patient populations: (1) Medicare beneficiaries (n = 36 122) using data from the Medicare Beneficiary Survey (1994-2006); and (2) recipients of care from the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) (n = 33 550) using data from an ongoing performance-evaluation program (2003-2004).

Main outcome measures: Performance measures among eligible patients for diabetes care (eye examination, glycated hemoglobin [HbA(1c)] testing, and lipid screening), pneumococcal vaccination, influenza vaccination, screening mammography, colorectal cancer screening, and cervical cancer screening. Measures were based on a combination of administrative claims, survey, and chart review data.

Results: We found no evidence that obese or overweight patients were less likely to receive recommended care relative to normal-weight patients. Moreover, success rates were marginally higher for obese and/or overweight patients on several measures. The most notable differentials were observed for recommended diabetes care among Medicare beneficiaries: comparing obese vs normal-weight patients with diabetes, obese patients were more likely to receive recommended care on lipid screening (72% vs 65%; odds ratio, 1.37 [95% confidence interval, 1.09-1.73]) and HbA(1c) testing (74% vs 62%; odds ratio, 1.73 [95% confidence interval, 1.41-2.11]). All analyses were adjusted for sociodemographic factors, health status, clinical complexity, and visit frequency.

Conclusions: Among samples of patients from the Medicare and VHA populations, there was no evidence across 8 performance measures that obese or overweight patients received inferior care when compared with normal-weight patients. Being obese or overweight was associated with a marginally higher rate of recommended care on several measures.

Quick Guide

• Getting Started
  • Starting the Conversation
  • Preparing for Caregiving
  • Finding Eldercare Services
  • Using Eldercare Services
  • Other Eldercare Resources
• Finances
• Legal Issues
• Health Care
• Insurance
• Home Care
• Housing & Transportation
• Staying Active
• Caring for the Caregiver
• Glossary

• Download Chapter as PDF
• Print

Perhaps you need some basic information about elder* care. Or you’re looking for a local agency that provides eldercare resources and services. Or you’re worried about how to finance eldercare needs now or in the future. In any case, you’ve come to the right place.

The Caregiver’s Handbook is specifically designed to help you navigate the complexities of eldercare information and services. It provides practical, immediate guidance on managing a variety of care situations — everything from minimal or moderate needs for assistance, to caring for a chronically ill or critically ill elder with significant ongoing needs. The Handbook can also help you plan ahead for the anticipated care of a spouse, a relative, and even yourself.

Before you begin exploring the details, take a few moments to review this introductory section for some basics:

• Learn how to start a conversation about your elder’s diminishing abilities in a sensitive and constructive way.
• Prepare yourself for the challenge ahead.
• Get tips on eldercare services and managing the details.
• Tap into the network of gateway organizations that coordinate eldercare throughout the U.S.
• Discover the wide variety of local groups that may be able to help

You are a caregiver if you are a close family member (spouse, domestic partner, child, sibling, or relative), friend or neighbor, and:

• You manage a variety of tasks, from personal care and managing the checkbook to taking blood pressure and giving medication
• You care for healthy elders or elders who are chronically or acutely ill
• You provide direct service and/or organize and monitor the care others provide
• You provide care in the home, hospital, rehab center, retirement community, nursing home, or other setting
• You provide help intermittently, regularly, and/or on a 24/7 basis
• You live with, near, or far away from the elder in your care

• Basic navigation. The left-hand table of contents column lists each chapter in the Handbook. To open a chapter, simply click the title. Once the chapter is open, you can click subtitles in the left-hand column to jump to specific sections.
• Quick Guide. The Quick Guide at the top right corner of the screen creates a customized list of content based on your specific needs. To use it, click “Quick Guide” and answer the questions.
• Printing. To print the page that is currently open, click the Print icon in the upper right corner.
• Downloading the Handbook. On the Outreach and Partners page, you can download this Handbook as a PDF document, as well as the handouts referenced in these pages.

If you want to talk with caregivers who are in similar situations, the AARP Web site has online forums where you can ask and answer questions, share your caregiving experiences, and learn from others. There’s even an online group dedicated to discussing Caring for Your Parents.

*Note: The term “elder” is used throughout the Handbook to refer to an older parent, relative, or friend in your care.

The Caregiver’s Handbook is a co-production of WGBH and MIT Workplace Center.

© 2008 WGBH Educational Foundation. All rights reserved.

In addition to its serious health consequences, obesity has real economic costs that affect all of us. The estimated annual health care costs of obesity-related illness are a staggering $190.2 billion or nearly 21% of annual medical spending in the United States. 1 Childhood obesity alone is responsible for $14 billion in direct medical costs. Obesity-related medical costs in general are expected to rise significantly, especially because today’s obese children are likely to become tomorrow’s obese adults. 2,3 If obesity rates were to remain at 2010 levels, the projected savings for medical expenditures would be $549.5 billion over the next two decades. 4

The direct and additional hidden costs of obesity are stifling businesses and organizations that stimulate jobs and growth in U.S. cities. In the 10 cities with the highest obesity rates, the direct costs connected with obesity and obesity-related diseases are roughly $50 million per 100,000 residents. If these 10 cities cut their obesity rates down to the national average, the combined savings to their communities would be $500 million in health care costs each year. 5

In addition to growing health care costs attributed to obesity, the nation will incur higher costs for disability and unemployment benefits. Businesses are suffering due to obesity-related job absenteeism ($4.3 billion annually). These costs also will continue to rise. 6

• Learn The Facts
• Childhood Obesity by the Numbers
• Economic Costs of Obesity
• How Did We Get Here?
• Be Part of the Solution:
  Increasing Opportunities
  for Healthy Choices

National League of Cities

References

1 Cawley J, Meyerhoefer C. The medical care costs of obesity: an instrumental variables approach. Journal of Health Economics. 31(1):219-230. 2012.

2 Marder W and Chang S. Childhood Obesity: Costs, Treatment Patterns, Disparities in Care, and Prevalent Medical Conditions. Thomson Medstat Research Brief, 2006. (accessed May 2009).

3 Wang LY, Chyen D, Lee S, et al. “The Association Between Body Mass Index in Adolescence and Obesity in Adulthood.” Journal of Adolescent Health, 42(5): 512–518, 2008.

4 Finkelstein et al. Obesity and Severe Obesity Forecasts Through 2030: Am J Prev Med 2012; 42(6): 563-570.

5 The Cost of Obesity to US Cities, Gallup Business Journal, Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. Accessed June 1, 2012. Available at

6 Cawley, J. “Occupation-Specific Absenteeism Costs Associated with Obesity and Morbid Obesity.” Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 49(12): 1317-1323, 2007.

It isn’t easy for people to hear that they have diabetes. Diabetes is a disease that cannot be cured. It has to be taken care of every day. People who have diabetes must make some important changes in their lives. To stay healthy, they have to learn how to monitor and control their blood sugar levels. People who don’t control their blood sugar levels can develop serious health problems, such as blindness, nerve damage, and kidney failure. But there are things you can do to help your loved one who has diabetes.

How can I help my relative who has diabetes?

First, learn all you can about diabetes. The more you know, the more you can help. Encourage your relative to learn about diabetes, also.

Second, be sympathetic. It can be scary at first for people to find out they have diabetes. Your relative may be frustrated with the changes he or she has to make. Tell your relative that you understand how he or she feels. But don’t let your relative use these feelings as an excuse for not taking care of his or her diabetes.

Path to improved health

In addition to being emotionally supportive, you can also help your relative to make healthy changes. This will help your relative manage his or her diabetes.

If you eat meals together, eat the same foods your relative eats. Avoid buying foods he or she isn’t supposed to eat. Healthy-eating rules are the same for everyone, including people who have diabetes. Eat foods that are low in fat, cholesterol, salt, and added sugar. Choose a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and fish.

Encourage exercise. You might even want to exercise together. Walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming, and dancing are all good activities that will help both of you get enough exercise. Your relative should talk to his or her doctor to find out what kind of exercise to try.

What else can I do?

Learn how to recognize signs of problems. Learn the symptoms of a high blood sugar level (called hyperglycemia). Also learn the symptoms of low blood sugar level (called hypoglycemia). Understand that when your relative is very cranky or has a bad temper, his or her blood sugar level may be too high or too low. Rather than arguing, encourage your relative to check the blood sugar level and take steps to correct the problem.

High blood sugar (hyperglycemia)

This often happens when the person who has diabetes has eaten too much, is sick, has too little insulin in his or her body, or is under a lot of stress. Symptoms of hyperglycemia include:

• Frequent urination.
• Extreme thirst.
• Blurry vision.
• Feeling very tired.

Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)

This often happens when the person who has diabetes has not eaten very much, has too much insulin in his or her body, or has exercised beyond his or her limits. Signs of hypoglycemia include the following:

• Feeling very tired.
• Frequent yawning.
• Being unable to speak or think clearly.
• Loss of muscle coordination.
• Sweating.
• Twitching.
• Seizures.
• Suddenly feeling like you’re going to pass out.
• Becoming very pale.
• Loss of consciousness.

Things to consider

Learning how to live with diabetes takes time. Your relative will have good days and bad days. Times of stress may be the hardest. When people who have diabetes are under stress, they may have more trouble controlling their blood sugar level. When this happens, try to help the person keep things in perspective and get back on track. Provide reminders to eat healthy and to exercise. If the person is feeling frustrated and angry, encourage him or her to be patient and stick with it.

When to see a doctor

Symptoms of high blood sugar and low blood sugar may be mild and barely noticeable. Other times, they are more severe, especially if sugar levels are at extremes.

Any symptom of high or low blood sugar over several days should alert you that it may be time to call the doctor. It could be that your family member’s medicine should be adjusted.

A sudden drop in blood sugar can be a real health threat for people who have diabetes. If your family member shows signs of having dangerously low blood sugar, offer him or her some sugary candy. Then, call for emergency medical help.

Signs of dangerously low blood sugar include:

• dizziness
• shaking
• headache
• blurry vision
• rapid heartbeat
• confusion
• slurring words
• loss of consciousness

Questions for your doctor

• My family member has diabetes. Does this mean that I am more likely to get diabetes?
• I can’t get my family member to regularly check his or her blood sugar. What should I do?
• How important is diet for someone who has diabetes?
• Can my family member eat some sugar now that he or she is on diabetes medication?

Resources

Last Updated: March 27, 2020

This article was contributed by familydoctor.org editorial staff.

Copyright © American Academy of Family Physicians

This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family doctor to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject.

Related Resources

• Let’s Move!
• ChooseMyPlate.gov
• Physical Activity Guidelines
• National Prevention Strategy

Approximately one in three U.S. adults and one in six children and adolescents are obese. Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) can play a role in reducing the rate of obesity in the United States by improving access to health care services that support healthy weight. For children enrolled in Medicaid, the Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic and Treatment (EPSDT) benefit covers all medically necessary services which can include obesity-related services. For adults, the states can choose which services to provide, with most states choosing to cover at least one obesity treatment.

“Obesity: Complex but Conquerable” (Infographic) – Institute of Medicine
Additional external resources and reports are available from the Additional Resources section below.

Affordable Care Act Improves Prevention and Obesity Coverage

The Affordable Care Act includes several provisions that promote preventive care including obesity-related services and coverage.

• These provisions include an enhanced federal match for states that cover all U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) grade A and B recommended preventive services and the Advisory Committee of Immunization Practices recommended vaccines and their administration with no cost-sharing. Obesity screening and counseling for children, adolescents, and adults is a USPSTF recommended service.
• The law calls for states to design public awareness campaigns to educate Medicaid enrollees on the availability and coverage of preventive services, including obesity-related services. To help states meet this requirement, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host calls and webinars regarding coverage and promotion of preventive services, develop fact sheets that address Medicaid coverage of preventive services, and share examples of state Medicaid program efforts to increase awareness of preventive services.
  • Qs & As on Affordable Care Act Section 4004(i) (PDF, 86.67 KB) “Requirements Related to Preventive Services and Obesity-Related Services”
  • Preventive and Obesity-Related Services Available to Medicaid Enrollees (PDF, 133.39 KB) (2014 Report to Congress)
  • Preventive and Obesity-Related Services Available to Medicaid Enrollees (PDF, 369.52 KB) (2011 Report to Congress)
• The Affordable Care Act provided funding for the Childhood Obesity Demonstration Project. The Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) established this obesity demonstration grant program to identify effective health care and community strategies to support children’s healthy eating and active living to help combat childhood obesity. The project targets low-income children aged 2-12 years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) leads this program and is working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

For more information and guidance about prevention-related provisions in the Affordable Care Act, visit the Prevention Provisions page.

State Efforts to Improve Access to Obesity Services

A number of states have efforts underway to improve awareness and use of obesity-related services by Medicaid eligible individuals, including MassHealth’s “Mass in Motion,” Missouri’s PHIT Kids (Promoting Health in Teens and Kids) weight management program, and the Texas Medicaid Child Obesity Prevention Pilot. Several states are working with their managed care organizations to implement performance improvement projects focused on body-mass index screening and referral for healthy weight and physical activity counseling.

To share information about state Medicaid and CHIP efforts to improve awareness and effectiveness of obesity-related services, email [email protected]

Additional Resources

Collaborate for Healthy Weight brings primary care providers, public health professionals, and leaders of community-based organizations together to use quality improvement methods to reverse the obesity epidemic in communities across the country. It is a project of the National Initiatives for Children’s Healthcare and Quality (NICHQ) and the HRSA.

• Overweight and Obesity – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• The Guide to Community Preventive Services – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Accelerating Progress in Obesity Prevention: Solving the Weight of the Nation – Institute of Medicine Report
• Chronic Disease and Obesity Prevention – Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO)
• Obesity Issues, Reports and Resources – Trust for America’s Health

1. How to Get Paid to Care for Someone on SSI
2. How Do I Find Out the Tax ID Number for My Child’s Daycare?
3. Programs to Take Care of a Disabled Adult at Home
4. How to Get Paid for Caring for Your Loved One at Home
5. Qualifications to Enter a State-Run Nursing Home

Caring for a relative or a loved one can be difficult at times. Many family members and friends do the care-giving for free because they think they cannot get paid to care for a family member. Getting paid to care for a family member can ease some of the stress involved in the care-giving activities. Seniors and others who require in-home care can qualify for financial assistance to pay for care whether it be through an in-home care agency or provided by a family member.

Verify that the person requiring care is on Medicaid. If he is not on Medicaid, help him apply for Medicaid through your local social services office. Your family member is seeking Medicaid’s long term care for the elderly, which includes home care. Medicaid has many different names, based on your state. For example, in California, it is referred to as Medi-Cal and in Tennessee it’s known as TennCare. Your elderly relative must qualify financially and medically for home-care benefits that will pay you for your assistance.

Contact Medicaid to see if the person you are caring for qualifies for an in-home care assistance program such as the Cash and Counseling program. This is a specific type of Medicaid program available in many states that provides funds for the elderly to receive care in their own home and choose their own care provider, such as a relative. It is also known as “consumer directed care.”

Check to see if the person requiring care has long-term care insurance; if so, the money for in-home care that is typically provided by the insurance provider may be used to pay you as the personal caregiver.

Draw up a contract outlining an agreement between you and the person you are caring for to make your services official. Present the contract and your information to Medicaid or the long-term insurance provider in order to qualify for the funds that cover the in-home care services.

Gather all the necessary information such as taxes, medical history and other required documentation to apply for financial assistance through Medicaid or other state-funded programs. Your relative’s income and assets must meet Medicaid’s limits. Even if their finances exceed limits, they can still qualify with careful planning.

If your relative is a Veteran, they may qualify through the Department of Veteran Affairs for in-home care benefits. To apply, they must contact a local VA office. Some former federal and state employees may qualify for government assistance for long term care based on their occupation. For example, the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program offers postal workers such benefits.

More Articles

1. How to Help a Loved One Lose Weight (Without Hurting Their Feelings)
2. How to Help My Girlfriend Lose Weight
3. Reasons for Putting Elderly Parents in Nursing Homes
4. How to Persuade People to Eat Healthy
5. Aspects of a Personal Identity

• Know the Facts About Obesity
• Understand Your Relationship With the Obese Person
• Be a Source of Support for Healthy Eating and Exercise
• Back Their Decisions on Weight Loss

**In the United States, obesity affects 35 percent of the adult population, according to 2014 statistics reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 4.

Obesity endangers people’s well-being by putting them at risk for serious health conditions. ** Chances are you have a friend, family member or coworker who is obese, and you want to help them get their health back on track. Lecturing and pressuring someone to lose weight rarely works; weight is a personal issue, and discussing it may raise tremendous emotion and frustration. Set a positive example by maintaining your own healthy lifestyle and support any efforts an obese person takes to improve their quality of life.

Know the Facts About Obesity

Simply put, being obese means having too much body fat; it’s technically defined as having a body mass index of 30 or greater. Body mass index, or BMI, is a ratio of your weight to your height expressed as the equation: BMI = weight in kilograms / [height in meters x height in meters].

Obesity increases the risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

An obese person most likely knows that making healthier choices, trimming portion sizes and moving more helps with weight loss.

But if they need a little guidance, know that a healthy rate of weight loss is 1 to 2 pounds per week, which requires a calorie deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories per day. ‘)7. Eating fewer calories than this amount is not a healthy, nor sustainable, strategy and may lead to complications such as nutrient deficiencies and gallstones.

• Simply put, being obese means having too much body fat; it’s technically defined as having a body mass index of 30 or greater.
• Body mass index, or BMI, is a ratio of your weight to your height expressed as the equation: BMI = weight in kilograms / [height in meters x height in meters].
• Obesity increases the risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

Understand Your Relationship With the Obese Person

How to Help a Loved One Lose Weight (Without Hurting Their Feelings)

Before you approach an obese person with a conversation about her size, consider your relationship. Ask yourself if it’s your place to broach the subject with this individual. An obese person is likely aware that her size is not healthy and attracts attention, and you won’t help by confirming these obvious facts.

Express your real concern if you have a close relationship, but avoid coming across as condescending or judgmental. You might go into how much you care about the person and that your concern is not based on appearance, but on your sincere concern about his health.

If you sense discomfort or anger during the conversation, take a pause.

You might be able to revisit it hours, days or months later, but be patient.

Ultimately, you cannot force change on someone — no matter how much you care. Telling someone that they “should” or “need to” do something isn’t helpful.

• Before you approach an obese person with a conversation about her size, consider your relationship.
• An obese person is likely aware that her size is not healthy and attracts attention, and you won’t help by confirming these obvious facts.

Be a Source of Support for Healthy Eating and Exercise

Be a friend, spouse, sibling, coworker or parent first — not a weight-loss coach. Follow through on offers to support her weight-loss efforts; for example, you can accompany her to doctors’ visits or weight-loss meetings.

If the obese person lives in your home with you, help prepare healthy meals and don’t bring foods into the home that she’s trying to avoid. Make meals and snacks that focus on lean proteins, vegetables, fruit, whole grains and low-fat dairy.

Support an obese person’s efforts to move more, too. Invite her on a walk, for example, but not on the pretext of exercise — but just as a way to spend time together.

Recognize that an obese person, especially someone with extreme obesity, may be limited in movement. She may be restricted in the type and duration of exercise she can do.

• Be a friend, spouse, sibling, coworker or parent first — not a weight-loss coach.
• If the obese person lives in your home with you, help prepare healthy meals and don’t bring foods into the home that she’s trying to avoid.

Back Their Decisions on Weight Loss

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Your heart may be in the best place, but recommending a specific diet, exercise plan or surgery to an obese person can backfire. If she tries your suggestion and fails, you may be blamed. You also don’t always know a person’s particular health issues, limitations and capabilities, so specific recommendations should be made by the obese person’s healthcare provider.

Although consuming too many calories, a sedentary lifestyle and genetic predisposition are often the causes of obesity, sometimes a person is heavy for reasons out of her control. Certain endocrine disorders, medications or psychiatric illnesses can be responsible.

Know that your support for healthy lifestyle behaviors is valuable, though, as shown by a study published in Obesity in 2014, involving 633 adults who were trying to lose weight. Those whose friends and coworkers supported their healthy eating and whose families supported their physical activity had more success in managing their weights.