● How can you use these feelings (good or bad) to motivate you to take better care of your health?
● Some people view their glucose monitor as “hiker’s compass” that helps keep them on the right track. How do you view your monitor and why?
● How can you use your attitude toward your glucose monitor to help you take better care of your diabetes?
What is one thing you learned from this worksheet that you can share with your health care provider?
Source: Goldstein DE, et al.: Tests of glycemia in diabetes. Diabetes Care 27(7):1761–1773, 2004.
Worksheet 10. Feeling Overwhelmed or Frustrated
Did you know that … many people with diabetes feel overwhelmed and frustrated? Please respond to the questions below. Write on the back, if you need more space.
● Do you ever feel overwhelmed and frustrated with your diabetes? What do you think causes these feelings?
● You have control over how you respond. When you feel that way, what do you do to feel better?
● What type of support can help you feel more upbeat about living with diabetes?
● What steps can you take to get this support?
What is one thing you learned from this worksheet that you can share with your health care provider?
Source: Polonsky WH: Emotional and quality-of-life aspects of diabetes management. Curr Diab Rep 2(2):153–159, 2002.
Worksheet 11. Learning New Skills
Did you know that … you may need to learn some new skills to care for your diabetes?
Please respond to the questions below. Write on the back, if you need more space.
● Diabetes care requires many skills. Some may be easy to learn and some may be harder for you to master. What diabetes skills have you learned to do?
● How do you feel about yourself and all that you have learned?
● How can you use these feelings to motivate yourself to take even better care of your health?
What is one thing you learned from this worksheet that you can share with your health care provider?
Source: American Association of Diabetes Educators. AADE7™. Available at http://www.diabeteseducator.org/ProfessionalResources/AADE7. Accessed 22 May 2014.
Worksheet 12. Understanding the Positive Power of the Diabetes Police
Did you know that … people who nag you about your diabetes care often are called the “Diabetes Police”?
Please respond to the questions below. Write on the back, if you need more space.
● Do your friends or family ever bother you about your diabetes care? What type of comments do they make to you?
● What do you think motivates them to say these things? Put yourself in their shoes for a moment and consider their point of view. Does this change how you feel about them?
● How do you handle their comments? Do you ever think of their comments as signs that they care about you? Have you ever thanked them for the things they do that help you?
● What have you learned from what they say to you? How can you use their comments to motivate you?
What is one thing you learned from this worksheet that you can share with your health care provider?
Source: Roszler J, et al.: The Secrets of Living and Loving with Diabetes. Chicago, IL, Surrey Books, 2004.
These worksheets, hopefully, will encourage your patients to be more thoughtful about their lives and how their behaviors affect their health. After completing a worksheet, your patients may wish to ask you additional questions. As you answer their questions, be sure to acknowledge and praise your patients’ interest in caring for their health. If they seem interested, encourage them to suggest worksheet topics that can help them and other patients learn and grow. If they didn’t fill out the worksheet, that information is helpful, too. Try to learn and understand why they rejected the assignment.
Recognizing Progress
Our Diabetes Progress Scale is an outgrowth of the strength-based, proactive approach we are promoting throughout this book. We hope that this scale will help patients recognize and appreciate the progress and improvements they have made or hope to make. Living with diabetes or any chronic illness is difficult. Each day is filled with many challenges that many of our patients face with great skill and courage. These efforts deserve recognition. Present this scale in its entirety or choose specific items you wish to share, and give them to your patients while they sit in the waiting room.
The Diabetes Progress Scale
It is not easy to live with diabetes. Think about how far you have come since the day you learned you had diabetes. Read through the following list. Circle the number that shows how impressed you are with how well you do that item. Place a star next to the ones you would like to start doing so you can focus your efforts. Your number rating is not a grade, but rather it is a way for you to increase your awareness of the things you do well.
Scale: 1 = not at all; 2 = a little; 3 = somewhat; 4 = a lot
1. I’m impressed that … I take care of my diabetes and still want to do my job, enjoy my family and have fun. 1 2 3 4 (Find balance)
2. I’m impressed that … I try not to worry about future problems and focus on living well with diabetes day by day. 1 2 3 4 (Think positive!)
3. I’m impressed that … I ask questions if my health care team wants me to do something I don’t understand. 1 2 3 4 (Search for answers)
4. I’m impressed that … I see my blood glucose test results as “feedback,” not as negative judgment. 1 2 3 4 (I don’t have to be perfect!)
5. I’m impressed that … I know how to ask loved ones for help with some of my diabetes tasks, and do so, when I want it. 1 2 3 4 (Family support)
6. I’m impressed that … I try to follow my meal plan and notice triggers that cause me to make poor food choices. 1 2 3 4 (I’m aware)
7. I’m impressed that … When loved ones nag me about my diabetes, I thank them for caring and try to accept their messages in a positive way. 1 2 3 4 (Think positive!)
8. I’m impressed that … I plan ahead, so I can be more active (i.e., I put my sneakers in my car, I make workout plans with others, etc.). 1 2 3 4 (Create new habits)
9. I’m impressed that … I use all the members of my health care team (dentist, eye doctor, dietitian, nurse, psychologist, teachers, etc.) to help me stay healthy. 1 2 3 4 (I take care of my needs)
10. I’m impressed that … If my doctor seems displeased with my progress, I try to hear the care and concern beneath the comments that he or she makes. 1 2 3 4 (See the good in others)
11. I’m impressed that … When I feel like I’m not taking care of my diabetes well, I think of all the health tasks I do well and don’t allow my negative feelings to last long. 1 2 3