Living with Diabetes: From One HR Professional to Another
November is National Diabetes Awareness Month in Canada, with World Diabetes Day falling on November 14.
Diabetes is recognized as a global epidemic; in 2019, diabetes represented 10% of the global total health expenditure. As the number of people living with diabetes continues to rise worldwide, it is crucial not only to understand the facts and figures of the disease but to also understand its impact on the human experience. To highlight this, we have asked a mom (and HR professional) whose son was diagnosed at age 6 with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), to share some personal insights and experiences.
Advice to the Newly Diagnosed (or to the Parent of the Newly Diagnosed)
Be patient. Be diligent. You are not alone!
With a new diagnosis of diabetes, especially in the early days, you may feel helpless and not in control. Trust in the experience of your diabetes professionals – even if things feel foreign - because there is a lot to learn. There is a period of adjustment and lots of trial and error, but with good monitoring practices, you will soon find yourself in the swing of things. Don’t be afraid to use new practices or technology to help support your success. For example, using a food scale in combination with a food tracking app, can give you great insights into how to manage your dietary restrictions and requirements.
Lastly, and most importantly, remember that this diagnosis is not your fault; guilt or blame is not productive or helpful to the situation. Although you are focused on your or your child’s A1C (glycated hemoglobin measurement), carbohydrates to insulin ratio, and healthy eating, along with many other factors, do not overlook the effects of this diagnosis on your or your child’s overall emotional and social wellbeing.
From One HR Professional to Another
I know first-hand how challenging it can be for diabetics to wake up and function properly after a night of an unexplained sugar high/low. The challenge is not just the sleep deprivation – that effected is compounded by how one night of blood sugar instabilities can throw off the entire system and completely deplete a person’s energy and stamina. As (HR) professionals, we need to continue to drive and support preventative medicine. Ensuring that your plan has sufficient coverage for life sustaining medications, supplies, and even paramedical practitioners is the most effective way to support employees living with and managing diabetes.
Diabetics, and others living with life altering medical conditions, work hard to ensure that their medical condition does not define them, control them, or impact their lives (physically or mentally) in such a way that their quality of life is impaired. In recent years, HR professionals have come to realize, more than ever, the importance of mental health awareness and support in the workplace and that the spectrum of good mental health varies for every individual, and is impacted by so many things – chronic health concerns, included. We need continue to find ways to balance the needs of our organizations with the needs of these dedicated, caring people.
The Impact of the Benefit Plan
Coverage for diabetic pumps and testing supplies (i.e. needles, insulin, lancets, etc.) have, thankfully, been a component of most benefit plans for some time. That said, given how rapidly these items are used up, the frequency of the permissible replacements for diabetic supplies has left something to be desired. Nobody should have to use an insulin pump to the point of failure to be considered for replacement eligibility – these are life-saving devices, and the risk associated with their failure is catastrophic, which is a frightening consideration. To help stave off gaps in replacement coverage, having a small, “just in case” supply of your key testing supplies is good planning for the diabetic, or the parent of a diabetic.
The Last Word – Diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 6, now 22
I never wanted to be treated differently. Especially when I was younger, I did not want people to know or ask me about diabetes or pump. After recognizing the prominence of this disease and understanding how my personal situation has impacted my mental health, I now welcome questions and take the opportunity to help others with their journey. There are so many more people with T1D than I ever imagined.