“Do you have diabetes?” Wilford Brimley famously asked that question in commercials selling medical supplies in the 90s. Diabetes was on the rise in the 90s, and is still a concern today for many Americans. As of 2021, 38.4 million Americans had diabetes. Of that 38.4 million, 16.5 million are seniors, according to the American Diabetes Association.
The following are typical signs of Type 2 diabetes:
-Urinating often
-Extreme thirst
-Extreme Hunger (even when you have eaten)
-Feeling unusually tired
-Vision problems
-Wounds that are slow to heal
-Weight loss- with no change in eating habits
-Tingling, pain, or numbness in hands and feet
A blood test will reveal if your blood sugar levels are high. Your doctor may determine that although your blood glucose is high, you may not be diabetic. When this occurs, you may be diagnosed with prediabetes. While this can be upsetting, the good news is that this doesn’t necessarily mean you will become diabetic.
In the Diabetes Personal Action Toward Health (PATH) workshop you can learn many skills to manage diabetes or prediabetes, such as reading labels and meal planning. Other skills such as communication, dealing with difficult emotions, and action plans are also addressed in the program.
Caregivers are encouraged to participate in Diabetes PATH as well to learn how to better support their loved ones.
If you are interested in attending a Diabetes PATH workshop, please call CareWell Services at (269) 966-2450 to be notified when the next class is scheduled.