Riverwood offers a national prevention program called I CAN Prevent Diabetes. This community-based, lifestyle change program offers diabetes prevention education for people with pre-diabetes or who are at risk for diabetes.
The next 16-week class series will be offered on Tuesdays, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., Feb. 3 through May19, at Riverwood Healthcare Center in Aitkin. The cost for the I Can Prevent Diabetes program is $75. Those who have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes may use their flexible spending account to pay this fee. The fee may be waived if you meet specified household income guidelines.
Meeting with a trained Riverwood instructor, learn how to create a healthier lifestyle and prevent diabetes. Participants will get information on how to lose weight, eat healthier and increase physical activity.
In the past year, 21 individuals completed the diabetes prevention series, according to Maureen Mau, RN, class instructor and diabetes nurse educator at Riverwood Diabetes Center. By the end of each 16-week class series in 2014, group members in two different classes lost 276 pounds! Participants also attend a “post-core” phase where they meet once a month for eight months, adding up to one year of support for diabetes prevention education.
“In addition to weight-loss success, we got some great feedback from participants on the value of the I Can Prevent Diabetes program,” Mau says. “They liked the accountability and the tools that were offered such as journaling and tracking physical activity with a pedometer. The group participation and support also got high marks.”
Space is limited to about a dozen participants. To register for this program or if you have questions, contact Renee Fliss, Riverwood Diabetes Center at (218) 927-8281.