CS Managing the Stress of Diabetes Joe Solowiejczyk, RN MSW CDE Manager, Diabetes Counseling & Training LifeScan, Global Strategic Affairs
CS Some of the Challenges: Diagnosis Family Life Daily Management Staying up on latest & greatest stuff Friends School Siblings Juggling it all!
CS Coping Options for Individuals: Education Meeting others Support Groups Camps CWD Health Care Team Massage Scheduled/unscheduled falling apart Dinner out/Parent time alone Counseling Religious/Spiritual affiliation Friends Family Yoga Meditation
CS Coping options for the Family: Larger focus, to reduce stress, is on the Family MotherFather Child The Family is the Patient Solowiejczyk, J, Diabetes Spectrum Volume 17, Number 1, 2004
CS Things to reduce stress for the family: Family emotional supportiveness –Between parents -- are mother and father emotionally available to each other? –Availability -- is there flexibility with daily schedules? Family organization –Joint decision making -- between spouses –Value congruence -- between spouses –Communications patterns -- are messages about rules clear or confusing? Competence/effectiveness –Response to initial symptoms Baker, Rosman, Nogueira, Sargent; Unpublished research data, 1979
CS Ultimate Goal: for Individuals & Families ACCEPTANCE & LETTING GO
CS THANK YOU & May the FORCE Be with You! Joe Solowiejczyk, RN MSW CDE (484)