BREVARD COUNTY — There’s never a wrong time to talk about your health, and with National Diabetes Awareness Month around the corner, One Senior Place is preparing a six-part series to discuss “Your Diabetic Health.”
The educational seminar will start at 10 a.m. on Oct. 7 at One Senior Place, 8085 Spyglass Hill Road, Viera. Attendees are asked to RSVP for limited seating, and a Zoom link is available for those who prefer to stay at home.
The first speaker to present will be Kathleen Macneill, a certified diabetic educator from Florida Health Care Plans to discuss “What is Diabetes?”
Additional topics will be presented on living with diabetes, caring for your legs, making sense of the numbers, and nutrition and cooking.
Barbara Fradkin, director of One Senior Place, said that about 5.8 million Floridians have prediabetes but 84% of them have no idea.
Prediabetes is a blood sugar level that’s higher than it should be, Ms. Fradkin explained. She added that nearly everyone with Type 2 diabetes has prediabetes first.
“Being at home for so many months has got people thinking more about their well-being and made them more aware of what they should – and should not – be eating,” Ms. Fradkin said. “It’s time to start walking more, exercising more and thinking of our future.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 34.2 million Americans are living with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, yet in the last 20 years a diabetes surge has become prevalent among adults, teenagers and children, according to Ms. Fradkin.
Increased thirst, increased urination, fatigue, body weight changes, numbness in feet or hands, dry skin and sores that heal slowly are just some of the symptoms, Ms. Fradkin said.
“Diabetes checks are always done during a yearly physical,” Ms. Fradkin said. “There has been a lot of interest in diabetes education, and with the pandemic and everyone being home eating more, we thought this is a good time to get people to think more about their health and well-being.”
Living with diabetes doesn’t have to stop someone from experiencing a normal life. Ms. Fradkin described that until it is under control, a person with diabetes could feel depressed, lack of energy and have skin issues.
“During the seminars, people will be able to get all of their questions answered, they will meet others with diabetes and will be able to form friendships and maybe even find a ‘buddy’ to get healthy with,” Ms. Fradkin said. “Our ‘Nutrition and Cooking class’ will be good to attend so you can help plan a healthy Thanksgiving meal this year.”
Future topics scheduled include:
“Ask the Doctor: Living with Diabetes” at noon on Monday, Oct. 12.
“Diabetes: Caring for Your Legs,” a two-part series at noon on Tuesday, Oct. 13 and Nov.10.
“Making Sense of the Numbers” at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
“Nutrition and Cooking” at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 18.
To RSVP or request a Zoom link, call (321) 751-6771 or visit www.oneseniorplace.com.
