Summer is over and the new school year is underway. Children from elementary grades up to high school are already carrying home nightly homework assignments and study materials. AOTA’s National School Backpack Awareness Day on September 18th, 2013 is the perfect time to highlight proper techniques for loading, fitting and wearing backpacks to minimize spine and muscular injuries to our youth. Dr. Karen Jacobs has been instrumental in increasing public awareness of this important issue as well as the valuable contributions Occupational Therapists make in the fields of ergonomics and body mechanics for injury prevention. If you are interested in hosting an event in your community for Backpack Awareness Day this year, the PromoteOT.org website has an excellent collection of planning and marketing materials and educational handouts to use.
The first day of Fall also signifies another big event for our profession. The National Council on Aging’s (NCOA) 6th annual Fall Prevention Awareness Day will be held on September 22nd, 2013. Their web page contains information about scheduled events across the country and resources such as sample press releases and fact sheets for those who would like to host an event for Fall Prevention Awareness Day. AOTA also has a Falls Prevention toolkit available on their website for those interested in giving presentations about falls prevention in their communities. Fall Prevention Awareness Day is also the perfect time to brush up on your knowledge of falls, including how to evaluate an individual’s fall risk and how falls can be prevented. Take advantage of the courses in our library that cover these important topics with your $99 yearly subscription to OccupationalTherapy.com!
September is a busy month! Let’s go spread the word about backpack safety, falls prevention and the integral role of OT in health promotion efforts!
Your OT colleague and friend,
Christa Tober, M.S., OTR
Managing Editor
