People with an intellectual disability

These resources have been developed to assist people with an intellectual disability who have diabetes (and their carers) to:

• learn more about living a healthy life with diabetes
• use when they see a health professional about their diabetes
• learn more about diabetes by watching our animated videos.

Jayne Lehmann, credentialled diabetes educator talks about these resources.

Learn about diabetes

To learn more about diabetes you can watch these videos:

• What is diabetes?
• My diabetes team
• Caring for my body
• Preventing other health problems
• Medications to help my diabetes.

Healthy eating is important to help manage your diabetes. Read more in Choosing healthy foods.

Visiting your diabetes team

When you see a health professional about your diabetes, it is called a ‘diabetes visit’.

There are many different health professionals that you might meet with to talk about your diabetes.

You may see one or more different health professionals at each visit.

You may have a diabetes visit with a doctor, a credentialled diabetes educator (usually called a ‘CDE’) or a dietitian. There are other health professionals involved in caring for you and your diabetes that you may visit.

Find out more about the health professionals you may see for your diabetes.

How to make the most of your diabetes visits

There can be a lot to remember because a lot of information may be shared at a diabetes visit.

The Diabetes visit cards are to help you make the most of your diabetes visits.

You can use the cards to:

1. plan what you want to talk about with your health professional
2. write down the suggestions from your health professional
3. make a list of what you need to do to help you manage your diabetes.

There are three sets of cards. You should fill out these cards each time you have a diabetes visit.

1. Before my diabetes visit card
2. During my diabetes visit card
3. After my diabetes visit card

How to use the Diabetes visit cards

Each time you go for a diabetes visit:

• download and fill in the card on your computer
  OR
• print out and write on the card.

Remember it is important to fill in as much of the card as possible.

If you would like some help and someone usually attends your diabetes visits with you, ask them to help you write down information.

If no one attends the diabetes visits with you, ask the health professional to write the key points down for you at the appointment.

After your visit, keep your card in a folder or plastic sleeve. This will help you keep a record of your visits.

You can share your card with your carer, support person or health professionals.