Diabetic Education Classes

This series of four classes helps participants gain comprehensive information, whether newly diagnosed or living with diabetes. 

Copley’s Certified Diabetes Education Team, (Loretta Schneider, RN and Nancy Wagner, RD), is pleased to present classes open for anyone with diabetes.   Classes help participants gain comprehensive information, whether newly diagnosed or living with diabetes, and provides insight into what happens to the body when you have diabetes.  The class provides strategies to learn how to better care for your self.  These strategies include diet, exercise, blood sugar monitoring and insulin treatment.  “Our goal is to provide participants with the tools and resources in order to live a healthy lifestyle and feel better,” states Wagner.
 
Diabetes is a serious chronic disease with rates of newly diagnosed climbing at an alarming rate.  What you may not know is Lamoille County has the second highest diabetes rate in Vermont.  The disease either stops your body from making insulin or prevents it from using insulin properly.  Without insulin, your body can’t change sugar (glucose) into energy.  The amount of glucose in your blood becomes too high when glucose is not changed into energy.   “The longer diabetes goes on without treatment, the greater its potential for harm,” continued Wagner.
 
Though early diabetes may have no apparent symptoms, possible warning signs include excessive thirst and urination, daytime fatigue and blurred vision.  If not controlled, diabetes can lead to serious complications such as heart disease, stroke, nerve damage, kidney failure and blindness. 
The class covers topics like:

            An overview of diabetes

How high blood sugar levels can make you feel

            How to read food labels

            What, when and how much to each (portions) and why it is important

            How exercise can improve and control diabetes

            How to choose the best exercise for you and when to start

            How to lower risk factors for diabetes complications

            Talk about insulin resistance, what it is and how to improve it

 
These Thursday classes are scheduled from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Copley Hospital and are free to anyone with diabetes.  Dates of classes are January 17 through February 7th.  Wagner noted that although classes are free, registration is required as space is limited.

 
Copley’s Diabetes Education team is health professionals who specialize in the treatment of diabetes.  They help patients learn to live a healthier, more productive life with the disease.  Their work is a team approach that includes the patient’s provider.
 
For more information on diabetes or this offering call 802-888-8226. 




Date: 01/17/2008 to 02/07/2008
Time: 10:30 AM - 12:00 AM
Location: Copley Hospital

Contact: Diabetes Team
Phone: 802-888-8226
lschneider@chsi.org