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CHCC now offers free classes on how to manage chronic diseases
The Non-Communicable Diseases Bureau of the Commonwealth Health Center is now offering free classes on how to manage chronic diseases like diabetes.
Oct. 5 was the first session of the new Chronic Disease Self-Management Education class. The program is currently being led by bureau administrator Rebecca Robles, Patient Referral Outreach advocate Nikki T. Sablan, and Diabetes Program assistant Amber Mendiola.
The staff, which was recently trained in the Stanford University self-management model, created classes designed to help people with chronic diseases learn simple tools to better manage their disease.
The program’s duration is six weeks, consisting of one 2 ½-hour course per week. Attendees should expect to do weekly goal setting, practice communicating effectively with family, friends and health professionals, learn tips on healthy eating, how to relax, etc. The course allows people to understand the severity of not only tobacco and substance abuse but any other constant pains such as asthma and arthritis and offers tips on how to relieve them as much as possible.
“…It’s something that we’ve been wanting…[for people] to at least have some basic knowledge of chronic diseases, to be able to share this information and education to people so they can manage their diseases better,” said Robles.
Sablan added, “I am currently a patient advocate for our diabetes referral program so it’s something I could use to help the patients I already work with and build our capacity to provide more services for them.”
Robles has been the NCD Bureau administrator for the past couple of years, while Sablan has been with Public Health for about a year.
The program also checks up with its participants as far as three months past the last session in order to help maintain the teachings participants received. Classes are free and up to 20 participants were able to join. For more information such as time schedules and location, call (670) 236-8719. (Michael T. Santos)
