As part of National Diabetes Week, our Diabetes Educators, Jane, Brooke, Caroline and Vanesa, are providing a ‘Heads Up on Diabetes’.
As part of our Community Health services, the Diabetes Education team helps people manage their diabetes and provides further individualised support through programs designed to break down the stigma around diabetes.
Research has found that four out of five people living with diabetes have experienced stigma at some point. Our Diabetes Education team helps people with the highs and lows of living with diabetes. Diabetes Educator Jane Ivey said diabetes was a chronic condition that could have a significant impact on a person’s life.
“Diabetes changes the way people make lifestyle decisions regarding their health and wellbeing,” she said. “To manage diabetes well, a person must focus on getting adequate sleep, eating healthy foods, exercising, maintaining a healthy weight, managing stress, and seeing their GP for check-ups.”
The Diabetes Education team works with members of our community, to help them understand the role and importance of maintaining good physical activity in daily life. The team provides support, education, guidance, and training to help people with diabetes make informed lifestyle and treatment choices.
“Unfortunately, there are many myths around diabetes; predominantly that it is caused by eating too much sugar,” Jane said. “Diabetes has a strong genetic component associated with its development and people would do better to focus on this, rather than on feelings of guilt and despair about what may have triggered the condition.”
“We often encounter people with diabetes who perceive it to be a burden, which can lead to depression and poor mental health. But with good support, diabetes can be managed well and people can lead relatively normal lives,” she said.
To support people living with diabetes, the Diabetes Education team offers two group programs people with Type 1 and 2 Diabetes, which are accessible at our Community Health sites.
To be referred to the programs,please contact ACCESS on: 1300 665 781 or online at:
www.peninsulahealth.org.au/access-referrals/