LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON - A workshop has given people from the Deh Cho who care for residents with diabetes a new insight into what it's like to live with the disease.

From March 1 to 3 the 20 participants in an Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative workshop held in Fort Simpson lived as though they had diabetes. The participants tested their blood sugar on a regular basis over the three days and were given pretend pills, actually candies, with directions on how often to take them.

The exercise made people realize how much more planning is necessary when you're diabetic, said Linda Simpson, the nurse in charge of the chronic disease program at the Fort Simpson Health Centre.

"They all seemed to really enjoy it," Simpson said about the participants' reaction to the workshop.

The workshop was part of the Department of Health and Social Services' Aboriginal Diabetes Initiative. As part of the initiative a number of communities in the territory were given funding to establishing standard practices for approaching chronic disease management, primarily diabetes, said Cindy MacDonald, the manager of health services with Dehcho Health and Social Services (DHSS).

Bernice Hardisty, a health promotion officer, led the initiative in the Deh Cho. The workshop was designed to give community support workers a foundation of knowledge and skills to use while caring for people with diabetes and other chronic diseases, MacDonald said.

"Knowledge is important," she said.

The DHSS promotes self-care and if more staff have information and resources they will be able to pass it on to even more community members who have conditions such as diabetes, said MacDonald.

Community health representatives, community health workers, home support workers, personal support workers and care aids from Wrigley, Jean Marie River, Fort Providence, Fort Liard and Fort Simpson attended the workshop. Six residents with Type 2 diabetes also participated.

During the three days Mary Dean, a nurse who specializes in diabetic care, and a specialized nutritionist, taught participants about what diabetes is, what its effects are, what medication is used to treat it and what the possible side effects from the medications are. Even meals during the workshop were turned into learning experiences.

During one lunch participants were given soup and sandwiches and learned how to read nutritional information labels and make choices about which options are better for diabetics. The knowledge will allow the care workers to help their clients plan better meals, said Simpson who attended the workshop to provide support.

The goal of the workshop was to ensure all appropriate staff and caregivers know what diabetes is so they are all approaching it the same way, ensuring diabetic clients get the same information, Simpson said.

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