The role of the informal carer in the prevention of diabetic foot ulcers

My name is Zino van den Bergh and I graduated as an orthopaedic footwear technician from Fontys University of Applied Sciences. During my studies, I was very interested in the combination of social interaction with people and the practical side of the profession. As the footwear sector focuses on people with diabetes, this research aligned both with my field of study and with my personal interest in exploring this area in greater depth.

In my research, I investigated the role and experiences of informal carers involved in the prevention of diabetes-related foot ulcers. The aim was to provide Rondom with insight into the role informal carers play in this context, how they experience it, and whether there are opportunities to offer them additional support. I investigated this through interviews with informal carers of people with diabetes.

My research revealed that, through habituation and adapting to the situation, informal carers experience providing care as a positive experience. The use of the Diabetes Foot Check app was also found to be easy and effective, enabling care to be provided more quickly and easily.

A key insight for Rondom is that informal carers may struggle to accept technology, meaning that the Diabetes Foot Check app is not always used. It also emerged that informal carers can sometimes feel unheard or not taken seriously when communicating with healthcare professionals. They also feel that sufficient information is not always provided and that insufficient attention is paid to the well-being of the informal carer.

These findings are relevant, particularly given the expectation that the pressure on informal carers and the care sector in general will increase in the coming years.

The results can be used to involve informal carers more closely in care and to provide them with more targeted information, for example via the app. In addition, tools can be developed to clarify for healthcare professionals which information needs to be discussed in person and which can be provided digitally.

I have recommended developing a tool that helps new informal carers identify which healthcare professionals are generally involved in the care of people with diabetes and what role they play in this. This can contribute to targeted care provision, enabling care to be delivered as efficiently as possible. Ultimately, this may help to better support informal carers and simplify their caregiving tasks.

Student at: Fontys University of Applied Sciences – Human and Technology Programme
Client for Rondom: Wouter Meeuwis