Abstract :Introduction:the education of patients with diabetes mellitus based on self-care of their health is a social requirement.Objective:design an educational intervention aimed at raising the preparation for self-care of diabetological health of elderly patients dispensed in the office No. 4 of the Teaching Polyclinic "Marcio Manduley Murillo", Centro Habana Municipality, Havana.Method:a descriptive, prospective, cross-sectional and educational intervention study was carried out. The following variables were studied: age, sex, marital status, schooling, type of diabetes, evolution time, metabolic control and complications of this disease. The level of preparation of patients for self-care of diabetes health was explored. An educational intervention aimed at its preparation for self-care of diabetological health was designed, applied and validated.Results:it was more common for patients to be 65 to 69 years old (48.6%), were women (59.8%), divorced (25.0%), with a basic secondary school level (40.3 %), type II diabetes mellitus (90.4%) over 15 years of evolution (40.3%). 72.2% had uncontrolled disease and 52.2% evidence of target organ damage. Only 16.7% had an adequate level of preparation regarding diabetes mellitus, which improved up to 93.0% after applying an educational intervention.Conclusions:the need to educate patients about the topic and the viability of the educational intervention designed to achieve this purpose was expressed.