GUIDANCE NOTES TO PARTICIPANTS

IN GRAMPIAN DIABETES EXERCISE GROUPS

The Exercises

The exercises are specifically designed for people like you with diabetes to help improve your fitness and maintain it at a higher level. You will find over a period of time that your improved fitness will give you the ability to enjoy a better and higher quality of life. You do not need to be very fit to join the class all levels of ability are welcome.

The Group Leaders

The Exercise Group Leader will be an instructor qualified & experienced in fitness prescriptions for people with various medical conditions. If you have a specific diabetes-related question or concern you should contact your own diabetes doctor or nurse. If you have questions about the classes email or telephone 07557317804. The diabetes advice line for patients who attend the diabetes clinic at David Anderson Building is 01224 559977.

What you will do at the group:

When you start exercising at the class you will go into an introductory phase of light exercises. This will allow the Leader to assess your fitness over a period of around 4 weeks during which you will be taught how to judge the amount of effort you should put into your exercises.

On completion of the introductory phase you will enter the full class regime which may be exercise to music or be based on exercise equipment. This will last for approximately one hour doing routines that will exercise your body as a whole and specifically help your heart to function to its best potential. The exercises are intended to be enjoyable and will build up and maintain your cardiovascular system.

You will do exercises to warm you up, then exercise to the point where your heart and lungs are operating at a faster rate but at a level which you feel comfortable, under guidance from the Exercise Leader. Finally there will be a period of relaxation before you leave.

You will also have an opportunity to discuss physical activity and diabetes with the leaders and other group members.

·  It is important that you understand that you are responsible for the level of work you put into the exercise. If at any time you feel overtired or ill while exercising you must stop and inform the instructor right away.

About the class:

·  You should wear light clothes suitable for exercising, such as slacks or shorts or tracksuit, T-shirt and training shoes.

·  For the aqua class you should wear your swim suit and bring a towel.

·  Take with you a refreshing drink, water or dilute orange juice. It is advisable not to eat a large meal before exercising. If you take insulin or are on tablets which may make you have a “hypo” you should also have with you something sugary such as orange juice / glucose tablets / lucozade and a snack such as a biscuit.

·  If you use a home blood glucose monitor then please bring it to the class where you will be encouraged to test your blood before and after exercise. Also if you have a hypo at the class you will be asked to do a test before your leave to ensure your blood glucose has returned to normal.

·  You will be given a questionnaire, which will be kept by the Exercise Leader as a confidential document. This contains some information which helps the Leader tailor the class to your needs.

·  Your GP, Diabetes Nurse or Diabetes clinic staff will have given a referral form to the class instructor which contains some information about your diabetes.

·  If you have had previous foot problems it is essential you discuss with your podiatrist first before attending the exercise class.

·  If you want a carer, spouse, partner or other family member to accompany you to the class he / she will be made more than welcome. If he / she wishes to exercise he / she will be required to declare that he / she is fit to do so and the same fee will apply. However carers / partners simply observing will not be required to pay.

Time and Place

Classes are held at a number of venues. For upto date details of classes please ask your health professional or check the Grampian Diabetes MCN Website www.diabetes.nhsgrampian.org.

Cost

There is a fee of £3.00 per exercise session which you will pay on arriving.

If you have any further questions please contact Mary McCallum, Health Psychologist at the Diabetes Clinic at the David Anderson Building (email: ).

Revised November 2013 - Dr Ann E Gold