29 million Americans have diabetes. Another 86 million Americans – one in three adults – have prediabetes. Prediabetes is a condition where your blood sugar levels are high, but not high enough to be classified as type 2 diabetes. Access Health Louisiana has Nurse Care Coordinators specifically trained to help you control your diabetes. Our nurses meet with you to help you come up with a dietary plan, set goals and teach you fun and effective ways for lowering your blood sugar levels. Scared of taking insulin? AHL’s nurses will help you beat the needle blues by showing you easy ways to administer and take insulin.
We even offer more support for patients through diabetes education classes. During the sessions, patients and their families can ask questions and get answers regarding their diabetes. The Care Team will assist you in learning ways to take charge of your health and decrease the negative consequences of diabetes. Classes are taught in both English and Spanish.
To participate in AHL’s Diabetes Education classes, you must currently have diabetes. Diabetes prevention classes are 12-months in length. Eligibility requirements for class participation include:
- In the last year, you’ve had been diagnosed with prediabetes based on a blood test result:
- Hemoglobin A1C: 5.7–6.4% or
- Fasting plasma glucose: 100–125 mg/dL or
- Two-hour plasma glucose (after a 75 gm glucose load): 140–199 mg/dL
- You’ve scored “high risk” on the CDC’s Prediabetes Risk Quiz
- You were diagnosed with diabetes while pregnant (i.e., gestational diabetes diagnosis)
The program eligibility guidelines also require that individuals:
- Are overweight as defined by body mass index (minimum BMI of 23 for Asian Americans; BMI of 25+ for all others)
- Are not pregnant
- Are at least 18 years of age
Those who have diabetes or were previously diagnosed with diabetes — types 1 or 2 — are not eligible for the Diabetes Prevention Program.
