Have you met with a diabetes education team? Do you know what the role of a diabetes education team is? You may be thinking, “Why do I even need a team?” Of course, an obvious answer is to help you manage your blood sugar. But even if it is managed well, there are still many reasons to connect with a team at least annually, if not more often.
Diabetes education teams vary in members and size, but may include nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, counsellors, social workers and foot specialists. Many members may also be Certified Diabetes Educators (CDEs), which means they have spent many hours in diabetes education, have written an exam to become certified and continue to maintain their certification every 5 years. This is important because you can feel confident that your CDE is an expert in diabetes and is knowledgeable about the most current recommendations for diabetes management.
What can a diabetes education team do for you?
Provide general lifestyle recommendations: As healthy eating and exercise are important factors in managing diabetes, educators can support you in making lifestyle changes to improve your blood sugar levels and overall health.
Help individuals develop self-management skills to manage blood sugar: Educators will spend time with you reviewing your blood sugar levels and providing feedback on how lifestyle issues (such as food and physical activity), may be affecting them. They will also look for patterns of highs or lows at certain times of day, and what may be causing them. In addition, educators may discuss options with your primary care provider (i.e. your doctor) regarding the best diabetes medications for you while considering other issues such as protective benefits, side effects and costs.
Recommend appropriate lab work: When you have diabetes, it is recommended that you have certain lab work (bloodwork and a urine test) completed on a regular basis. These lab tests assess your overall diabetes control, your cholesterol levels and how well your kidneys are working. Your educator can help ensure that you are getting lab tests as recommended and then review the results with you.
Explain why your eyes need to be regularly checked: Educators take the time to review the importance of eye exams to detect early eye complications and remind you to see an eye doctor every 1 to 2 years.
Provide a thorough foot exam: Neuropathy (numbness and tingling in the legs and feet) is a common and serious complication of diabetes. That’s why it is important to have a foot assessment at least yearly. This can be done by your primary care provider or your educator; in addition, your educator will spend time also providing footcare education.
Help to improve your emotional well-being: Managing diabetes may be overwhelming, feel like a full-time job and cause you to worry about possible diabetes-related complications. When you are feeling this way, it is referred to as “diabetes distress.” Educators can help support you by providing resources for managing stress and referring you to counsellors or social workers for support, if needed.
Provide continuous support: Educators can meet with you on an ongoing basis – how often depends on your needs. Frequency of appointments depend on the type of diabetes medications you are taking, your risk of low blood sugars and how well your blood sugar is currently managed. Appointments may vary from a few times a month if you are starting on a new medication (e.g. insulin) to every few months or annually. Educators can help you develop SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and timely) goals to help you self-manage your diabetes.
Other diabetes-related complications
The diabetes care team will also focus on other chronic conditions that often occur alongside diabetes. For example, since heart attack and stroke are leading causes of death in those living with diabetes, your care team will provide you with education to help you to manage high blood pressure or high cholesterol, decreasing your risk of these complications. Educators may also review your medications to ensure that you have optimal management for heart and kidney protection.
How do you find a diabetes education team?
As virtual health care has become more common, whether you live in the city or in a rural area, you can connect with a team to help manage your diabetes and prevent diabetes-related complications.
In Canada, diabetes teams are funded by the government and you can often make an appointment yourself, rather than being referred by your primary care provider.
Find a team near you by:
- Googling the phrase “diabetes education” and the general area you live in.
- Performing a search on the Canadian Diabetes Educators Certification Board website (www.cdecb.ca). (Tip: include only a nearby town/city in the location box, not the province.)
- Asking your doctor, local medical clinic or hospital, as they can often provide a referral to a nearby diabetes education team.
Diabetes can feel overwhelming at times. Consider having a diabetes educator as a part of your team!
