Holzer Offers Diabetes Education and Awareness

Holzer Health System joins the American Diabetes Association in recognizing November as National Diabetes Awareness Month. Diabetes is not uncommon, and is more likely with a family history of Diabetes, decreased physical activity, being overweight, and poor dietary habits, including high amounts of sugar. Also, 79 million people have been shown to be pre-diabetic by screening tests (not yet diabetic, but showing signs of a high chance of getting Diabetes).

To create additional awareness, Holzer will host a Diabetes Awareness Event, which is open to the public, on Tuesday, November 18 from 6pm to 8pm at the Gallipolis Medical Center, Conference Rooms ABC, on the Ground Floor of the Hospital. The theme is Holiday Survival, offering information on how to handle stress, not to gain weight during the holiday season, and how to sneak in exercise during a hectic holiday season. A variety of presenters will be on hand to distribute advice for those who have diabetes and for those who do not.

“The event is open to everyone,” stated Suzanna Duncan, BSN, RN, Diabetic Educator, Holzer Health System. “We want everyone to feel welcome and to learn ways to be healthier during the holidays and every day. Education and awareness is key to preventing diabetes, as well as controlling it.”

Diabetes can be a terrible disease in the advanced stages, affecting kidneys, decreasing eyesight, increasing heart problems, causing high blood pressure and strokes. But good control through treatment, diet, exercise, and life style changes can improve Diabetes, and markedly reduce the effects and complications of the disease.

To help educate people and maintain diabetes, Holzer offers diabetic education classes at both Gallipolis and Jackson hospitals. Individuals diagnosed with diabetes, or caretakers for an individual with Diabetes, are very welcome to attend.

Classes are divided into three sessions including diabetic self-care management, which is taught by a nurse diabetic educator, nutrition and diet, which is taught by a registered dietician and includes individualized diet plans and carbohydrate counting, and a pharmacist attends the final class offering information on physical activity and prescriptions. Holzer also offers Diabetes Support Groups for our communities. At Holzer in Gallipolis, the support group meets on the first Thursday of each month from 4:00 to 6:00 PM in the hospital’s French 500 room on the first floor. In Jackson, a support group meets the fourth Tuesday of each month from 6:00 to 7:30 PM in the Jackson Hospital. The Jackson group focuses on type 1 diabetes, which is commonly associated with children. In addition, especially for type 1 diabetics, an individualized class may be set up if needed.

For more information on the upcoming event or to register, call 740-446-5971.