Improve your self-care

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), a disease management program helps you learn skills for taking better care of your diabetes. You'll find out what steps you can take to protect your health. With this type of program, this is what you can do:

• Get support and guidance. As you learn new ways to manage diabetes, you may need help putting these ideas into action. You may have questions about how to take your medicines or how to lose weight. Ask your diabetes care team about a service called diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES). The ADA advises that all people with diabetes should participate in an individually appropriate DSMES. You will learn skills to help you better manage your diabetes and find support when you need it. This service should be provided at diagnosis, annually, or when not meeting treatment goals.

• Exercise with a partner or group. This will help you stick with your program on rainy and other inconvenient days. Share your time (and meals) with people who share your goals for better health.

• Get the latest diabetes information. Guidelines for diabetes management are constantly being updated. Being part of a disease management program can give you access to up-to-date information to help you make healthy choices.

• Take an active role in your care. A disease management program also helps you work closely with your doctor. You can speak up and get involved. Tell your care team about your cultural background and choices.

• Get help with setting goals. Get advice on ways to make healthy behavior changes, such as eating better and exercising more. Disease management programs track your health over time. You and your doctor can get a more complete picture of how you're doing. You can also talk about what you still need to change to reach your goals.

Many things in your daily life impact your health. This can include transportation, money problems, housing, access to food, and child care. If you can’t get to medical appointments, you may not receive the care you need. When money is tight, it may be difficult to pay for medicines. And living far from a grocery store can make it hard to buy healthy food. If you have concerns in any of these or other areas, talk with your care team. They may know of local resources to assist you. Or they may have a staff person who can help.

Results you can measure

A disease management program sounds like a good thing. But you might be wondering if it really works. Research shows that these programs do work. In fact, taking part in a program can reduce health problems caused by diabetes. These programs can help improve blood sugar control and screening for problems caused by diabetes. Medicare and other insurance programs often cover these programs because they have been proven to work.

Having diabetes may never be easy. But a good disease management program can give you the tools to better manage the challenges, improve your health, and have a better quality of life.