Tim Hortons, Eating Out, and Diabetes Education
(For Home Share Providers & Community Living Agencies)
Going to places like Tim Hortons is part of being involved in the community for me. Eating out helps me feel included and social. Living with diabetes does not mean I can never eat fast food. It means learning how to make healthier choices, with support.
I live with diabetes, and I want to help teach support workers how to support people like me. Sometimes, when I eat out with my support workers, I don’t always make the best food choices. My support workers care about my health and well-being, and I am very grateful for that. Their concern shows they want to support their clients properly.
My support workers want more training, which is a good thing. Together, we plan to go to a diabetes clinic so they can learn from experts and from my lived experience. This helps them support me better and prepares them to support other clients with diabetes in the future.
After diabetes education and clinic visits, I will use my Tim Hortons gift cards in a healthier way and then get rid of them. For example, choosing smaller portions, avoiding very sugary drinks, and not buying large items can help keep blood sugar more stable.
ksanews.ca is also a learning resource for home share providers, community living agencies, and support workers. The website shares easy-to-understand information about diabetes education, healthy eating, and real-life community support.
Learning from clinics, lived experience, and trusted resources like ksanews.ca helps support workers provide better, person-centered care.
This page also talks about healthy eating when eating out, especially for people who live with diabetes or other health needs. It shares real-life tips about making better food choices at restaurants, while also reminding people that it’s okay to enjoy treats once in a while. Eating out is part of being involved in the community, and learning balance is important.
We also highlight representation and inclusion, including the release of a new Barbie doll with autism by Mattel. This doll represents people with autism and helps promote understanding, acceptance, and visibility. Representation like this matters because it shows that people with disabilities and diverse abilities belong and are valued in everyday life.
