BEAVERCREEK & XENIA — Greene County residents have two locations for diabetes education and nutritional support at the Beavercreek Health Center and Greene Memorial Hospital.
These centers are located at 2510 Commons Blvd. and 1141 N. Monroe Drive respectively. Both locations offer a free pre-diabetes class as well as guidance, support groups and monthly workshops to provide patients with important information on dealing with diabetes.
The Beavercreek location offers workshops 4-5 p.m. the first Tuesday of every month at the Beavercreek Health Center Community Room. Upcoming topics include success and “Taking Care of your Feet.” There will be no meeting in August. Fall topics include fall foods, smart snacks and what to bring to parties and how to stay active when it’s colder.
“This support group is a place where people with diabetes can meet together to discuss what works for them – a way to continue to learn about diabetes, provide ideas and emotional support for one another,” said Mike Walendzak, RN.
Walendzak received a bachelor of science degree in nursing from Wright State University and is a Certified Diabetes Educator.
“Patients do not always correlate some of our workshop topics with diabetes, but they can impact one’s care and control living with diabetes,” he added.
Services provided in Beavercreek include: diabetes self-management training, injectable medication starts, gestational diabetes, medical nutrition therapy and weight management program (non-surgical). They also provide insulin pump education.
The Beavercreek center is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 937-558-3988 for more information about this location.
“We offer a wide range of programs, classes and workshops at Greene Memorial Hospital,” said Tamara L. Johnson. “We have interactive Diabetes Self-Management Education every month 1-4 p.m. Thursdays.”
Johnson has a bachelor’s degree in nutrition and dietetics and a master’s in community health education. She has been teaching diabetes education for more than three decades.
“Most of our diabetes education classes-workshops in the past have been located south of town – we are so excited to have sites closer to home so that transportation will not be a barrier for our Greene County residents,” said Johnson.
The Greene Memorial Hospital Diabetes Center is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Call 937-352-2750 for more information. No referral is needed for those with diabetes to utilize these free centers.
