Sentara offers many services at our locations throughout Virginia and eastern North Carolina to help patients living with diabetes navigate their care and as a supplement to regular visits with their primary care provider.
Controlling blood sugar through meal planning, getting proper exercise and possibly taking medication is essential in any diabetes management plan. We recommend at least a yearly touchpoint for updates with your certified diabetes care and education specialist and more often if the need arises. This allows us to help you manage your diabetes as health needs change. Additionally, this keeps you up to date with new devices and information. We also recommend joining a support group for ongoing support.
Diabetes education programs assist those recently diagnosed with the disease, as well as those dealing with long-term diabetes management. Experts help patients develop the knowledge and skills needed to prevent complications and create healthy habits.
Our programs follow the American Diabetes Association Standards of Care in Diabetes and meet the national recognition standards of the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists.
Group classes
Group classes are designed to help patients and their families learn the diabetes self-management skills needed to successfully live with diabetes. We encourage you to bring a family member or friend with you.
What will you learn about in group classes?
- Diabetes overview
- Healthy eating
- Meal planning
- Adding physical activity into your lifestyle
- Blood sugar monitoring
- Complications of diabetes
- Sick day management
- Street management
- Regular tests needed for diabetes
Most patients may benefit from attending both group classes and individual sessions.
Please print the diabetes self-management training form and bring it with you to your first class.
Available outpatient classes:
- Healthy Living with Diabetes
- Gestational Diabetes (select locations)
Visit our Diabetes Location Pages for more information on enrolling in one of our individual or group programs.
Individual sessions
Individual sessions are available for people who prefer learning in a more private, personalized setting or have special learning needs. These appointments typically require a referral from your doctor.
We offer a variety of topics in individual sessions, such as:
- Diabetes self-management training
- Carbohydrate counting
- Blood glucose meter training
- Use of continuous glucose monitoring
- Insulin and medications
- Insulin starts
- Insulin pump starts
- Meal planning
- Advanced carbohydrate counting
- Physical activity
- Medical nutrition therapy
Sentara diabetes self-management education
Knowledge is power and that power can help you gain confidence and control over your diabetes. Diabetes self-management education teaches the skills to help you manage diabetes. The program may include tips for eating healthy and being active, monitoring blood glucose (blood sugar), taking prescription drugs and reducing risks. Some patients may also be eligible for medical nutrition therapy training. The program consists of a combination of individual and group instruction, taught by either a diabetes care and education specialist. It is available in person, online or both, depending on location.
The Sentara Diabetes Management Program has been awarded Recognition by the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (ADCES) in accordance with the National Standards for Diabetes Self-Management Education Programs.
For more information about Sentara Diabetes Self-Management Education in your area, please check out our Diabetes Locations page.
Support groups
Sentara offers a free online Diabetes Support Group, where you can find a support system for living with diabetes. You'll have the opportunity to learn about diabetes, share your achievements and concerns and hear guest speakers. If you or someone you love is living with diabetes, we invite you to join this group. The Diabetes Support Group is held virtually online on the second Wednesday of every month at 10 a.m.
Learn more and participate in our Diabetes online support group.
Additional in-person Diabetes Support Groups may be available in your community. Visit our Diabetes Location Pages for more.