• ADEA Masterclass: Improving Diabetes Care of People with Intellectual Disability

Content Outline:

The introduction of the National Disability Insurance Scheme across Australia in the near future will not include any funding for diabetes care. This will place an increased need for health services to be accessible to people with a disability and to provide customised services to address their unique needs. To support diabetes services to improve their ability to provide high quality diabetes care to people with ID, Professor Gary Wittert and Credentialled Diabetes Educators Jayne Lehmann and Anne Marks will share their clinical expertise in the care of diabetes in people with ID.  This symposium will include presentations that draw on the available research and clinical experience and resources used by the presenters to provide high quality diabetes care services to people with ID. Case studies will explore the issues related to diabetes care of people with Prader-Willi and Down Syndromes.
Co-morbidities like obesity, poor nutrition, limitations on exercise capacity, use of anti-psychotics, syndrome associated conditions and sleep-disordered breathing will be explored. The challenges involved with the use of non health professional support workers in the delivery of diabetes care will be explored. A range of resources designed for the specific education and support needs of people with diabetes and ID will be presented to inspire participants to increase their confidence and capacity to address the unique needs of this high risk target group.

Session Outline:

Presentation by Prof Gary Wittert

• Overview of current data on the standard of health of people with ID to set the scene for why this is important to address
• Overview of risk factors for diabetes e.g. obesity, poor nutrition, limitations on exercise capacity, use of anti-psychotics, syndrome associated conditions and sleep-disordered
• Overview of issues compounding the risks e.g. supported care, lack of healthy cooking skills and recipe support for support workers, ill-equipped health and community systems to support preventive and acute care/early diagnosis etc

Group Interactive exercise

Presentation by Jayne Lehmann

• The NDIS and its implications for the healthcare sector
  
• Barriers to access by people with ID within a diabetes or health service
  
• Resources and strategies to assist
  

Group Interactive exercise

Presentation by Anne Marks

• The challenges of intensive insulin therapy for people with type 1 diabetes and Intellectual disability
• Support strategies for families, diabetes educators, schools and respite care workers

Group Interactive exercise

Panel discussion

Learning outcomes:

At the conclusion of this session, participants will:

1. Be aware of the high prevalence, and reasons for the high risk, of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in people with ID.
2. Identify the co-morbidities and issues that require consideration in the provision of health care to people with ID and diabetes.
3. Appreciate the range of resources and strategies to include people with ID in their diabetes self care to the best of their ability.
4. Be able to state the barriers and facilitators for the prevention or optimal management of T1D and T2D in people with ID in various levels of supported care and the expected impact of the introduction of the NDIS.

The session will be run with presentations and interactive activities to actively engage the audience in their exploration of the topic and learning.