The Diabetes Project
The Active Living and Diabetes: A Prescription for Change Among Older Canadians initiative promotes awareness of the risk of diabetes among older adults, and assists ALCOA member organizations to integrate diabetes health promotion into their programs and services. The project was funded by Health Canada through the Canadian Diabetes Strategy and focused on the importance of physical activity and healthy eating as a means to help prevent and control adult-onset diabetes. Some key project components include:
A needs assessment and a resource review helped identify gaps in information related to older adults, diabetes, physical activity, and nutrition. Guides for health practitioners and older adults were prepared to bridge this information gap. These Guides are available
online.
A special diabetes training module will be added to ALCOA's
Speakers' Bureau to inform and help motivate others about
the benefits of physical activity and proper nutrition in
the prevention and control of type 2 diabetes. The Speakers'
Bureau has a network of community presenters across Canada
and the Speakers aim to reach older adults in the community
and through organizations at the provincial and national levels.
The Diabetes Module will be available online in Summer 2003.
Diabetes Advisory Committee
Active Living and Diabetes: A Prescription for Change Among Older Canadians was guided by a multi-disciplinary, national advisory committee. The Committee Members include: Margaret Barbour (Chair of the Advisory), Manitoba Cardiac Institute, Frank Bellamy (ALCOA Older Adult Advisor and Saskatchewan Seniors Mechanism Rep); Louise Beaton, Canadian Association of Occupational Therapist; Barbara Black, National Canadian Pensioners Concerned; Gylda Fry, Project Consultant, Division of Aging and Seniors, Health Canada; Susan Good, Canadian Diabetes Association; Jacquelyn McKenzie, Dietitians of Canada; Kieko Miki, Canadian Ethnocultural Council. Margaret Horn, National Indian & Inuit Community Health Representatives Organization, has also been a member of the committee.
Be Active. Eat Well Guides
The Be Active. Eat Well Guides
were designed on the basis of a needs assessment and a resource review to identify gaps in information related to older adults, diabetes, physical activity, and nutrition.
The Guides were produced in consultation with the Dietitians of Canada and the Canadian Diabetes Association.
Two types of Guides are available. One Guide is meant for practitioners and organizations working with older adults and the second Guide is for older adults. The Guide for practitioners and organizations is complementary to the Guide for older adults. These Guides are available
in English and French and can be downloaded on line.
Resources
ALCOA Research Update
The ALCOA Research Update issue on Type 2 Diabetes and Physical Activity for older adults was authored by Catrine Tudor-Locke PhD. The research Update presents in plain language, practical, leading edge research results on physical activity and older adults. The Research Update is available on line at Research
Update Diabetes.
Other free resources
CANADA’S PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GUIDE FOR OLDER ADULTS.
CANADA’S FOOD GUIDE TO HEALTHY EATING
Useful Websites
ACTIVE AGING CANADA
www.activeagingcanada.ca
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS
www.otworks.ca
CANADIAN CENTRE FOR ACTIVITY AND AGING
www.uwo.ca/actage
CANADIAN DIABETES ASSOCIATION
www.diabetes.ca
CANADIAN ETHNOCULTURAL COUNCIL
www.ethnocultural.ca
CANADIAN PHYSIOTHERAPY ASSOCIATION
www.physiotherapy.ca
CANADIAN SOCIETY FOR EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY
www.csep.ca
DIETITIANS OF CANADA
www.dietitians.ca
NATIONAL ABORIGINAL DIABETES ASSOCIATION
www.nada.ca
PUBLIC HEALTH AGENCY OF CANADA
www.publichealth.gc.ca
Financial contribution for this Project was provided from the Prevention and Promotion Contribution Program, Health Canada. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the official policy of Health Canada.
