Littleton, NH – Littleton Regional Healthcare’s diabetes self-management education program is accredited by the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), a National Accredited Organization (NAO), certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This allows the people with Diabetes in and around the Littleton area increased access to high quality diabetes education services.
Diabetes education is a two-way process through which people with or at risk for diabetes gain the knowledge and skills needed to change behavior and successfully self-manage the disease and its related conditions. The program is comprehensive and taught by a certified diabetes educator who has extensive training. Littleton Regional Healthcare located at 600 St. Johnsbury Road in Littleton offers diabetes education in group and individual sessions.
“Through the program you will learn the basics of managing your care. In a group session you will meet other people with diabetes. Studies prove diabetes education helps to support primary and preventive services by improving medication adherence and managing blood glucose; blood pressure and cholesterol levels. When diabetes is well managed it lowers health cost. Diabetes self-management education is a benefit covered by Medicare and most health plans when it is offered by a certified diabetes educator within an accredited/recognized program” said Melody Glines, RN program director.
Lucy Gordon is a registered nurse with over 20 years’ experience. She has successfully met the requirement for board certification designated by the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators (NCBDE). Lucy is one of only four NH diabetes educators listed to participate as a mentor in the NCBDE Mentorship Program. The Mentorship program was designed to partner experienced CDE educators with health professionals who are interested in gaining experience in providing diabetes education in so doing improving access to diabetes education.
“AADE’s accreditation assures that an accredited program meets the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support. Programs who meet this criterion are considered high quality and have been shown to improve the health status of the individuals who embrace the education and help to modify sometimes unhealthy behaviors, or simply provide the education that the person with diabetes has not previously received. Littleton Regional Healthcare’s program is exactly the type of program we envisioned when we set up our accreditation in 2009,” said Leslie E. Kolb, RN, BSN, MBA, and Accreditation Director for the Diabetes Education Accreditation Program.
