Empowering elders with diabetes care and education

In 2023, Unbound and Omaha-based Chronic Care International (CCI) launched a two-phase noncommunicable diseases pilot focusing on improving the health of diabetic elders living in poverty in the Philippines.

Program participant Herminiana, 72, is learning about the impact of diabetes on her health, the importance of taking medications consistently and how to choose the right foods to keep blood sugar levels steady.

As a single mother, Herminiana worked a job in a company in addition to creating a small business where she sold breads and peanuts to her co-workers. With her four children grown and raising their own families, Herminiana now lives alone.

She is supported by a small pension that is supplemented by benefits from Unbound.

Through the low-cost care model, Herminiana receives diabetes support and medical assistance she could not otherwise afford. She is one of the more than 100 elders participating in the program.

“This program helps so many elderly people like me who do not have the capacity to buy our maintenance medicines,” Herminiana said. “It is also good to see other elderly people having the same health condition as me, because it opens doors to new friendships and company.”

Opportunities to connect and learn

One unique element of the pilot program is its emphasis on community and social support through group activities, outings and events. Participants can learn a new craft, hone existing skills and explore entrepreneurship opportunities in addition to stimulating cognitive function and creativity, said Marivic Ihap, Unbound’s Quezon program coordinator.

Having additional outlets is important because the need to constantly focus on one’s blood sugar can leave many feeling overwhelmed. The burden of a chronic disease can quickly erode the headway families make in improving their situations if the main provider of a household is too ill to work.

Additionally, 77% of people living with diabetes experience anxiety, depression or another mental health condition because of their diabetes, according to a survey from the International Diabetes Federation.

“In gatherings like this, our elders can express themselves because they feel they are cared for and loved by many people,” said Teejay Cabrera, Unbound regional reporter in the Philippines. “I can see their smiles while dancing, especially when they are joined by the workers of Unbound.”

Other personalized components of the program include improved access to health care services through regular checkups, medication and diabetes care management. Participants also receive lab tests and regular consultations.

“This program is a constant reminder for all the elderly like me to take care of our health,” Herminiana said.

The second phase of the Unbound/CCI study research introduced a U.S.-based component focused on peer support. It explores how social connections, combined with generosity, can improve the management and health outcomes of people living with diabetes. This study was approved by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Institutional Review Board #24-1668.

Unbound regional reporter Teejay Cabrera in the Philippines contributed information and photos for this story.