KDH announces a new program and special education session to mark Diabetes Awareness Month

NOVEMBER 10, 2014 – November is Diabetes Awareness Month and Kemptville District Hospital (KDH) is placing a special emphasis on the condition with a new program and a special education session.

These efforts are designed to address the fact that many people in North Grenville and South Ottawa have diabetes or pre-diabetes and don’t know it.

It is estimated that one million Canadians are living with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. Undiagnosed or untreated, diabetes is a leading cause of heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness and amputation.

The KDH Diabetes Education and Support team stresses that early diagnosis and treatment of diabetes are key to preventing its complications.

KDH’s diabetes educators Heather Kamenz, Registered Nurse (left), and Julia Hicks, Registered Dietitian, specialize in helping people live well with diabetes.

Moreover, says KDH’s Heather Kamenz, a Registered Nurse and Certified Diabetes Educator, “Type 2 diabetes can often be prevented or at least delayed through simple lifestyle changes: maintaining a healthy body weight, being physically active, following a healthy diet and avoiding smoking.”

Because people can have pre-diabetes or type 2 diabetes without having any obvious warning signs or symptoms, it is important to be aware of the risk factors, which include having high blood pressure, having high cholesterol, or being overweight, especially if the weight is mostly carried around the abdomen. (For a complete list of risk factors, visit www.diabetes.ca.)

Weekly Diabetes Resistance Training Program

To mark Diabetes Awareness Month, the hospital’s Diabetes Education and Support team is pleased to announce a new Weekly Diabetes Resistance Training program. The free program, which is open to all patients with pre-diabetes or diabetes, will combine exercises that include both resistance bands and hand weights. The sessions will continue throughout the winter to help patients keep up their fitness when it becomes more difficult to get outside. The team notes that the exercises can be modified to accommodate any physical limitations participants may have.

When: Wednesdays from 2:00 to 3:00 pm starting November 19

Where: Diabetes Education Classroom, KDH

To register, and for information on what to bring, email hkamenz@kdh.on.ca.

Diabetes and Sleep Apnea Special Education Session

The KDH Diabetes team is pleased to offer a special education session on ‘Diabetes and Sleep Apnea’. This session is of particular interest to people with diabetes, as many people with the condition suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, a breathing disorder where the airway is blocked when the mouth and throat relax during sleep, often for more than 10 seconds. Presented by Respiratory Therapist Brenda Carman, the session is free of charge and open to all patients with pre-diabetes or diabetes.

When: Tuesday, November 18 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm

Where: Diabetes Education Classroom, KDH

To register, email hkamenz@kdh.on.ca or call bookings at (613) 258-6133.

Grocery Store Tour

Also planned for Diabetes Awareness Month is the latest Grocery Store Tour offered by the KDH Diabetes team. Led by KDH’s Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator, Julia Hicks, the tour will provide a hands-on opportunity to learn more about the foods that we buy, how to interpret food labels, and how to make healthier choices to ensure a balanced diet. The tour is free and open to all patients with pre-diabetes or diabetes.

When: Wednesday, November 12 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm or 6:00 to 8:00 pm

Where: Upstairs classroom, Jonsson’s Your Independent Grocer, Kemptville

To register, email hkamenz@kdh.on.ca or call bookings at (613) 258-6133.

This special programming for Diabetes Awareness Month is in addition to the ongoing diabetes education and support services available at KDH. Whether they have just been diagnosed, or they have been living with diabetes for years, the KDH Diabetes team helps people to live well with diabetes. Through one-on-one counseling and group or individual education, they provide the information, knowledge and skills people need to manage their diabetes.

KDH’s November emphasis on diabetes education is part of the hospital’s wider focus on education and prevention, as well as chronic disease management. At KDH, healthcare is not just about healing – it’s about prevention, and giving people the tools they need to manage their own health.

All of KDH’s Diabetes Education and Support services are free, and self-referrals are welcome. For more information about programs, call Diabetes Nurse Educator, Heather Kamenz, at (613) 258-6133 extension 212, or Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator, Julia Hicks, at (613) 258-6133 extension 216.

About Kemptville District Hospital

Kemptville District Hospital is Accredited with Exemplary Standing, the highest ranking bestowed by Accreditation Canada. Committed to building healthier communities, we are a model of hospital-led integrated health services within the provincial health system. Kemptville District Hospital consistently ranks among the top hospitals in Ontario for both patient and employee satisfaction. We pride ourselves on being a good partner within the system. Kemptville District Hospital provides primary care management services, acute care hospital services, and advanced orthopaedic care.

For further information contact:

Jenny Read, Communications Lead

T: 613-258-6133 extension 223

Email: jread@kdh.on.ca