Classes & Support Groups

Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support

A large part of successfully managing your diabetes and preventing complications is skilled self-care. Learning how to self-manage your diabetes is an important part of your diabetes care.

Certified by the American Diabetes Association and staffed by certified diabetes educators, the Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) program at Torrance Memorial's Outpatient Specialty Center, is a comprehensive educational program designed to provide patients with diabetes, the essential knowledge and support they need to achieve better glucose control and help prevent complications.

We provide a comfortable, interactive environment where patients learn self-care skills and lifestyle modification techniques. Our program's classes supports patients with all types of diabetes who are either newly diagnosed or have a longer history of diabetes.

The mission of our program is to:

• Empower participants with diabetes self-management skills
• Encourage self-care behaviors to prevent diabetes complications
• Promote health to improve quality of life
• Decrease risk factors for diabetes through community outreach

Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support Classes

The Program

Our team of expertly trained and educated diabetes educators works closely with patients and their physicians to develop individualized self-care programs based on their medical history and individualized goals. Our program utilizes the latest research and training recommendations from the ADA to provide comprehensive and personalized care, and empower individuals to optimize short- and long-term outcomes.

Our program outcomes include participant self-identified improved self-care skills through improved meal planning, increased physical activity, weight loss and a statistically significant average decrease in their A1C level, averaging 1.6% (2015-2016 survey data). This equals an average blood glucose decrease of over 40 points.

One-on-One and Group Sessions

Our program consists of an individualized consultation for each patient first, followed by a series of four small group sessions. Individual appointments can be arranged in lieu of group sessions for individuals that may have special needs such as, but not limited to, being hearing impaired.

After program completion, participants receive a free one-week gym membership at the Torrance Memorial Fitness Center and a free one-on-one consultation with our exercise physiologist.

The self-care behaviors you'll develop in our DSMES classes will help you successfully manage your diabetes and prevent or reduce the severity of diabetes complications.

Highlights of topics covered in our DSMES Program:

• Physiology of diabetes
• Understanding how your medications work
• Reading food labels and carbohydrate counting
• Meal planning and dining out
• Risk reduction of short- and long-term complications
• Prevention and treatment of high and low blood glucose levels
• Setting goals for weight loss, increasing physical activity and eating healthier
• Healthy coping skills

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Medical Nutrition Therapy

Healthy Eating Made Simple

Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) goes hand-in-hand with the DSMES program. In addition to your initial consultation and group classes, you will work one-on-one with a registered dietitian to address your individual nutrition needs and develop a customized meal plan that supports your goals and helps you manage your diabetes.

A yearly follow-up appointment with one of our diabetes educators can help individuals with diabetes refresh their memory on what they learned with us before, continue to build on their diabetes knowledge and self-care skills, help to maintain their lifestyle changes, continue to improve their quality of life and learn the latest in diabetes care.

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Sweet Success, Diabetes and Pregnancy

If you are pregnant and have diabetes, you're likely concerned about its impact on you and your baby. Through our Sweet Success program, you'll meet one-on-one with a diabetes educator to learn the facts about diabetes and pregnancy, and develop an individualized plan to help you and your baby stay healthy.

Our certified diabetes educators are specially trained through the Sweet Success program, which is part of the California Department of Diabetes and Pregnancy Program (CDAPP) and administered by the California Department of Public Health. Sweet Success is the national gold standard in caring for women with pregnancy and diabetes.

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Diabetes Support Group

- Diabetes Support Groups Currently on Hold -

Sometimes it helps to share with others living with diabetes. Our diabetes support group is led by one of our diabetes educators and provides a safe forum to share your experiences, express concerns and ask questions. There is no cost to attend and no reservations are needed.

Type 1s and Type 2s are encouraged to attend at the date/times listed below; however, meetings are open to all regardless of the type of diabetes they have.

Type I Support Group

• Meeting: Second and Fourth Tuesday of every month
• Time: 6:30 - 7:30 pm
• Location: Torrance Memorial Specialty Center, 3rd Floor, Conference Room 350
• Get Directions

Type II Support Group

• Meeting: First and Third Wednesday of every month
• Time: 1 - 2 pm
• Location: Torrance Memorial Specialty Center, 3rd Floor, Conference Room 350
• Get Directions