EXETER — The Diabetes Education Centre at South Huron Hospital (SHH) is open Monday to Friday to offer education health promotion and prevention information to patients with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, or those with pre-diabetes.
The SHH location is one of eight in the Huron Perth Diabetes Education Program.
Registered nurse and certified diabetes nurse educator Stephanie Watts recently told the Times-Advocate the Diabetes Education Centre at SHH takes a team approach to diabetes education. The centre includes an RN (Watts) and a registered dietitian, Harriet Vandeborne, who is also a certified diabetes educator.
Patients can visit the centre on a self-referral basis or on the referral of a health care provider, Watts explained. Services are covered by OHIP and are for those 18 and older.
Those younger than 18 with diabetes, which is typically Type 1 in that age group, go to London, Watts said.
In addition to providing services to those with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, Watts said the centre meets those who are described as being in a “pre-diabetes” group. Those in a prediabetes condition have certain risk factors to develop Type 2 diabetes.
Watts said risk factors include:
• being 40 years of age or older;
• having a close relative (parent or sibling) who has Type 2 diabetes;
• being a member of a high-risk population, such as those of Aboriginal, Hispanic, Asian, South Asian or African descent;
• having a history of impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose;
• having some evidence of the complications of diabetes, such as eye, nerve or kidney problems;
• having heart disease;
• having a history of gestational diabetes mellitus ('new' diabetes during pregnancy that often resolves after the birth of the child);
• having high blood pressure;
• having high cholesterol;
• being overweight, especially around the abdomen.
When a patient goes to the centre, Watts said, “We meet one-on-one with the patient. They get time with the nurse and time with the dietitian. We talk mostly about lifestyle management, and those would include things such as healthy eating, staying active, medication, smoking cessation.”
Watts has been with the centre for almost two years. The SHH Diabetes Education Centre started in 1998.
Watts said, “Our program is beneficial to the community in that we provide information, support and follow-up for people at risk of, or those with, diabetes. We work with their health care provider in a team approach with the hope that the individual has received the knowledge and skills to better self manage their diabetes. Follow-up occurs as needed.”
Watts said the most current data as of 2009 shows prevalence of diabetes in Canada is 11.6 per cent of the population, up significantly from 2005 numbers of 5.5 per cent. In Southwestern Ontario, the most recent data (2004/05) shows a prevalence of about seven per cent.
Watts said she is concerned about the significant portion of the population unaware they have diabetes and those who are not receiving the proper care.
“A lot of diabetes care is self-managed,” Watts said. “So we provide the education and the ongoing follow-up and support.”
Watts said a typical first appointment for a patient at the education centre is an hour long. Follow-ups, as needed, are usually half an hour. The centre is open 9 a.m to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.
The centre is also planning group classes that will provide information on topics such as foot care, new diagnoses and pre-diabetes.
Other sites in Huron Perth are Seaforth, Clinton, Goderich, Stratford, Listowel, St. Marys and Wingham. The SHH site typically sees patients from the local area. Watts said there is also a separate program in Grand Bend, not part of the Huron Perth system.
Contact the Diabetes Education Centre at 235-5175. For more information about diabetes, visit www.diabetes.ca