Fort HealthCare Hosting Free Community Presentation about Prediabetes

Fort HealthCare invites the public to attend a free presentation discussion about the condition of prediabetes. The free event is scheduled for Thursday, November 14 from 5:30-6:30 p.m., taking place in the Fort Memorial Hospital Auditorium, located at 611 Sherman Avenue East in Fort Atkinson. Registration is not required. Light refreshments will be provided.

Prediabetes

Prediabetes is a condition where your blood sugar level is above normal but not so high that a diagnosis of diabetes can be made. This condition increases the risk for developing diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) reports that one in every two people with diabetes is undiagnosed, meaning the individual may not even know they have it.

Diabetes needs daily management and attention. Many cases of type 2 diabetes are preventable, especially if detected early, which is often in the prediabetes stage. Early diagnosis and treatment is key to helping prevent or delay life-threatening complications. Fort HealthCare can share with you ways to help prevent or delay the onset of developing diabetes or prediabetes.

The IDF has provided an online diabetes risk assessment, which aims to predict an individual’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes within the next 10 years. The test is based on the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score developed from the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Helsinki, Finland. The test only takes a couple of minutes to complete, and is a confidential way to find out your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Access the online risk assessment at FortHealthCare.com/diabetes.

World Diabetes Day

November 14 is also World Diabetes Day. The IDF and the World Health Organization started World Diabetes Day in 1991 in response to the escalating health threat posed by diabetes around the world, estimating the number of people worldwide with diabetes rising to 522 million by 2030. The awareness day is always November 14, and has since grown to become a globally celebrated event and an official United Nations awareness campaign.

The IDF marks this November as the second year of a two-year theme dedicated to “The Family and Diabetes.” The tagline for the campaign is “Diabetes: Protect Your Family.” The aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of the impact that diabetes has on the family and to promote the role of the family in the management, care, prevention, and education of the condition. Learn more at worlddiabetesday.org/prevent.

Fort HealthCare Diabetes Education and Support

The Fort HealthCare Diabetes Education department helps individuals manage their condition through personalized information, support, and education, seeing patients by appointment at Fort Memorial Hospital. A referral by a healthcare provider and a diagnosis of diabetes is required. Certain health insurances may cover appointments for diagnoses of prediabetes. The American Diabetes Association recognizes the Diabetes Education program and curriculum used and follows American Association of Diabetes Educators guidelines for self-care behaviors.

Fort HealthCare continues to host a free monthly education and support group for individuals with diabetes or prediabetes, and for anyone that wishes to learn more about diabetes. Loved ones are also welcome to attend. The group meets on the second Wednesday of each month, from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. in Classroom A on the Ground Floor of Fort Memorial Hospital.

The goal of the education and support group is to provide education and practical tips related to the prevention and management of diabetes. The group can also serve as a social network and provide emotional support and a healthy way to share one’s diabetes experience with others. Meetings are in a casual, positive setting, sharing different topics each month. Registration is not required, and there is no cost to attend each session.

Fort HealthCare is committed to improving the health and well-being of our communities, with a vision to be the healthiest community in Wisconsin. As the leading healthcare provider in the region, it is our goal to reach as many members of the community as possible with health and wellness messages, providing tools and resources to help individuals improve their health and quality of life, while collaborating with several partners to positively improve the population’s health overall on a long term basis. For more information, visit FortHealthCare.com.