Welcome to the Diabetes Awareness Program!

Diabetes is a condition that can seem confusing or even a little scary.  Hearing that you or a loved one has been diagnosed with this condition can bring up a lot of questions and emotions.  All of us in the UIHS Diabetes Awareness Program understand this, and we are here to help guide you through your journey with understanding diabetes and becoming a healthier you.  

The Diabetes Awareness Program assists clients and families to prevent or delay diabetes and its complications by promoting education and treatment, community awareness, healthy lifestyle changes, and early detection. 

The Diabetes Awareness Team works with the other Community Services programs, Medical, Dental, Behavioral Health and Nutrition services to achieve these goals. We work to support our clients with diabetes to live well and receive quality care. To learn more about diabetes and how the Diabetes Awareness Program can be of service to you, please call 707-825-5070 or have your medical provider refer you to our program.  We are here for you.    

Staff Specialists: Providing Education on Diabetes, Diabetes Prevention, and a Healthier Lifestyle Balance.

Diabetes Care and Education Specialists

A Diabetes Educator can inform you and your family members about all aspects of diabetes self-management and help with everyday challenges that your primary medical provider may not have time to address.  They can also:

  • Provide you information on all aspects of diabetes and diabetes prevention in a personalized manner for your needs.
  • Help answer your questions about diabetes related medications, lab results, symptoms, etc.
  • Demonstrate safe blood glucose monitoring.
  • Provide you information on healthy coping and reducing risks.
  • Help you figure out how to balance your diabetes with a plan to fit your lifestyle.
  • Assist you with specialized issues like insulin adjustment, continuous glucose monitors, and insulin pumps.

Nutritionist

The Nutritionist offers personalized nutrition information and support to help you set and achieve realistic goals while also being satisfied.  They can also:

  • Provide you guidance with healthy cooking
  • Demonstrate to you how to read food labels and what is important on those labels
  • Provide you information to support special nutrition plans and help you plan for eating out, holidays, and special events
  • Help you plan and prepare for meals and grocery shopping
  • Suggest food substitutions to fit your individual snacking or cooking needs
  • Help you create, track, journal, or revise meals that you enjoy

Fitness Coordinator

The Fitness Coordinator can help you create an exercise plan by suggesting and discussing activities you feel match your fitness level and individualized goal.  They can also:

  • Help you set and track for a variety of goals, including increased endurance, speed, or frequency of activity.
  • Facilitate group movement activities such as swimming group.
  • Offer you one-on-one fitness room consultations.

The Diabetes Awareness Program offers a variety of resources, opportunities, and support for UIHS clients living with diabetes:

  • Individualized appointments
  • Diabetes in pregnancy education & support
  • Group learning opportunities
  • Repchem newsletter
  • Fitness room & fitness activities
  • Activity Fee Support: this is a program to help any youth in high school and 18 or younger to help fund activities that will help promote wellness, and also for adults with diabetes or who have participated in our prior diabetes prevention courses
  • Kay Woi Membership Support: this is a program to promote healthier, local, sustainable produce grown right here in our Potowat Health Village Garden for people with diabetes.

These programs are available to qualified clients and are dependent on funding availability. Applications available in Tribal Public Health.

FAQs

Q- What should I bring with me to an appointment with a Diabetes Educator?

A-  Bring your current medications in original container, BG meter, and log book.