Thursday, March 4, 2010

Free Assistance for those with Diabetes without insurance - Question of the Week

Here is the question of the week: "I am trying to find a class for our grandson. He is 19 and has a part-time job but no insurance. He just found out last week that he is a type 1 diabetes after losing a lot of weight and his blood sugar was 523. He is on insulin but needs to go to a class to manage is diabetes without going hungry. Where do we start? Any suggestions would help us a lot."


My first suggestion would be to ask the health professional who made the diagnosis. He/She may know of a free program/class that your grandson may be able to attend.


Another suggestion is to check with your area hospital. Many of the hospitals do host free diabetes clinics/classes. For example, I was able to find one that is held almost monthly at a medical center located in Southern New Jersey http://www.sjhs.com/inCalendar/CalendarEvent.aspx?selcontact=&page_id=1625&view=27&category=1,2,3,4&mode=U&order_by=&selcat=1,2,3,4&evt=880&date=2/24/2010&site_id=1&kwd=&selloc=. Try googling the terms free+diabetes+classes+your city or state's initials. You may be able find a local free diabetes clinic.


Yet another option is to utilize the internet for the information. Of course, make sure that the site you are going to use is reputable. Websites that utilize the extensions ".gov " and ".edu" are your best bets. If you are linking to sites through the web sites such as the American Diabetes Association or the American Association for Diabetes Educators, that information should be valid.

Finally, check with your public health department. You may find that they host a clinic in for people in your community. Other places to look - check for listings in your local community newspaper or your local YMCA or YMHA.

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