 "The state is promoting healthy behaviors and endorsing the
effectiveness of diabetes self-management education, or DSME, which
uses a curriculum approved by the American Diabetes Association,"
said Jennifer DiPasquale, a licensed, registered dietitian and
certified diabetes educator. "Group education works."Called the
U.S. Diabetes Conversation Map program, the DSME class will be
guided by participants in an interactive setting. The program was
developed by Healthy Interactions, a global leader in health
education, in collaboration with the American Diabetes Association.
It has been taught at ALMH by DiPasquale since 2009. The first of
three class sessions for the summer begins June 19, meeting from
noon to 4:30 p.m. in the Baldridge Education Room at the hospital.
The second session will begin July 24, and the third session begins
July 27.
"It's always patient-centered, promoting what the group feels is
important," DiPasquale said. "This conversation-driven method leads
participants to get more involved in creating a plan to improve
their health, and it's driven by the belief that people learn by
being engaged -- hearing, seeing, exploring, discussing and doing."
There are four major content areas in the program:
-
"On the Road to
Better Managing Your Diabetes" covers many of the basic concepts
one needs to know related to managing diabetes.
-
"Diabetes and Healthy Eating" engages
participants in a detailed discussion about the connection
between food and diabetes and the importance of healthy eating
to managing diabetes.
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-
"Monitoring Your
Blood Glucose" engages patients in a discussion about the
importance of monitoring blood glucose, managing high and low
blood glucose, and how to use the results from monitoring to
better manage diabetes.
-
"Continuing Your
Journey with Diabetes" focuses on complex concepts related to
diabetes, including the natural course of diabetes, the medicine
options that exist, what insulin is and how it works, long-term
complications associated with diabetes, and the key ABC's: A1C,
blood pressure and cholesterol.
Because of the program's structure, a limited number of
participants can enroll for each session.
To participate, a physician's order is required, and participants
must fill out registration and needs assessment forms. To inquire or
request the forms, contact DiPasquale by email (preferred) at
diabetes@almh.org or call
217-605-5535.
ALMH is a 25-bed critical-access hospital at 200 Stahlhut Drive
in Lincoln. For more information, visit
www.almh.org.
[Text from file received from
Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital]
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