Diabetes Cure Blog

Till now camps for children with diabetes were available, a place where kids could learn about managing diabetes and at the same time have fun with others. Now a similar kind of approach is being taken for the adults suffering from diabetes. They’re a little different from sleep-away camps, though. Training programs are provided at outpatient medical facilities, while others take place at luxury spas or resorts or even on board a cruise ship.

In addition to offering a variety of classes on diabetes care, many adult training programs provide personal time with physicians and other diabetes experts, discussions and workshops.

Costs vary depending on the program; hospital- or clinic-based courses, which are often covered by medical insurance, generally cost a few hundred dollars, while a week or two at a spa is typically in the range of several thousand dollars.

1. CANYON RANCH
Tucson, Arizona
(800) 742-9000
www.canyonranch.com/diabetes

The program focuses on managing weight through diet and exercise is discussed, and a variety of fitness classes are available so that participants can apply some of what they have learned. Spiritual awareness, blood glucose control, and medication also take the fore in discussions and workshops. Participants are given a number of medical tests, including a cardiac stress test, a glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) test, and a microalbumin test, to assess their health status and current level of diabetes control.

2. COOPER WELLNESS PROGRAM
Dallas, Texas
(800) 444-5192
www.cooperaerobics.com/wellness

The Cooper Aerobics Center holds four- and six-day diabetes programs at various points throughout the year. The programs, which focus on topics such as nutrition, exercise, and stress management, aim to teach people who already have diabetes, how to cope with it and how to prevent it, especially those who are at a risk. People can participate in a variety of fitness and exercise classes, and they also have the opportunity to work with a personal trainer who will tailor an exercise program to meet individual needs. Participants are shown how to achieve better nutrition through an arranged breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a dietitian.

3. DIABETES TEACHING CENTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
San Francisco, California
(415) 353-2266
diabetesteachingcenter@ucsfmedcenter.org
www.diabetes2.ucsf.edu

The Diabetes Teaching Center at UCSF offers an intensive two-day class on oral medicines and a 3 1/2-day class on insulin. The oral medicines class covers topics such as reading labels, prevention of long-term complications, and heart health, and time is provided for question-and-answer and practice sessions. Individuals taking the insulin class meet each day with a physician, initially for a medical exam and on subsequent days to discuss adjusting insulin doses. Topics covered in this workshop include insulin delivery devices, proper needle and lancet disposal, and care strategies to prevent complications.

4. DIABETES WORKSHOP CRUISES
(866) 272-0896
Saltztvl@aol.com
www.joslin.harvard.edu/news/cruise.shtml
www.diabetesworkshopcruises.com

The workshops which are offered in conjunction with the renowned Joslin Diabetes Center, are geared toward individuals with Type 2 diabetes, they are appropriate for those with Type 1 as well.

Over the course of the weeklong cruise, three 2 1/2-hour sessions are conducted, which are generally attended by about 25 to 30 people. A wide variety of topics are covered in the sessions such as exercise planning, food selection, carbohydrate counting, new developments in diabetes research, how to adjust to a diagnosis of diabetes, how to decide what type of oral medicine or insulin to use, and how to operate an insulin pump.

5. GREEN MOUNTAIN AT FOX RUN
Ludlow, Vermont
(800) 448-8106
info@greenmountainatfoxrun.com
www.greenmountainatfoxrun.com

Green Mountain has a weeklong diabetes program entitled “Living Well,” which is conducted with the help of members of the Joslin Diabetes Center staff. This program, which is limited to approximately 23 women with Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, covers a number of diabetes management techniques in classes and workshops. The program focuses specifically on the areas of nutrition, fitness, and behavior. Workshops, which range from one to two hours, cover topics such as how to beat diabetes burnout, reduce stress, and manage emotional eating. Fitness classes are also interspersed throughout the day and are offered at both beginner and intermediate levels.

6. JOSLIN DIABETES CENTER
Boston, Massachusetts
(617) 732-2628
joan.beaton@joslin.harvard.edu
www.joslin.harvard.edu/jboston/doit.shtml

The center offers a four-day diabetes tune-up program, the Diabetes Outpatient Intensive Treatment Program (DO IT), which is geared toward educating people so that they can better manage their diabetes. The program, which takes place weekly, Monday to Thursday, from 7:30 AM to 3:00 PM, includes a physical assessment, daily one-on-one sessions with a physician, and individual training and consultations with a variety of certified diabetes educators including a dietitian and an exercise physiologist. There is group instruction to help with monitoring blood sugar, adjusting insulin and other medicines, and meeting nutrition goals, as well as workshops on reducing stress and staying motivated.

7. LIFESTYLE CENTER OF AMERICA
Sulphur, Oklahoma
(800) 213-8955
lifestyle@lifestylecenter.org
www.lifestylecenter.org/diabetes/diabetesframe.htm

Lifestyle Center of America offers a 19-day “Diabetes Mastery Program,” which is composed of several main elements. The physician and medical services component includes a physical examination with a full health history review and follow-up consultations, and participants are assigned a personal physician with whom they work throughout the course of the program. Laboratory services provide readings such as a full blood chemistry panel and lipid profile.

8. Pritikin Longevity Center & Spa
Aventura, Florida
(800) 327-4914
info@pritikin.com
www.pritikin.com

The Pritikin Center aims to improve the health of those living with chronic conditions, including Type 2 diabetes, and lower the risk of developing heart disease, cancer, and other health problems through diet, exercise, and education. Guests may stay for one, two, three, or four weeks at a time. During their stay, they may participate in a variety of types of exercise, including aerobic, strength, and flexibility training; take cooking classes and nutrition workshops; learn to better cope with stress and to set and attain goals; and even get help quitting smoking if needed. Blood glucose tests of the participant’s are diagnosed every day by doctors, which are administered twice a day in the medical center.

9. STRUCTURE HOUSE
Durham, North Carolina
(800) 553-0052
info@structurehouse.com
www.structurehouse.com

The four-week program can be attended all at once or in increments as short as one week at any time during the year. In addition to the more than 80 activities generally available on a weekly basis, which run the gamut from water aerobics to behavioral modification training, people in the diabetes program receive special class instruction in groups of about 5 to 12. Fitness classes targeted toward exercising with diabetes are available, as are nutrition classes and classes that discuss the connection of mind and body with regard to diabetes.
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