When illness or injury begins impairing mobility and movement, physical therapy can provide huge benefits and greatly improve a person’s quality of life. In addition, effective physical therapy can often prevent common injuries and even eliminate the need for some prescription medications and surgical procedures.
October is National Physical Therapy Month. Make plans to celebrate physical therapists both in your community and within your agency.
- Honor your agency’s physical therapists on your company website. Include photos, a short bio, and a sincere message of thanks for all the work they do.
- Visit the American Physical Therapy Association’s Fit After 50 webpage and learn more about the importance of physical activity for older adults and how physical therapy can help them lead more active lives for longer.
- Physical inactivity contributes to disability and is a factor in millions of deaths around the world every year. It can lead to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer. Organize a walkathon with proceeds going toward a local Meals on Wheels program and make your base of operations a local senior center or rehabilitation center. Be sure to have plenty of flyers available that promote your agency’s physical therapy services.
- Remind your community that you are never too young or too old to stay (or get) active. Just half an hour of moderate exercise a few times a week can make a huge difference to a person’s overall health. Visit a local assisted living facility and host a class on senior exercise. Individual components of this ready-made program also are sold separately. Call 866-232-6477 for details and pricing.
- Create a newsletter about the benefits of physical therapy (and occupational and speech therapy) and distribute it to your patients, former patients, referral sources and prospects. A ready-made newsletter personalized to your agency can make this a snap.