Free diabetes seminar for caregivers

Does someone in your family have diabetes? What about a close friend or work colleague? Do you ever try to help them with their diabetes or give them support? Do you wish that you understood diabetes so you could help even more?

If you answered yes, then the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program has something for you. The program will be holding a FREE one-hour seminar for caregivers of people with diabetes. The session will be held at the Aquarius Hotel Conference Room today, Friday, Nov. 19. It will be held at 1-2pm and again at 6-7pm. (This will be a repeat of the first session).

There will be a Chamorro interpreter teaching the seminar. The program stressed that the seminar is not for nurses or doctors, but for community caregivers and family members.

Through this, participants can learn more about:

* What diabetes means in our body

* What level blood sugar should be at

* The importance of medicines

* How to control diabetes and problems it can cause

* Things that people with diabetes have to do regularly

The purpose of this seminar is to share information about diabetes care and to give information about diabetes to those members of the community affected by it.

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month, and the key theme that DPCP has chosen to address throughout the month is personal responsibility. This means that the person who has diabetes must take control of his or her own health. But it also means that every member of this person’s community and family is responsible for supporting them and for preventing diabetes in other people.

“We believe it is critical that everybody gets involved as a community in this fight against diabetes. Individuals need to know why medical professionals are making decisions affecting them rather than blindly oblige, and family members need to provide a loving, supportive environment to encourage healthy changes. For this reason we are focusing on diabetes being everybody’s business,” a DPCP statement said.

Since this particular seminar is focused on the caregiver of the person with diabetes, the seminar will be discussing how one can support a diabetic person to make healthy changes and to ensure they are doing what they need to in their care.

Participants will receive a training manual, the Resource Manual for Caregivers of People with Diabetes, which will provide diabetes information and education, and suggests ways to support and assist in meeting the health and lifestyle needs of people with diabetes. They will also receive other resources that will help individuals take control of their diabetes.

“Come and join us to learn more. Seating is limited, please call 236-8715or 236-8716 to register,” DPCP said.