Diabetes is the chronic disease epidemic of our time. Some of the greatest advances in diabetes research, technology, education, and care are now occurring. To translate the new findings into clinical practice, home care clinicians must have the most recent evidenced-based care recommendations and resources. Understandably, an increasing number of patients affected by diabetes and being seen in home care, and clinicians are constantly challenged to keep up with the myriad of advances.
Today it is undeniably clear that diabetes complications and disease progression can be delayed and sometimes prevented with improved control of blood glucose, blood pressure, and lipids. Knowledgeable clinicians can empower and encourage clients with diabetes to make wise choices for disease control throughout the day, everyday. When this happens, outcomes, costs, and client's quality of life can improve.
This diabetes focus issue has two major goals: to provide home care clinicians with up-to-date advances in diabetes management and to provide access to the most current evidence-based recommendations that can be integrated into a patient's plans of care. To reach these goals you'll find in this issue:
Seven Basic Principles of Diabetes Care
Home care clinicians should use copyright-free educational information from the NDEP to assure every client with diabetes can manage their illness.
Nutrition Tips for Managing Diabetes on a Limited Budget: Use suggestions from this article to help your clients incorporate healthy, inexpensive, and tasty foods into their meal plans.
Diabetes Resources on the World Wide Web: Continuously accessible health information on the World Wide Web can either empower or confuse clinicians and clients. This comprehensive article helps patients and professionals locate credible information.
Research Briefs: This important study describes the outcomes of increased collaboration and how home care aides can be a cost-effective strategy in reaching outcomes.
Using Guidelines in Home Care for People With Diabetes: Use the case study to apply evidence-based guidelines and national diabetes education standards to your own patients. Learn how home health clinicians can help reach the U.S. diabetes health objectives from Healthy People 2010.
Medications and Resources for Glycemic Control: Prescription medications are almost always required for glycemic control. Current medications are described along with resources for the economically challenged client with diabetes.
Disabilities, Diabetes, and Devices: Creative clinicians can help clients with diabetes and accompanying disabilities succeed in diabetes self-care. Use the suggestions and resources to help individualize care for clients with diabetes and disabilities.
Diabetes ABCs: Do you Know Them, Get Them, Improve Them? The easy-to-remember ABCs help clients remember goals for diabetes care and control.
After reading this issue, the increasing complexity of diabetes management and need for continuing extensive study should be evident. Use this special issue to improve your patients' care.