Diabetes
Nearly 80 million American children and adults have diabetes and an additional 79 million adults have prediabetes. This number is expected to grow with an additional 1.9 million people being diagnosed each year. Tallahassee Memorial offers inpatient and outpatient services to help with the diagnosis and management of diabetes as well as additional conditions often associated with diabetes, such as obesity, stroke and heart disease.
Our Services
We offer comprehensive outpatient diabetes services guided by physicians and supported by a team of diabetes educators, including nurses and registered dietitians. Our facility is the only of its kind in the Big Bend region and specializes in caring for adults and children with type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes.
Nutrition Counseling
Our registered dietitians work together with you to create a custom nutrition plan based on your needs. When creating the custom diet, your age, type of diabetes, other conditions, lifestyle, etc. are taken into consideration so you have a plan that works well for you.
Diabetes Education
Our specially trained nurses and registered dietitians educate patients on a variety of diabetes related topics, including blood sugar testing, managing high and low blood sugar, making healthy food choices and insulin.
Diabetes Prevention Program
TMH Physician Partners - Endocrinology, Obesity & Diabetes is offering a new prevention program available to help people at risk for developing Type 2 Diabetes. The yearlong program, created by the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), is being implemented all over the country. The groups range from 10-20 people who meet in a group setting every week for six months and one to two times per month for the second six months. The goal of the program is to achieve and maintain a five percent weight loss and maintain 150 minutes of exercise each week.
People who may be eligible to join include those who are over 18 years of age, have a family history of type 2 diabetes, are overweight, are not physically active or had gestational diabetes. Additionally, there are risk assessment tests and/or lab work that can help identify prediabetes.
Do you have prediabetes? Take the CDC’s Prediabetes Screening Test!
Children’s Diabetes Services
Children’s Diabetes Program
Children and their families are seen on an individual basis by our pediatric diabetes team, which consists of trained nurses and dietitians, who work closely with children, their families and their doctor to help them adjust to the diagnosis of diabetes. Continuing visits are also provided to ensure confidence and successful diabetes self-management.
The Kids Connection
Our pediatric diabetes program offers support groups and planned events to bring families together in the lifelong learning process.
Family Caring and Sharing Weekend
This is an annual spring event that brings children with diabetes and their families together for a fun-filled educational weekend at the beach. Families are given the opportunity to learn together from each other and their healthcare team members in a relaxing atmosphere.
Summer Youth Camp
Summer camp allows elementary-school children the opportunity to meet other kids with diabetes. This fun-filled camp teaches kids the importance of blood sugar testing, the effects of food and exercise and the positive impact of discussing their disease with friends. Camp includes confidence-building activities. This event is done in partnership with the Florida Diabetes Camp and is supported by the Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare Foundation's Partners for Diabetes.
School-Day Care Support
TMH Physician Partners - Endocrinology, Obesity & Diabetes provides management and individual patient support training to school nurses and health aides, through funding by the Proctor Endowment for Children with Diabetes. Assistance is offered to reach reasonable goals for each child's school-day care, activities, food servings and emergency responses.
Family Support Group
Our family support group offers families in the North Florida and South Georgia area an opportunity to connect with each other and receive regular local diabetes news through an e-newsletter. Meetings are held regularly and designed to offer both emotional and educational support to all members of the family. Ask your diabetes educator or call TMH Physician Partners - Endocrinology, Obesity & Diabetes at 850-431-5404 to find out the next meeting date.
Behavioral Therapy
The diagnosis of diabetes can have a major psychological impact on the entire family. Whether your child has just been diagnosed with diabetes of it's been several years, there are many benefits of seeking a therapist's support. We have a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist here at TMH Physician Partners - Endocrinology, Obesity & Diabetes that is part of our team.
Our Behavioral Therapist can assist with several aspects of your child’s care.
- Adjusting to diabetes
- Goal setting
- Problem solving
- Coping with diabetes management
- Stress management
- Social support
- Staying motivated
- Diabetes burnout
