Most people with diabetes visit their doctors a few times a year and spend a few hours discussing their health, the rest of the time they are left to take care of themselves and to manage their diabetes on their own. Living with diabetes means just that. Once a person is diagnosed with diabetes, it becomes part of a person’s life and becomes a day-to-day thing. Approximately 95% of Diabetes Management Program
Studies have shown that when diabetes is not well managed, it is associated with serious complications including heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, nerve damage and amputations leading to disability and early death. Please think of all the associated problems related to self, family, family life, mental health, social health, cost and the pain.
Successful self-management requires knowledge about the condition, how it needs to be treated and what needs to be done” (Diabetes UK, 2009). This information can be had through proper training and education by qualified health professionals in the diabetes education programs. Diabetes self-management activities that are essential include the following.
· Understanding diabetes as a part of day-to-day management
· Understanding the relationships between food, activity and medications
· Self-monitoring of blood glucose
· Recognising individual needs, for example foot care, weight loss, medication dose