October Diabetes Session Focuses on Blood Sugar and Patterns

[October 20, 2015]  LINCOLN - Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital provides a free support group for people with diabetes mellitus. The group typically meets the third Friday of the month but in October the group will meet on the fourth Friday, October 23. All meetings take place in the Wombacher Room at ALMH. The October discussion will focus on how to use the results from blood sugar monitoring in order to appropriately adjust food and exercise.

According to the Illinois Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 9.9 percent of Logan County residents have been diagnosed with diabetes. The National Diabetes Education Program recognizes that it is common to feel overwhelmed, sad, or angry when you are living with diabetes. You may know the steps you should take to stay healthy, but have trouble sticking with your plan over time. Support groups can be a critical piece to successful management of the disease.

When diabetes is not under control, it can have a harmful effect on most organ systems in the human body; it is a frequent cause of renal disease and lower-extremity amputation, and a leading cause of blindness among working age adults. Persons with diabetes are also at increased risk for ischemic heart disease, neuropathy, and stroke. Diabetes risk factors such as obesity and physical inactivity have played a major role in this dramatic increase. Age, race, and ethnicity are also important risk factors.

The casual group meetings are free and do not require registration. Jennifer DiPasquale, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator, leads the group. “The diabetes support group is a great opportunity to get practical and timely information to learn how to manage your diabetes,” DiPasquale said. Family members, friends, and caregivers are also welcome to attend the meetings.

Interested individuals should call DiPasquale at [phone] or e-mail her at diabetes@ almh.org for more information. The next meeting will be held on November 20.

ALMH is a 25-bed critical access hospital located at 200 Stahlhut Drive in Lincoln. For more information, visit ALMH.org.

[Angela Stoltzenburg, Abraham Lincoln Memorial Hospital]