Patient Resources
Taking good care of yourself can seem daunting when you have diabetes - whether you've just learned you have the disease or you've had it for a long time.
There's a lot to consider, from eating healthy meals to exercising, monitoring your blood glucose and taking your medications. But the right tools and support can make diabetes self-care very manageable in your everyday life. The following patient materials are designed to give you tools and encouragement.
Patient-focused blog
This blog is intended to provide general commentary about diabetes and allow for visitors to engage in conversations about their experiences. It is authored by diabetes educators, who are AADE members.
AADE7 Self-Care Behavior videos
Read more about and view 2-minute videos on each of the seven self-care behaviors:
- Healthy Eating
- Being Active
- Monitoring
- Taking Medication
- Problem Solving
- Reducing Risk
- Healthy Coping
Patient guidebook
Patients need to know that they are not alone with their diabetes, and that there is a team of people--including family and friends--who can offer them guidance and support. This guidebook emphasize the importance of the care team and highlights the benefits of working with a diabetes educator to examine behaviors and develop management plans. Download both English and Spanish version. For healthcare professionals, you can also order quantities of these two guidebooks.
Self-care worksheet
Using this worksheet, identify which self-care behavior you would like to work and bring it to your next appointment with your diabetes educator or doctor.