April is OT Month
Don't Let This
Opportunity Pass You By
Ten Things You Can Do
To Celebrate Occupational Therapy Month
April is National Occupational Therapy Month-an
excellent opportunity to showcase the new branding platform,
"Living Life To Its Fullest," as well as your skills,
program, or business. If you already have an OT Month plan on
the drawing board, that's great! We encourage you to be
creative and consider these ideas if you want to supplement
what you've already planned. If you've not thought
about OT Month yet, we hope you'll find these activities
easy, affordable and effective.
1. Contact a Reporter with a Great
Story
For detailed information about reaching out to the media,
click here.
2. Look for Opportunities to Interact with Public
Audiences
Prepare a talk about how OT helps individuals of all ages
live life to its fullest, and offer to deliver an informal
speech to community service organizations (i.e., Kiwanis,
Rotary Clubs, etc.) or the local PTA. Contact senior centers
and offer to make a presentation on topics such as driver
safety, managing daily tasks while coping with arthritis,
gadgets for ease and safety in the kitchen, or time and energy
saving tips. Distribute appropriate handouts, such as
AOTA's Consumer Tip
Sheets.
3. Make This Your Month to Advertise
If your business or program does not advertise regularly, OT
Month is an excellent time to start. For nonprofits, try using
radio and TV public service announcements available on this Web
site.
4. Provide a Public Service
Become involved with community service activities like
Rebuilding
Together or a backpack
education event, and use the opportunity to promote the
unique role that OT can play.
5. Throw an OT Month Party
Invite former clients for a celebration of their
achievements and how they are living life to its fullest during
OT Month. Ask them to bring friends and family. Invite local
government officials, including
your senator or member of Congress. Serve refreshments, offer a tour, and take lots
of pictures. Prepare an article for your in-house publication,
and send a press release to your local media outlets. Don't
forget to upload your pictures to OTConnections!
6. Hold a Contest
Invite pediatric clients and their siblings to complete a
coloring sheet depicting aspects of OT. Display the entries and
draw the names of several winners. Take photos of the winners
and send them with a story to your facility's newsletter,
or even the local media.
Alternatively, for older clients, invite them to write short
stories about or take photos of what "living life to its
fullest," means to them and how OT is helping them or did
help them achieve it. Again, display the entries and draw names
of several winners. Take photos of the winners and send them
with a story to your facility's newsletter, or even the
local media.
7. Confer Special Honors
Recognize an outstanding administrator, name an employee of
the year, or honor a person or client who's living life to
its fullest. Arrange a ceremony or event to present the honor.
Produce a certificate. Take photos and send them with a short
description to your local media outlets.
8. Inform Co-Workers
Set up your clinic with free coffee and donuts early in the
morning or have a brown bag lunch one day each week during the
month of April. Inform others in your work setting through
cafeteria tent cards, fliers, e-mail or bulletin board notices.
Have staff on hand to chat and inform people about how OT helps
individuals of all ages live life to its fullest. This is
particularly important in areas such as home health agencies
where there is a need to expand awareness about OT. Visit
www.promoteot.com for
promotional give-away ideas.
9. Make House Calls
Put together an information packet, including a "Living
Life To Its Fullest" one-pager, a fact sheet about your
particular program or business, sample consumer information
fact sheets, and your business card. Stop by physicians'
offices and local businesses. Introduce yourself to
receptionists, and leave your package for owners and managers
to review. Make follow-up calls a week later to offer
additional information.
10. Visit PromoteOT.com for OT Month
Products
Each year AOTA introduces a new line of OT Month products,
featuring clothing, gifts and other items to give share with
clients, referrers, and colleagues. Also available this year is
"Living Life To Its Fullest" items. Visit www.promoteot.com for more
information.
|
