Conversation map: an educational strategy in the care of elderly people with diabetes mellitus.

Objective: To report the experience of using diabetes conversation maps as an educational strategy for diabetic elderly people.

Method: Experience report, conducted from July to December 2016 in a specialized outpatient clinic for diabetics, in Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. A total of 72 users participated, between diabetics and those accompanying them.

Results: The participants talked about issues that were not addressed in personal consultations, and could see themselves through the stories of others, thus realizing they were not alone and that others also experienced the same difficulties as them. Through empathy and the accounts of others, participants built knowledge and practices for their own daily lives. Final Considerations: The conversation map enables professionals to empower patients with diabetes, promoting self-care and ensuring better control over the disease, in order to prevent or delay the onset of related complications.