Ashland -Karin Schwan was sitting on the head of a wooden table in a room, which smelled faintly the disinfectant of the hand.
The printed matter about “ABC for Diabetes” was at the table in front of her. Men and women walked to the room, and Schwan greeted them by name.
Schwan is a nurse and a certified diabetes educator at the Ashland Christian Health Center. As an educator for diabetes, she helps her to choose a healthy lifestyle, Learn the best way to navigate diabetesI often work one -on -one.
In addition to her one -on -one works, Schwan has a diabetes support group that has been running for years. Currently, the group meets once a month at the Ashland Christian Health Center. We cover various topics related to diabetes management.
On January 9th, this specific night, following Schwan's greeting, ABC's diabetes, A1C, blood pressure, and cholesterol will be researched.
Diabetes affects ashland
Schwan was born at Samaritan Hospital in Ashland. She later worked before finding a way to the Ashland Christian Health Center.
She has now obtained a quasi -academic person at the North Central Technical College of the North Service State University. She also got a bachelor's degree at New York University and got a master's degree at Otterbine.
Schwan said she originally graduated from nursing training in 1982, but did not become a nurse practitioner until 2014. She started working at ICU, but has moved several times over the years.
She said that some ICU patients had diabetes. It was something she saw in her private life. Her grandmother, father and brothers all had diabetes.
“So, type 2 diabetes runs with family, so it's part of my passion,” said Schwan. “But I love other works, I love you. When the light bulb is finally obtained, there is nothing cool enough to see the light bulb disappearing in the eyes.”
Helping people of diabetes through her career remains a common theme.
In Ohio One in eight adults has diabetesOr 12.2 % of adult adults.
According to the market, the share is higher in Ashland 2019 report from the county health bureau。 According to the report, 13 % of adults in Ashland County were diagnosed with diabetes in their lifetime. Both numbers exceed the national average.
This disease means that the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or the body cannot use insulin. Insulin regulates blood sugar.
If diabetes is not sufficiently managed, patients may suffer hyperglycemia, According to the World Health Organization。 It can also lead to severe damage to nerves and blood vessels, and have high risk of health problems such as heart attacks, stroke, renal failure.
Managing diabetes is often the efforts of teams, including multiple providers. Not all diabetes are called diabetes educators. However, educators in diabetes can play an important role in giving power to diabetes. Become a more effective self -manager。
There, Schwan appears. In 2000, she pursued a certification as an educator for diabetes. She also held a diabetes support group at Samaritan Hospital in 1999.
When Schwan moved to various positions and hospitals in her career, the support group followed her. Participation in the group had declined and flowed, but no matter how many people appeared, Schwan was there to guide it.
She has finally landed at Ashland Christian Health Center. Subsidy from the Samaria Hospital Foundation in 2022。
When I was first diagnosed, I was not educated.
Doug Picks Gil, a retired chef and a regular support group attendant
According to 211, an organization that edits social service guru in this area, Schwan's diabetes support group The only one I meet in Ashland County。 Two groups to meet at Ohio Health in the Mansfield (one is for adults and the other is for boys).
Research has shown that diabetes education and support groups can have a positive effect on those diagnosed with the disease.
Studies released in 2015 titled “Impact of providing peer support for diabetes management of type 2 diabetes” The patient who participated in the Pier Support Program has seen the improvement of “self -care behavior and metabolism control”.
The same study shows that the program has strengthened the skills to reduce depression to participants.
Connection construction
Denise Grimm and Doug Pickersgill are regular participants in SCHWAN's 6:00 pm support group meeting.
Ashland Christian Health Center Diabetes supports group conference time
This group is free to all participants and meets on the second Thursday of every month from September to May. Schwan is leading the meeting between 2 pm and 6 pm
The following is the date of the future meeting.
- February 13th
- March 13th
- April 10th
- May 8th
Grimm and Pickersgill met and dated when they were both au students, but their lives were in different directions. Picker Gil used to be married before, but after his wife died, he and Grim were reconnected in 2017.
Pickersgill is a retired chef, and Grimm acts as his caretaker. A few years ago, Grimm began to participate in the diabetes support group with his mother. She was worried that her mother had diabetes.
Grimm and Picker Gil were reconnecting before the mother could no longer participate in the group. Picker gil has diabetes.
So, after Cobid, they began to attend again. During the group at 6:00 pm on January 9, they were active participants. Pickerzil asked some questions about the meals and medicine, but Schwan easily answered.
It's a small group. Schwan had three participants at that specific meeting. Nevertheless, the group was chatting, and Schwan knew each member enough to know that it was enough to ask about a specific medicine, the struggle they had.
“Deep honor”
Schwan said before the pandemic, more people participated in the group. She felt it was difficult to connect with people after the pandemic. Part of it is that in her estimation, people do not know that there is a group.
Shwan sometimes states that she has a hard time maintaining her willingness to provide services due to the decrease in participation. Why does it take time when people are not interested?
But she is thinking about whether she can affect one person, that's enough.
“It's always a deep honor for me, for me … for me to forgive you in your personal space,” said Shwan. “It's a gift that people give to me. I think it's a part of it … these are my people, that is, I can get more from the attendees. For many years, they talk about me. I know.
She added that she never knew the ripples that one might have.
“When I was first diagnosed, I was not educated,” said Picker Gil.
He shared his mother that his mother had diabetes, and he shared his help with the basic understanding of this disease. But since he came to the support group, both of him and Grimms said they had learned a lot.
They are also connected to other attendees. Grimm brought home distribution materials to take them home because one regular group member had not attended the meeting.
“It may not be a large amount, but the other day, someone here was getting a distribution material for others who couldn't make it,” said Schwan. “So it wasn't just the people sitting in the seat, which was about the impact of it.”