Ocean Beach Hospital provides community-based education programs to help our patients improve their health.

Diabetes Education

Living with diabetes can seem overwhelming. It is a complex illness, caused by too much sugar accumulating in the blood. It can affect people physically and emotionally, and–left untreated–can result in complications that include eye disease, kidney disease and high blood pressure.

We’ve developed an integrated education and self-care program to help people living with diabetes to manage their conditions and improve their health.

Diabetes Education Classes

A multi-disciplinary team teaches our diabetes education classes, and our program is accredited by the American Association of Diabetes Educators.

Our core program begins with one-on-one counseling followed by four optional weekly sessions. The core program covers:

    • Diabetes information
    • Medications
    • Exercise
    • Sick-day management
    • Stress management
    • Blood glucose monitoring
    • Blood pressure and cholesterol
    • Complications
    • Personal support systems
    • Goal setting

Diabetes Nutrition Counseling

The dietary component of our education program teaches people who are living with diabetes:

    • How various foods affect blood sugar
    • How to make sense of food labels
    • How food groups interact with one other

A registered dietician provides our dietary and nutrition instruction and works with individuals to develop a personal plan that meets their needs, goals and taste.

Diabetes Support Group

Living with diabetes can be frustrating—or even isolating. Meeting other people who face the same challenges in living with diabetes can be educational, helpful and encouraging.

Our diabetes support group meets monthly, and there is no cost to participate. Our diabetes education team facilitates these sessions which feature a variety of topics. Group support is particularly encouraged for:

    • People newly-diagnosed with diabetes
    • People living with Type I or Type II diabetes
    • Family members of people living with diabetes

For more information on diabetes education and our diabetes support group, contact our diabetes education staff at 360.642.6308 or 360.642.6314.

Diabetes Prevention Program

Ocean Beach Hospital offers PreventT2, a lifestyle change program which is part of the National Diabetes Prevention Program led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This program, designed for people with pre-diabetes or other risk factors for type 2 diabetes, helps participants make modest lifestyle changes that can reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by more than half. The program includes:

    • A CDC-approved curriculum
    • Skills for losing weight, being more physically active and managing stress
    • A trained lifestyle coach
    • Support from other program participants
    • A year-long program with weekly meetings for the first six months and one to two meetings per month for the second six months

Chronic Disease Workshop

Ocean Beach Hospital offers a free chronic illness workshop developed by the nationally-recognized Stanford University Patient Education Research Center. The program–Living Well with Chronic Conditions–teaches people living with chronic disease how to create a personal action plan, problem-solve, and incorporate more healthy choices into their day-to-day living.

The workshop is designed for people living with diabetes, heart disease, asthma, arthritis, chronic pain and fatigue. Topics include techniques for dealing with pain, frustration, fatigue, isolation and depression. Other topics include exercise and nutrition.

Workshops consist of six weekly, two-and-a-half-hour sessions. There is no cost to participate, though registration is required.

For more information about our chronic disease workshop, contact our education department at 360.642.6308.

Annual Health Fair

Ocean Beach Hospital presents its Annual Health Fair the second Saturday in September. The Fair features classes, free medical screenings, kid-friendly activities, and community health providers with information on health and safety services that are available locally. Light/healthy refreshments will be served.

EDUCATION PROGRAMS

  • Diabetes Education

  • Chronic Illness Workshop

  • Annual Health Fair

DEPARTMENT CONTACT

360.642.6308