Type I diabetes affect many Australians each year. According to Diabetes Australia, 120,000 people in Australia have diabetes type I. In order to understand how to get financial assistance for diabetes, patients require to understand how best to manage their condition. It is important to see professional help in this regard as the information below are suggestions that can provide a better understanding of managing diabetes type I.
How to manage diabetes type I?
The first step towards the management of Type I diabetes is to understand what it is and what it is not. Type I diabetes is an autoimmune disease. In this context, immunity is what protects a person from foreign elements, such as viruses and bacteria. In autoimmunity, the body mistakenly acts against its own tissues. In Type I, the immune cells along with proteins react in contradiction of the cells that make insulin, destroying them. Despite the fact that the disease starts dramatically, Type I diabetes does not occur overnight. Many Australian patients provide a history of a number of months of increasing thirst and urination, among other symptoms.
Handling the physical as well as emotional consequences of Type I diabetes is essential. What makes the disease a difficult one are the physical difficulties related to poor control of the blood glucose. These problems exist as short-term or long-term complications. Short-term complications are the results of a blood glucose that is either very low or very high. Low blood glucose can occur in minutes on account of too much insulin, too little food, or too much exercise. However, high blood glucose often takes several hours to develop. Whereas low blood glucose frequently can be managed at home, severe high blood glucose is an emergency that is managed by a doctor in the hospital setting. Long-term complications consist of retinopathy (eye disease), nephropathy (kidney disease), and neuropathy (nerve disease).
Insulin therapy and home monitoring are essential in the management of Type I diabetes. Treatment objectives for the disease must take into account the above techniques. Aggressive treatment choices should be based on review of the method to management, the burden of such management, and the capacity of the patient and family to put up with such efforts. Patient, family and health care providers in Australia must be involved with treatment and management choices based on self-motivation, family support, and the accessibility of required financial and emotional resources, to learn as well as carry out such complex treatment.
Treatment of Type I diabetes involves many decisions in each particular day. The choices must be made by the person with diabetes, or if that person is younger to make decisions, then by parents responsible for the child’s health as well as well-being. Therefore, when target glucose levels are discussed and the rationale for trying to reach normal BG values is explained and understood; many Australian patients can practically regularize their normal glycemia as well as move closer to the desired haemoglobin values safely and without excessive hypoglycemia. The better is the glucose control the better the haemoglobin desired; thus, the fewer the long-term complications. Education along with follow-up strategies, together with the use of diabetes department specialists with a common methodology to patient care has confirmed to be significant management technique for Australian patients.
All patients are advised to strive and achieve the following in the fight against Type I diabetes: maintain a positive balance between physical activities and food intake; engage healthy diets in an attempt of meeting caloric needs; and get a minimum of half an hour of moderate-intensity physical activity on daily basis. It is important to seek medical and professional guidance in the management of diabetes.
Financial assistance for diabetes to manage diabetes type I
Understanding the daily and long term requirements to manage type I diabetes, Australians living with diabetes type I can seeking financial assistance for diabetes through a range of services and programs.
Individuals with diabetes type I will face many medical expenses, some of which occur on a daily basis. These expenses such as insulin pumps and medication can add up, making it difficult for patients to afford long term. Below are a few examples of programs and services that can provide further assistance to patients with diabetes type I and who require financial assistance.
The Type 1 Diabetes Insulin Pump Subsidy Program is a fairly new program currently run by Diabetes Australia and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Backed by $5.5 million of government funding, the program aims to give relief to patients with diabetes type I by providing insulin pumps at 20 percent of the cost or up to $500.
Basic welfare support is also available for individuals with diabetes through Centrelink. Patients can access fortnightly disability allowances. This is subject to eligibility such as meeting the low-income status, documentation and difficult finding employment due to their condition.
Online fundraising can provide financial relief by allowing patients to fundraise online completely for free. Individuals can start raising funds online through the support of family and friends. Simply create a fundraising page online, write up your story and add photos and videos to bring your story to life. Once completed, you can then share the fundraising page via Facebook, Twitter and Email to easily receive donations from friends and family.
References:
1) Diabetes in Australia: http://www.diabetesaustralia.com.au/Understanding-Diabetes/Diabetes-in-Australia/
2) Diabetes type 1: http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Diabetes_Type_1_or_juvenile_diabetes
3) About type 1 diabetes: http://www.bupa.com.au/health-and-wellness/health-information/az-health-information/type-1-diabetes#treatment
4) Type 1 diabetes: http://www.diabetesvic.org.au/type-1-diabetes