shoreupdate.com

The Joslin Diabetes Center Affiliate at Shore Health System is a valuable resource for individuals diagnosed with diabetes. The center, which is located at The Memorial Hospital at Easton, offers educational programs and support groups led by nurses and a dietician who are certified diabetes educators.

Shore Health System offers a multidisciplinary diabetes program, which includes the services of endocrinologists and certified diabetes educators.

“Education is our primary focus when working with people who have been diagnosed with diabetes,” says Nancy Barger, RN, CDE, diabetes specialist for Shore Health System. “We are here to offer advice on how to prevent the early symptoms of diabetes from developing into a more serious medical condition.”

An Insulin Pump Support Group meets every other month in the Joslin Diabetes Center Affiliate classroom at Memorial Hospital. The next meeting is November 17 at 6:30 p.m. This is a free resource for adults and parents of children who use insulin pumps.

The Diabetes Support Group meets on the third Wednesday of the month. The next meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 17 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The guest speaker for the November meeting is Sally Worm, RN, who will discuss “Making Exercise Work for You.” The free session is open to individuals with diabetes and the friends and family members who support them.

The Joslin Diabetes Center offers diabetes education classes on a variety of topics. Participants learn about medication and nutritional management; blood glucose monitoring; acute and long term complications of the disease; and the emotional aspects of diabetes. Participants also learn about other community resources that are available.

Patients can call the Joslin clinic directly for an appointment. The staff will assist patients in obtaining a referral from their physician if one is needed. Prior to the start of diabetes education classes, participants will meet with a certified diabetes educator for an individual assessment.

All support group meetings and educational sessions are held at the Joslin Diabetes Center at Memorial Hospital, 219 S. Washington Street in Easton. For more information, call 410-822-1000 or 410-228-5511, ext. 5757.