Caring for Patients With Type 2 Diabetes
The American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE) recognizes a need to implement a health care model that enhances outcomes for people with diabetes. The chronic care model described on the AADE Web site shifts the focus of health care delivery from a system that handles acute problems to a prevention-based system aimed at avoiding long-term problems, including diabetes complications.
A collaborative process focused on 7 self-care behaviors
An integral part of the chronic care model is diabetes self-management education (DSME), a collaborative process through which people with (or at risk of) diabetes gain the knowledge and learn the skills they need to change their behavior to successfully self-manage the disease and its related conditions.
The AADE has identified 7 key behaviors, known as the AADE7 Self-Care Behaviors framework, that lead to better patient self-management of diabetes. Diabetes educators can help people learn about:
- Healthy eating— The effect of food on blood sugar, sources of fat and carbohydrates, effective meal planning, and resources that patients can use to make wise food choices.
- Being active— Developing an activity plan for patients and talking about ways to overcome common barriers to increased physical activity.
- Monitoring— Information on blood sugar, blood pressure, and other diabetes monitoring equipment. Educators can teach proper use of the equipment, how often and when they should test, what appropriate target ranges are, and how to interpret test results.
- Taking medication— How the medicines work, potential side effects, timing and frequency of administration, and what happens if patients don’t take their medication as prescribed.
- Problem solving— Helping patients develop effective coping strategies for the variety of health-related situations that may arise because of diabetes.
- Reducing risks— Teaching the importance of self-care behaviors, such as quitting smoking, having regular eye and foot examinations, monitoring blood pressure and blood sugar, and keeping personal care records.
- Healthy coping— Working with patients to identify psychological and social factors that affect their health and helping them continue with effective self-care behaviors.
Resources to help your patients
As a diabetes educator, you’ll find that this site offers a variety of resources that you can give to your patients to help them learn more about managing type 2 diabetes. The curriculum is divided into resources for newly diagnosed patients and established patients.
Learn more!
To find out more about the AADE, visit the AADE Web site.
AADE7 Self-Care Behaviors and AADE7 are trademarks of the American Association of Diabetes Educators.
Content specific to AADE used with permission of the American Association of Diabetes Educators. All rights reserved. Not for further reproduction or distribution without written permission of the AADE.
