Health Transition Fund Project NA012: Diabetes Community/Home
Support Services for First Nations and Inuit
Lifestyle Support Services
Definition
"Provides support to people living with diabetes and
their families/care providers in coping with the consequences
of having a chronic, potentially debilitating and life threatening
disease. Lifestyle supports may enhance community capacity
to provide holistic approaches to the realities of living with
diabetes. Activities may include peer support groups, sharing
circles, drop-in programs for people with diabetes and their
family members, or youth programs. These activities may provide
an opportunity to share feelings, and discuss issues, problems
and solutions." (Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative First
Nations On-Reserve and Inuit Program Framework)
Needs Identified
In the community needs assessment, there was considerable variation
in the identification of lifestyle supports for people with diabetes
and their families. In all communities, it was noted that few people
had received diabetes education within the past year. Diabetes
education often includes lifestyle support through the education
process itself, ongoing follow-up and community initiatives.
In the client assessments done during the Project, other issues
affecting diabetes self care such as addictions, alcoholism or
depression were identified.
Canadian standards for diabetes programs support attention to
both the physical and psycho-social needs of people with diabetes.
All the communities included lifestyle supports in their diabetes
plan.
Activities and Services
In the program evaluation, all communities identified lifestyle
supports being implemented. Again, these were all in the early
developmental stages and it will take time for them to be accepted
by community members and to become fully established. The following
are some examples of the lifestyle supports:
"Diabetes was scary for
me... What the complications are. I wouldn't even talk about
it. I was worried about what will happen to me. Now I have
started to accept the idea about learning about diabetes." person
with diabetes - Red Earth First Nation
- training of community members with diabetes to act as volunteer
mentors for others with diabetes;
- health professionals providing more advocacy services on behalf
of their clients;
- grocery store tours given by a health professional;
- cooking classes for men only;
- support groups;
- special luncheons for people with diabetes;
- walking clubs/programs - some include discussion as well as
physical activity;
- referrals to the mental health therapist or psycho-social worker
based in the community who help people adjust to the diagnosis
and lifestyle changes; and
- beginning to develop closer working relationships between addiction
services and the diabetes support services.
"Now we want to do something
for the students. Lots of letters to the school. A workshop
was held with students, and the turn out was good. Promoting
health in the schools is important. Students are living with
parents who don't know what to do about their diabetes." Health
Director - Red Earth First Nation
Impacts of Lifestyle Support services
Lifestyle support services had impacts on clients, family members
and health professionals:
- people with diabetes were more willing to talk about the disease
and to share ideas and information - both with health staff and
with each other;
- some clients spoke about having a greater acceptance of the
condition and greater willingness and motivation to deal with
it positively and pro-actively;
- in one community, health staff observed that there seemed to
be a decrease in the sense of isolation that may be felt by some
people living with diabetes; and
- some health professionals indicated a greater understanding
of the complexities of the condition and new respect for the
challenges facing someone in living well with diabetes.
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