The Diabetes Support Group is for patients who are having difficulty managing different aspects of their diabetes. The second Wednesday of every month there’s a place where you are welcome to talk about diabetes, ask questions of Diabetes Educators and give your ideas, thoughts and support to anyone who is impacted by diabetes.
Community Health and Rutland Regional Medical Center’s Diabetes & Endocrinology Center have joined together to organize the monthly program in three different locations at three different times:
- 1-2pm at the Rutland Diabetes & Endocrinology Center
- 4-5pm at Brandon/Forestdale Senior Center
- 5-6pm at Castleton Community Heath
Diabetes impacts every age group
Diabetes impacts every age group so at the support group, you might see parents of kids who are diagnosed with diabetes or children or caregivers of elderly parents looking for guidance, suggestions or helpful ideas. Support groups can bridge the gap between education visits for patients, family members, parents and caregivers.
Support group facilitators will be keeping track of the topics addressed and needs expressed each week to help develop possible topics for lectures, presentations and speakers at future meetings.
Diabetes Educators and Care Coordinators
The support group meetings are organized and led by Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (CDCES). Diabetes Community Care Coordinators work with providers and the clinical teams at Community Health locations to identify resources and programs, like the support groups, to diabetes patients.
Diabetes is a large problem in Rutland County
In Rutland County, 13% of the population has a diagnosis of diabetes. In Vermont, 8.8% of the population is diagnosed with diabetes and an additional 33.6% have a diagnosis of prediabetes.
The Community Health Diabetes Education Program is also focused on prediabetes, identifying patients who are at risk of developing diabetes.
The classes will include an overview of prediabetes and information about nutrition and physical activity. It will also include information about the year-long Diabetes Prevention Program offered by MyHealthyVermont.org.
Early identification of prediabetes, intervention and ongoing education are preventive measures Community Health providers take to help patients avoid or delay onset of a diagnosis of diabetes.
If you already have a diagnosis of diabetes or prediabetes, ask about being referred to see one of our educators.