Key points
- Diabetes can wear down a person’s energy and well-being, but this doesn't have to happen.
- The purpose of this module is to help participants get to know each other and build rapport, while introducing the concepts of self-confidence and resilience in managing diabetes.
Outline
Discussion time: 60 minutes
- Introductions
- Ground rules
- Successes activity
- Managing diabetes
- Family support
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Identify examples of past successes in their own life (not related to diabetes).
- Name at least three actions a person can take to manage type 2 diabetes and plan to take one or more of those actions in the next week.
Resources:
Suggested Stories
Jacquie's Story C: Jacquie talks about growing up with type 1 diabetes and how it affected her as a teenager and young adult. (audio: about 6 minutes).
It Takes a Family: The Clayton family works together to support their father, who has diabetes. (video: about 3 minutes).
Key messages
People with diabetes can manage their condition by taking small steps toward their goals.
It is important to have confidence and celebrate both big and small successes.
Knowing their ABCs (A1C, blood pressure, cholesterol, and smoking cessation) and having a plan for managing them can help people with diabetes maintain optimal health.
Diabetes management is a team effort. Identifying one's personal support circle and being able to ask for help can make all the difference.
Tips for going virtual
Take a few minutes at the beginning of the session to explain the features of the video teleconferencing platform and the ground rules for virtual sessions. For example:
- Mute video or phone when not speaking.
- Say your name before speaking (especially on the phone).
- Participants are not required to use a video camera. They can use a photo of themselves instead if they're more comfortable.
Instead of pairing off participants into the activities of this module, use the breakout room feature of your video teleconferencing platform (if available). Or, go around the "room" and have each participant share with the whole group.
See the Facilitating New Beginnings Online for ideas for adjusting activities for virtual groups. The video stories for this module can be played by sharing your screen (and computer audio).
Another option is to share the links to the videos with your group members before the session starts. The audio stories can be inserted into the New Beginnings PowerPoint template along with images that reflect the story.