In February, marked down as American Heart Month, the American Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation(AACVPR) has increased its efforts to attract attention to its Cardiac Rehabilitation Week, as part of a larger campaign focusing on heart health and fighting the devastating effects of heart disease. This year’s dates are February 10-16.
The idea is to direct nationwide attention to cardiac rehabilitation. It is a key component in the improvement of the health and physical condition of the population at risk or already suffering of heart disease or dysfunction.
Do Your Part for Your Heart
Appropriately, the catchy theme for this year’sCardiac Rehabilitation Week is ‘Do Your Part for Your Heart’. The week is hosted each year across the nation in any number of hospitals, exercise facilities, and outpatient rehabilitation centers, and, rightfully, always coincides with Valentine’s Day.
Raising Awareness
At the request of their own patients, family members, and staff, or of their own accord, a host of physicians and health centers host events to celebrate the accomplishments achieved and a general awareness of the risk factors and potential remedies of heart disease.
These are some events held in past editions that will surely be rekindled this year. Feel free to attend or, more importantly, sponsor them. Or even come up with your own idea:
- Educational programs or seminars for health professionals and the community at large.
- Open house for the community and local health professionals, including rehabilitation program graduates.
- Risk factor screenings, smoking cessation clinics, heart-healthy cooking classes, etc. Nobody says these activities cannot be both educational and fun!
- Awareness walks, runs, bike rides or any other sporting and social events. These are perfect to set up donation schemes. The proceeds typically go to your program, AACVPR, or other projects, such as a patient library.
- Cafeterias serving heart-healthy meals during AACVPR National Cardiac Rehabilitation Week. You —we all— could even suggest or insist that they continue to serve them indefinitely.
- Smoke out campaigns in local communities.
- Health fairs.
These are some of the things you can do to heighten publicity and advertising.
- Ask your mayor to issue an official proclamation for AACVPR National Cardiac Rehabilitation Week.
- Notify local media concerning coverage of events and spreading the word.
- Suggest and/or provide speakers on cardiac rehabilitation to local organizations and clubs.
- Advertise the Week and its events in newsletters and bulletins; on your Facebook page, Twitter account, and other social media platforms; hang a display at your professional facility, the public library, a senior center, the local grocery store or your shopping mall of choice.
- Get friends and family involved.
- When attending an event, take plenty of snapshots and post them on your social media. You can use #CRWeek19to join or invite someone to the conversation!
- Find sponsors or co-sponsors to pool resources and make your event or any of the events you are attending more visible
Lastly, feel free to inquire at and share your plans with AACVPR or your local affiliate for this year’s program or any promotional idea that you may have.
Sources:
https://www.aacvpr.org/Events-
