Diabetes Education

For many people living with diabetes, gestational and pre-diabetes can be challenging. Finding resources to help guide people can be overwhelming or too costly. Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County offers services and educational programs for all residents to increase their confidence in managing diabetes.

Our Diabetes Educators are Registered Dietitians and Registered Nurses who work alongside the healthcare teams at Sun River Health centers across Suffolk County.

We offer one-to-one, in-person, or telehealth consultations with a focus on individualized education and care. We promote self-management of health, wellness, and medical conditions. Topics covered include:

  • healthy eating tips
  • meal planning and portion sizes
  • reading food labels
  • weight management
  • understanding your diabetes
  • glucometer use
  • blood glucose management and target ranges
  • medications and insulin
  • reducing risks

In addition to one-to-one sessions within the health centers, our diabetes educators can present current, evidence-based education programs on diabetes management in many local public libraries or community centers. If you are interested in attending or your organization would like to host a program, please contact us via email or phone at 631-727-7850 x 331. In addition, community sites can request presentations on specific diabetes-related topics.


Diagnosed with diabetes?

The following links provide essential information for taking care of your health:

http://blogs.cornell.edu/ccesuffolkfhw/2016/02/05/diabetes-foot-problems/

http://blogs.cornell.edu/ccesuffolkfhw/2015/11/13/diabetes-in-control-a1c-and-what-it-means-to-you/

http://blogs.cornell.edu/ccesuffolkfhw/2015/09/21/insulin-replacement-therapy-not-punishment/

http://blogs.cornell.edu/ccesuffolkfhw/2015/06/26/five-common-myths-about-diabetes-debunked/

Please feel free to follow our blog for updates and other educational resources and tips.

https://blogs.cornell.edu/communityeducation/category/diabetes/

Community Education Webpage and resources

http://ccesuffolk.org/community-education/family-health-and-wellness

http://ccesuffolk.org/resources/educational-progra...

https://blogs.cornell.edu/communityeducation/


Resources and Support

For other additional resources and support, check out these websites:

American Diabetes Association
1-800-342-2383
http://www.diabetes.org

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
http://www.jdrf.org

National Eye Health Education Program
1-301-496-5248
https://nei.nih.gov/nehep

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse

1-800-860-8747

https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/community-health-outreach/information-clearinghouses/

National Kidney Disease Education Program
1-800-860-8747
http://www.nkdep.nih.gov/

National Diabetes Education Program

HealthSense: An online resource for living well.
www.YourDiabetesInfo.org/HealthSense

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
1-800-877-1600
www.eatright.org

American Association of Diabetes Educators
1-800-338-3633
www.diabeteseducator.org

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1-800-232-4636
www.cdc.gov/diabetes

American Heart Association

1-800-AHA-USA-11-800-242-8721

https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/diabetes 

Contact

Linda Altenburger, RD, CDN
Diabetes Program Manager
la276@cornell.edu
631-727-7850

Last updated January 4, 2023