November is American Diabetes Month.  This year’s American Diabetes Association theme is “WE STAND GREATER THAN.  It is a time to take action together as a community. Because together, we can conquer this disease. Together, we stand greater than diabetes.”

According to the Center for Disease Control, more than 34 million people in the United States have diabetes, and 1 in 5 don’t know they have it. More than 88 million US adults—over a third—have prediabetes, and more than 84% of them don’t realize they have it.  Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the United States. In the last 20 years, the number of adults diagnosed with diabetes has more than doubled as the American population has aged and become more overweight or obese.  Type 2 diabetes accounts for approximately 90% to 95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes; type 1 diabetes accounts for about 5-10%.

What is the difference between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes?  People with type 1 diabetes don’t produce insulin. People with type 2 diabetes don’t respond to insulin as well as they should, and later in the disease often don’t make enough insulin*.

What can you do to support diabetes awareness?

  1. Wear blue ribbons
  2. Deliver a blue carnation to all of your clients with diabetes
  3. Look for a diabetes fundraising event in your area
  4. Use social media to promote awareness and a healthy lifestyle
  5. Educate your community on how to prevent Type 2 diabetes by focusing on these three areas:
    1. Weight
    2. Nutrition
    3. Exercise

For more information on promoting diabetes awareness, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/campaigns/index.html

 

*https://www.healthline.com/health/difference-between-type-1-and-type-2-diabetes

Posted in Care for Aging Veterans
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About Cheryl Hammons CFE, CSA

Cheryl Hammons is an experienced home care professional, published author, and frequent speaker. She has held several roles throughout her 12 years in the home care industry, including training, support, and operations. She currently serves as Strategic Partnership Director at Veterans Care Coordination where she focuses on building value-driven relationships, developing revenue-generating programs, and creating educational materials for home care partner companies. Cheryl is the author of "Embracing a New Normal: Dealing with Grief" and "Respecting Religious Differences in Home Care."