Between Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza, holidays dominate the month of December. Although there are few “official” health observances and events, there’s no shortage of potential themes for your wellness communications.
Observances
Safe Toy and Gift Month – According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 251,700 toy-related injuries in 2010 throughout the United States. 72% were to people less than 15 years of age. Additionally, in 2007 alone, toymakers recalled over 19 million toys worldwide because of safety concerns such as lead paint and small magnets.
National Handwashing Awareness Month – The CDC offers printable fact sheets on handwashing-related topics, audio podcasts about handwashing and disease prevention, printable posters, social media messages, videos for adults and kids, and web features. See also: Henry the Hand.
World AIDS Day – Around the world, about 34 million people are living with HIV. In the United States, about 50,000 people get infected with HIV every year. It’s important that everyone ages 15 to 65 gets tested for HIV at least once. Some people may need to get tested more often.
1-5 – Older Driver Safety Awareness Week
3 – International Day of People with Disability
7 – 13 National Influenza Vaccination Week
Healthy Holiday Eating & Drinking
- Holiday Health Eating Guide – American Heart Association
- Healthy Eating for the Holidays – UCLA
- Healthy Eating Tips and Light Party Recipes for the Holidays – Epicurious
- Managing Your Diabetes During the Holidays
- Holiday Meal Planning – American Diabetes Association
- Handling the holidays when recovering from alcohol addiction
- Don’t Drink? How to Get Through the Holidays Sober
- It’s the Holidays – Are your Boundaries with the Alcoholic/Addict Wrapped up Tight?
Looking for the most comprehensive and effective wellness program for your employees? ESI TotalCare Wellness pairs Behavioral Health Clinicians with certified Wellness Coaches to provide employees and their families with the help, motivation, tools and support to make changes and improve their lives. Call 800-535-4841 for more information.