Scheme launched to support diabetics
DIABETES UK Cymru has launched a scheme in Carmarthenshire to address a need to support people living with diabetes whose isolation has worsened during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Following the success of a Diabetes UK Befriending Circle set up two years ago, a similar scheme is now being piloted in Wales, where a third of the population lives in rural areas where some lack public transport and digital connectivity.
Carmarthenshire has been identified as the priority area to pilot the scheme as over 61% of the population are classified as rural.
There is also a greater population of over 65s compared to the national average. However, volunteers can apply from anywhere in Wales and will offer support on the phone or by email to people with diabetes in that region.
Dai Williams, national director at Diabetes UK Cymru, said: “Befriending is the right approach because it’s easier for people to offer a listening ear over the phone or by email than to access support in person.
“Travel times between different locations in Carmarthen can be long and difficult for some.
“With the added worry of the coronavirus pandemic, it is now more important than ever to ensure vulnerable people stay safe at home but also have the support to reduce the risk of them feeling isolated and alone.
“This service will benefit both the befriender and the referral by reducing their risks of isolation.” The Befriending Circle is run by Diabetes UK Cymru’s Volunteering Team and aims to recruit and train between five to 10 befrienders by the end of 2021.
Lucy Snell, Diabetes UK Cymru’s volunteer development officer for Wales, said: “We hope to be up and running by late spring and raise awareness of the work of our charity in Carmarthenshire by providing long term emotional support to people living with diabetes and their carers in a way we have not been able to do before.”
More than 209,015 people in Wales are now living with diabetes.
This is 8% of the population aged 17 and over, the highest prevalence in the UK.