Key points
- Living with diabetes is easier with a consistent daily routine. But life throws curve balls, and problems can have a major impact.
- People with diabetes can learn problem-solving skills to help them adapt to unexpected problems, be resilient, and plan for the unexpected.
Outline
Discussion time: 45 to 60 minutes
- Problem-solving skills
- Common problems while living with diabetes
- Planning for the unexpected (including emergencies)
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:
- Describe the 4 steps to successful problem solving and how to use them to adapt to unexpected situations in their efforts to manage their diabetes.
- Name at least 3 action steps they plan to take to prepare for emergencies.
Resources:
Suggested stories
Healthy Eating at Family Gatherings and Special Events (video: about 3 minutes)
Diabetes Travel Tips (video: about 4 minutes)
Key messages
Unexpected situations or problems will occur. Good problem-solving skills can help a person with diabetes be more prepared and more resilient (recover more quickly).
Having good problem-solving skills means being able to:
- Recognize a problem.
- Develop a plan to solve the problem.
- Prepare for and use the plan.
- Evaluate how well the plan worked.
It's important for people with diabetes and their families to be prepared for emergencies and natural disasters. This could include hurricanes, snowstorms, or earthquakes.
Tips for going virtual
Use the virtual whiteboard to brainstorm ways to be prepared for emergencies. See Facilitating New Beginnings Online for ideas on how to adapt activities.
The content on the Problem-Solving Plan Worksheet can be shared as a Microsoft Word document or Google Doc before the session or after as homework. Group members can then fill it in online without having to print it.
The video stories for this module can be played by sharing your screen (and computer audio). Another option is to share the links to the videos with your group members by email before the session starts.