Innovative Approaches to Diabetes Education for Adolescents Marcia Frank RN, MHSc, CDE The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto, Canada

Session Objectives  Examine rational for using innovative approaches and specifically creative arts in diabetes education  Explore the impact of the use of arts in diabetes education  Provide examples of how innovative approaches and the arts are used in diabetes education  Examine the feasibility of using the arts more routinely in our practice  Learn more innovative approaches from session participants

Toronto SickKids Hospital

SickKids Diabetes Service  1100 children/teens  Culturally diverse  Well established team

Education Care support

Value of creative arts in diabetes education  Cuts across racial, cultural, social, educational, and economic barriers  Reduces the distance between teacher and learner  Bridges experience and understanding  Involves affective and cognitive domains of learning  Makes abstract concepts, concrete  Provides a means for everyone to learn

Evidence of the effectiveness of the arts in health interventions  Helps to manage pain and side effects  Reduces stress and anxiety  Helps coming to terms with distressing events  Increases well-being and self-esteem  Enhances patient /provider communication across social and ethnic groups Rosalia Staricoff

The quilt as the framework for my practice

The quilt as my framework of practice Each has a unique history, experiences, characteristics and relationships

The quilt as my framework of practice Diabetes: the patch that nobody asked for and nobody wants

The quilt as my framework of practice Diabetes in its place

The Power of the Story

“What could you possibly know? You don’t have diabetes!”

Conversation Maps TM Created by in collaboration with IDF and sponsored by Lilly

Conversation Map TM

Comic Relief and co-operation The nose &

Survivor

Diabetes: the meaning, the emotions, the work, the support…. What would you like to talk about today?

Hospital for Sick Children Annual Family Diabetes Day with Sherman and the Never Ready for Prime time Players The diabetes team

Art created by children in our clinic

High Ropes Learning Trust Building Self-Esteem

Bunny “therapy”… and hugs

Writing… Keeping a journal “The role of a writer is not to say what we all can say, but what we are unable to say”. ~Anaïs Nin

Music communication relaxation prevention

Key Messages  Diabetes care, education and support are inseparable  All diabetes health care professionals are diabetes educators  The relationship is critical to effective education  The use of creative arts and other novel approaches can make diabetes education more meaningful

More meaningful education can result in:  Better relationships  Improved communication  Better problem- solving  Improved self- efficacy  Improved QoL  Better coping with the stress and work of diabetes

More Meaningful Education Can Result in:  Better relationships  Improved communication  Better problem- solving  Improved self- efficacy  Improved QoL  Better coping with the stress and work of diabetes And hopefully, improved metabolic control