The Department of Veterans Affairs’ first American Diabetes Association-recognized Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support program for Saipan holds its two-day small group education series Thursday and Friday, August 27 and 28, at the CNMI Office of Veterans Affairs at 1364 Anatahan Drive.
Sessions run 8 a.m. to noon or 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. each day, with different topics daily; participants are encouraged to attend one session per day and to bring a spouse, partner or support person.
The group series is the program’s second part, following one-hour individual appointments with certified diabetes care and education specialists held in July. Veterans who missed the individual visit can call the clinic to schedule a one-to-one with the diabetes nurse, which opens access to the rest of the program.
The VA says its trained diabetes educators help participants build confidence managing diabetes and lowering diabetes-related stress, plan healthy meals and stay active in ways that work for them, understand how their medicines work, and find healthy ways to cope while reducing the risk of complications. Questions can be directed to a veteran’s PACT team or clinic scheduler.
