Diabetes education
What is it?
Diabetes education is about assisting people with diabetes, their families and carers gain the knowledge, skills, motivation and confidence to manage their condition. Diabetes education assists people with diabetes to:
- Know what to do
- Know how to do it
- Want to do it
- Be able to do it!
- Recognise when to seek assistance
Who provides it?
Diabetes education is a specialty field of practice. Credentialled Diabetes Educators have been recognised as the appropriately qualified providers diabetes education by Medicare Australia, the Department of Veterans Affairs and private medical insurers.
Other health care professionals such as your doctor, dietitians and podiatrists are also important members of the team that provides diabetes care and management.
When do you need it?
It is recommended to seek diabetes education when:
- Being diagnosed with diabetes
- Starting blood glucose monitoring at home
- Introducing diabetes tablets or insulin therapy
- Having difficulties reaching treatment targets and management goals such as blood glucose, weight or blood pressure
- Having episodes of severe low or high blood glucose levels
- Having been in hospital for diabetes
- Lifestyle or life stage changes such as when starting an exercise program, planning to travel, starting high school or having symptoms of menopause
- Planning pregnancy, during pregnancy and after delivery
- Feeling stressed or ‘burnt out’ by diabetes.
- You feel you need a bit of assistance and at least every 1-2 years for the latest diabetes new and information
Need more information?
Credentialled Diabetes Educators are health care professionals who have specialised in diabetes and participate in ongoing learning to make sure their knowledge and skills are up-to-date, To find a Credentialled Diabetes Educator (CDE) close to where you live or work, please click on ‘Find a CDE’ to return to our home page and start your search. To learn about referrals and reimbursement for diabetes education, please click here.
For information about managing your diabetes, please go to our Managing your diabetes pages. You will also find more information in our Resource links section.
Your doctor can refer you to health care professionals who can assist you. For more details about the role of other health care professionals providing services for people with diabetes, please click here.