Diabetes Health Team |
Diabetes Health Thunder Bay is a community-based program which provides individual diabetes education to people with diabetes, their families and any community supports. We also provide a variety of other services including prevention services for those people who have an impairment in their glucose levels or are high risk for diabetes.
The program consists of several core teams of nurse educators and dietitians with special skills as diabetes educators. Clients also have access to our counselor for stress and finance issues. As part of the Northern Diabetes Health Network we are the tertiary diabetes education program for Northwestern Ontario. The program is funded by the Ministry of Health and services are provided to clients without additional costs. Referral to the program is usually by physician, however we also accept referrals from other health professionals as well as self referrals.
Who provides this service? A team of skilled diabetes educators and support staff.
Campers having a great time with the Pediatrics Team |
Diabetes Health Thunder Bay is the Pediatric Diabetes program for most of Northwestern Ontario. We provide diabetes education services for approximately 170 children with diabetes and their families. This includes on site clinics with Pediatricians and an annual clinic with a team from Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children. Diabetes Health has a rapidly increasing thriving insulin infusion pump program as well for children and teens with diabetes. In addition to these we provide regular educational and social events for the children including support groups. We also run Camp Firefly a camp for children with diabetes. This includes local fund-raising to provide access for all children with diabetes. We provide regular school visits to those schools with children who have diabetes and provide education to the school staff as well as schoolmates
We provide regular diabetes education services to the different segments of our adult community. This includes providing services at different sites in the community such as 55+ Center, Herb Caroll, Lakehead University, Suomi Koti, as well as on site at our offices. Services for adults include overall diabetes education as well as services for Intensive diabetes management, Insulin Infusion pump therapy and Meal planning both basic and advanced including carbohydrate counting. Services for diabetes education are directed toward the needs of the individual as evaluated after a complete assessment by a nurse and a dietitian.
Diabetes Screening Session |
Our First Nations program provides outreach services to Fort William Community, Whitesands, Gull Bay, Lake Helen, Collins, Rocky Bay, and Pays Platt. In addition we provide services at our offices as well as the Indian Friendship Center, Kateri Church, and Anishnawbe Mushkeegie Health Access Center.
Pregnancy services are provided to those women with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes as well as those women who develop gestational diabetes during a pregnancy. The program offers preconception counseling, education and follow up during the pregnancy and post partum counseling. The pregnancy team works with Obstetricians, family physicians, midwifes and specialists to ensure the best possible care of the mother and baby.
Self Blood Glucose Monitoring |
We provide opportunities for a variety of different clinics at Diabetes Health. Several Pediatricians operate their clinics at our offices ensuring easier access to families for care and management of diabetes. The endocrinologist Dr. Abu Bakare also provides regular clinics at Diabetes Health and Dr. Facey Crowther provides an exercise prescription clinic for clients with diabetes or Impaired Glucose tolerance.
Chiropody services are made available at Diabetes Health Thunder Bay through the chiropody services at St. Joseph's Care Group. The chiropodist will do evaluation, education and foot care during these appointments.
Various community programs are provided including health fairs, education group sessions, screening and prevention programs.
Health Tip:
Meal planning and Nutrition |
Did you know that the Diabetes Control and Complications Trials completed in 1992 clearly showed us that good control of diabetes can reduce risk of some complications by as high as 76%. An analogy to this might be if gas prices dropped to 76% less than usual would you not line up for service? People with diabetes can expect a reduced risk of complications as one of the benefits of learning how to manage diabetes effectively. Diabetes is a health issue which must be controlled before it controls you. Early diagnosis and management of diabetes is critical to prevent or delay complications of diabetes. Key to this is knowledge. Diabetes educators are trained to give you knowledge. Diabetes is a rapidly changing field with research providing new medications and new tools to help people manage diabetes. A diabetes education program is your best access to this new information.
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