Dialoging about Diabetes: PWDs Offer Ways to Improve Communication and Care - #4 Gina Capone
As a diabetes educator/healthcare provider (DHCP) I’m observing that the rapidly growing world of the Diabetes Online Community, known as the DOC, for short and diabetes social networks is helping people with diabetes (PWD) find support and feel supported. People are connecting, building relationships and feeling more positive about the challenges of managing their diabetes. I’m delighted to see this trend!
As a DHCP I’ve long realized that I can’t walk a mile in a PWD shoes. I can’t know what it is like day in, day out to deal with this challenging and relentless disease. But, what I do know is that we can learn from each other to change the dialog between providers and PWD to be more positive, more supportive.
In my Dialoging about Diabetes blogs I interview diabetes activists and social networkers with the goal of gathering ways DHCPs can change better support PWDs diabetes care efforts and make living your real life…just a bit easier.
Top Seven Diabetes Blogs/Social Networking Sites
Today people with diabetes have many more ways than ever of staying linked up on diabetes blogs and social networking sites. Check out my picks for the seven best sites. They're way more than blogs – they’re portals to online diabetes communities. You’ll find the latest research findings, stay abreast of the newest diabetes devices and technology advances or approvals of new medications.
Online Diabetes Communities Multiply
Social networking is the rage. People are sharing personally and professionally. For people with diabetes there’s been a ground swell of social networking sites. They offer opportunities to keep up with the latest diabetes research, products and technology, connect with others in your shoes and share your challenges and triumphs. And you get to do this with people globally. As a diabetes educator who’s been around for many years I realize that having diabetes can be isolating and that support is critical to successful management – medically and emotionally.
Link to New Resource for Dealing with the Psychological Issues of Diabetes
Today I added an excellent and unique relatively new resource to my links under the category of diabetes education and support - Behavioral Diabetes Institute (BDI) (www.behavioraldiabetes.org). If you have diabetes or know someone with diabetes you know all too well that support - in the area of psychological support - is a huge unmet need. Behavioral Diabetes Institute, under the able leadership of Dr.