The Diabetes Care and Education Specialist's job/role is to provide individuals with all the information they need to make decisions that work for them; however, it depends on the individual to succeed in their diabetes self-management.

Diabetes has a global impact, and according to 2019 data, the estimated prevalence of diabetes in adults doubled during the past 20 years and currently affects about 463 million worldwide. Globally, type 2 diabetes continues to grow by approximately 90% for all diabetes. In addition, it is slightly more common in men than in women, and type 2 diabetes is primarily a condition associated with aging. But then, 9.3% of the overall adult population has diabetes, and when the data are broken down according to age, nearly 20% of those over age 65 are shown to have diabetes.

ㅤ However, there is good news because there are many ways to manage diabetes and implement successful strategies that center and focus on the patient. At the same time, this is a collaborative effort of a care team (i.e., medicine, nursing, nutritional science, and pharmacy) and involves the person with diabetes or prediabetes and/or the caregiver.

ㅤ Managing the disease daily is critical for the person's short-term and long-term health and quality of life. Therefore, patients are encouraged to have essential self-care skills that include making food choices, monitoring blood glucose, taking medications (orally or by injection), adjusting for food or activity variations, and managing hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, commonly referred to as "survival skills."

Individuals who prefer and appreciate ways to manage their condition on the go, such as apps that track food intake, physical activity, and blood glucose levels, are available for smartphones and tablets. Information on health apps, many of which are free, can be found on reliable diabetes websites such as Diabetes Canada (https://www.diabetes.ca/health-and-wellness-support).

ㅤ Diabetes education in the early days has been organized around diet, exercise, and medication management. Throughout, diabetes care and education were marked by rapid scientific advancements. Blood glucose monitoring and insulin pump technologies have advanced rapidly, and nutritional guidelines encompassed more effective strategies for healthy eating with diabetes. New classes of diabetes medications were added, and blood glucose monitoring for diabetes self-management was faster and more reliable. The results were easy to download, analyze, and use during clinic appointments. Continuous glucose monitoring entered for clinic-based options for complex care management. Many options and resources for patients nowadays provide the patient the power to make informed decision-making and better choices for their health.

ㅤ Reference American Association of Diabetes care and education specialists (2021). The art and science of diabetes care and education (5th ed.). Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists.