This week, we're saluting National Physical Therapy Month! We also have information on funding that the government has set aside to help people understand their long-term care options and, last but not least, we wanted to remind you that it's time to start thinking about stocking your facility with products that can help keep flu from running rampant through your halls.

October is National Physical Therapy Month! This year, the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) is focusing its efforts on educating people of all ages on the importance of physical activity in preventing and combating obesity and its consequences. When working with obese children and adults, physical therapists work to promote movement, reduce pain when it is present, maintain or restore function and prevent disability. They also incorporate behavior modification into weight loss programs, such as identifying causes of unhealthy behaviors and recognizing any barriers to forming healthy habits. During National Physical Therapy Month, the APTA will also strive to educate the public on how physical therapists can help ease complications associated with type 2 diabetes. For example, they can perform tests to check foot sensation, help decrease cramping pain during walking, evaluate and care for skin ulcers and slow-to-heal sores and improve walking ability with orthotics and special shoes. They can also provide diabetics with an individualized program to help reduce the need for medications, lower the risk of heart disease and stroke and manage glucose levels. To learn more about National Physical Therapy Month, click here. To view our original blog post on National Physical Therapy Month, click here. Having trouble deciphering Medicare and Medicaid benefits? You're not alone. That's why the government has set aside $68 million in grant money to help seniors, the disabled and their caregivers decipher their long-term care options. The funds are also assigned to assist residents with the transition between skilled nursing care and home care. All 50 states - as well as 125 tribal organizations - will receive funds to be used to help educate beneficiaries on the benefits for which they are eligible. To learn more, click here. To view our original blog post on the funding, click here. It's that time of year again. The leaves are starting to change color, there's a cool nip in the air – and you're surrounded by coughs, chills and fevers. That's right: flu season is here! In the United States, flu season is considered to last from October through May, although it can be transmitted any time of year. Seasonal flu can be very serious for older adults. In fact, 90 percent of flu-related deaths and more than half of all flu-related hospitalizations occur in people age 65 and older.1 In addition to making sure your staff and residents receive the flu vaccine, it's critical that you have your facility stocked with products to help prevent flu transmission. ProMed has everything you need for a comprehensive plan of attack against the flu, including gloves, masks (including N95 respirators), isolation gowns and hand sanitizer. If you're a registered user on promedsupply.com, you can learn more about our flu prevention products by clicking on Online Catalog and then selecting Gloves or Infection Control Management (for masks, gowns and hand sanitizer). If you're not registered on the site yet, your ProMed Customer Care Professional will be happy to get you set up. Reference: 1 Flu.gov. Seniors (Adults 65 Years and Older) and the Flu. Available at: http://www.flu.gov/individualfamily/seniors/index.html. Accessed September 29, 2010.