Finger Lakes Health is now offering two-hour diabetes education classes for individuals that cannot attend full-day classes, or need education on specific diabetes management topics. Classes are held on the campus of Geneva General Hospital in Geneva, and a support person is welcome to attend. Class topics include: Nutrition and Meal Planning; Medications, Preventing Complications, and Exercise; and Understanding Diabetes, Testing Blood Glucose and are scheduled in the first quarter of 2012.
            Nutrition and Meal Planning will be held on February 27, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. This program explores foods that raise blood glucose levels and those that do not, appropriate portion sizes, dining out, travel and work related-meals, and how to pair foods together for blood glucose control. Participants will use food models and learn plate mapping.
Medications, Preventing Complications, and Exercise will be held on March 26, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. The class will review oral, injectable, and insulin medications including their uses, side effects, storage and handling, and sharps disposal. Complications of uncontrolled diabetes, problem solving, reducing risks, healthy coping, and being active will be discussed.
Understanding Diabetes, Testing Blood Glucose will be held on April 23, 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. Class discussion includes the risk factors for diabetes, how to slow its progression, feelings about having diabetes, and self-management techniques. Blood glucose testing skills are taught with discussion of reasons for testing, record keeping, and how to interpret the results; meter equipment is provided at no cost to the participants.
            Class costs are covered for persons with diabetes by Medicare, Medicaid, and most insurances. In addition to the new two-hour diabetes classes and the full-day course, Finger Lakes Health offers individual diabetes education and free monthly diabetes support groups in Geneva and Penn Yan.
            For further information about course offerings and support meetings, call (315) 787-4006 or visit Finger Lakes Health’s website and click on Calendar of Events at www.flhealth.org. To register for a class, please call (315) 787-4555.