Older Driver Safety Awareness Week

older driver safety

The AOTA (American Occupational Therapy Association) established Older Driver Safety Awareness Week to spread awareness of how changes to physical, mental, and sensory abilities can affect your ability to drive safely.

It’s important to understand that Older Driver Safety Awareness Week, which is December 7-11, 2020 doesn’t only focus on the problem, but also provides solutions. New technologies are being developed every year to help senior citizens in California drive more safely despite physical or sensory changes.

Importance of Older Driver Safety in California

Things change as we age. Our eyesight worsens, we become more sensitive to light, and our hand-eye coordination decreases. These changes can affect our ability to drive safely.

Almost 18 percent of all traffic crashes in 2015 involved people ages 65 and older. Considering the senior citizen population is growing significantly every year, older driver safety has become even more important. 

Technology Aiding Older Driver Safety

The following are a few technologies available in new cars that can help older drivers navigate the roads safely during the day and at night:

  • Assistive parking – An assistive parking system helps drivers to park more effectively, reducing the risk of fender-benders.
  • Lane departure warning – The lanes on roads can sometimes be difficult to see at night, which makes the lane departure warning system so useful. It warns drivers if their vehicle is swerving or leaving their lane.
  • Reverse monitoring – Judging distances can become more difficult for an older driver, especially when it comes to checking the rear of the vehicle (which can be physically difficult, too). A reverse monitoring system helps drivers to back up safely and warns the driver if there are objects in the way.
  • Smart headlights – Smart headlights automatically adjust the headlights’ intensity and range based on the distance of traffic. This makes it easier to drive at night.

These are just a few of many new technologies aiding older driver safety in California. Visit us at The Benefits Store to continue receiving helpful safety awareness information.

Toy Safety Tips for the Holiday Season

toy safety

For children, there’s no better time of the year than the winter holiday season. Not only do they get some time off school, but they get to spend time with friends and family they may not see that often. It’s a season when they’re spoiled by all kinds of presents, giving them a chance to build up their toy collection.

If your kids will be receiving toys or if you’re planning to buy children’s toys in California, keep toy safety in mind.

Toy Safety Risks

The last thing you want is to put children at risk of injury as a result of the toys you bought for them. Certain toys can be especially dangerous to younger children under the age of three. For example, toys with small parts can be a choking hazard. Additionally, riding toys may seem like a lot of fun, but they are also responsible for most toy-related injuries to children ages 14 and under.

Tips for Choosing Safe Toys in California

Keep toy safety in mind and understand that certain toys aren’t appropriate for children of certain ages. The following are a few tips on how to choose the right toy:

  • Avoid flammable toys – All toys with fabric should be labeled flame-retardant or flame-resistant. 
  • Avoid potentially toxic toys – Make sure the materials of the toy are labeled non-toxic and lead-free.
  • Avoid projectile toys – Even if you think the child is old enough for the toy, think twice about projectile toys (such as toy guns). Projectile toys can lead to facial injuries.
  • Be present when the toy is given – If the children are younger, make sure you’re present to instruct them how to use the toy safely, if necessary.
  • Follow the age recommendations – Toys have labels with clearly defined age recommendations. Always look for these labels to ensure the toy is age-appropriate.

Keep these toy safety tips in mind when buying toys in California. For additional holiday safety tips, visit us at The Benefits Store today. 

National Health Education Week

National Health Education Week

One of the reasons some people are less healthy than others is because they weren’t properly educated about their health. A person who hasn’t received the necessary health education, either as a child or as an adult, is more likely to suffer worse physical and mental health as a result.

To raise awareness about the importance of health education, National Health Education Week was established in 1995. National Health Education Week will be October 19-22, 2020. 

The Importance of Health Education

Proper health education can help prevent ailments or physical diseases. But good health education can help people achieve better mental and social well-being. People are more capable of maintaining their own health with improved health education. They will also be less likely to participate in harmful behaviors that lead to disease and other issues (for instance, smoking or eating unhealthily). 

Observing National Health Education Week

The idea behind National Health Education Week is to generate awareness of how important health education is. Here are a few examples of ways to do your part to improve awareness:

  • Campaign for health education – Speak with local, state, or federal officials about how important their votes are to promoting good health. 
  • Schedule a check-up – There’s no better way to observe the importance of health education than to safeguard your own health. Get a check-up with your doctor and find out how you can maintain a healthier life. You can share the information your doctor has given you about maintaining a healthy lifestyle with family and friends.
  • Share health information online – Share articles (such as this one) about health education and information in general on social media to generate more awareness. SOPHE (Society of Public Health Education) has online resources you can share as well.

Be sure to observe National Health Education Week in October. To stay up-to-date with the latest health news or to educate yourself about other health-related matters, continue to visit us at The Benefits Store.

Earthquake Safety

earthquake safety

Although earthquakes don’t occur everywhere in the country, they do occur in California on occasion. It’s been a while since a severe earthquake hit, but it’s still important to remain prepared. The state encourages its residents to stay informed about earthquake safety and promotes awareness for earthquake safety every year through its Great California “Shake-Out,” which is October 15, 2020, at 10:15 a.m.

What is the Great California Shake-Out?

The Great California Shake-Out allows families throughout California to prepare for potential earthquakes. Essentially, everyone who registers practices the steps they should take should a real earthquake hit. The event always takes place on the third Thursday of October and millions of people from around the world participate. This year, more than 9 million California residents have registered online to take part.

Earthquake Safety Tips

You can practice earthquake safety steps with your family at any time as well as during the Great California Shake-Out:

  1. Drop – The first thing you should do when an earthquake hits is to drop to the ground. Because the ground is unstable and shaking, you could fall and injure yourself if you try to stay upright.
  2. Cover – Once on the ground, crawl toward cover. For instance, if you’re inside and near a table, crawl under the table. If there’s no cover nearby, scoot next to an interior wall away from a window. Bend over to protect your organs and cover your head.
  3. Hold On – Stay on the ground and covered for as long as the shaking continues. If you’re under an object such as a table, hold onto it with one hand and be prepared to move if it shifts. If you don’t have shelter above you and you’re next to a wall, hold your head and neck with your arms and hands.

Earthquakes are rare but can be incredibly devastating. Practice these earthquake safety tips and participate in the upcoming Great California Shake-Out.

For more safety tips, visit The Benefits Store today.

Antibiotics Entering The River Thames Could Result in Superbugs

superbugs

Superbugs have started to become a bigger problem over the years because bacteria are becoming resistant to certain antibiotics. A “superbug” is essentially an antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can cause numerous health issues due to an inability to treat it with standard antibiotics.

The chief medical officer in England, Professor Dame Sally Davies, said superbugs could be a bigger risk to humanity than climate change. She estimated they could kill over 10 million people annually. A recent study revealed the massive amounts of antibiotics being dumped into the River Thames could result in such a superbug.

Development and Spread of Superbugs

The study was performed by the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH). It revealed across 75% of the river’s catchment, antibiotics present in the water were at levels high enough to spark the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The presence of such a high level of antibiotics is due to effluent discharge.

This occurs because 90 percent of the antibiotics people take passes through their bodies. These antibiotics then end up in the sewage system; half of that ends up in the river. It’s why rivers are a known reservoir for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Once antibiotics get into the water, it can result in mutation or bacterial reproduction, leading to the development of superbugs.

Researchers believe to prevent the development of superbugs in the River Thames, the amount of effluent discharge occurring will need to be cut by 80%. This may seem like a tall task, but experts have recommended some solutions, including:

  • Finding a way to improve wastewater treatment processes to remove antibiotics from the sewer systems
  • Focusing more on preventative care so that fewer antibiotics are needed
  • Reducing the number of unnecessary antibiotics being prescribed

If action isn’t taken soon, the number of antibiotics entering the River Thames could result in the development of superbugs. For more information about superbugs or for more health-related news in general, visit The Benefits Store.