By Strength for Caring

The month of September includes many reminders to be healthy.  It is National Healthy Aging Month, National Cholesterol Education Month, Gynecologic Cancer Awareness month, Prostrate Cancer Awareness Month, Fruit & Vegetable Month, Take a Loved One to the Doctor Day, Women’s Health & Fitness Day, and World Heart Day, to name just a few.

Listed below are resources for these health conditions.  Please feel free to add any additional observations in the “comments” section.

September Observances & Monthly Health Awareness

Adult Immunization Week (Week of the 4th Sunday)

• Caregiving is a Two-Way Street
• Finding an Elder-Friendly Physician
• Helping Your Loved One Accept a Second Medical Opinion
• How to Talk With Your Doctor About Embarrassing Medical Problems
• Making the Most of Your Doctor’s Visit
• Navigating the Healthcare System
• Partnering with Your Doctor
• Talking with doctors
• Tips for Getting Your Loved One to Go to a Doctor

Family Health & Fitness Days USA (Last Saturday of month)

• A Medical Miracle in Your Hands
• Beat the Bulge
• Exercise: How to Stay Motivated
• Exercising When You’re Caring for Someone Else
• Hidden Fitness
• Power Foods for You & Your Loved Ones
• Tips for the Exercise Newbie

Fruit and Vegetable Month
Fruit and Vegetable Program Office
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Produce for Better Health Foundation
4770 Buford Highway NE, MS K-26
Atlanta, GA 30341
(770) 488-5545
(800) 243-7889 TTY
cmq8@cdc.gov
www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov

• Healthy Eating for Seniors
• Power Foods For You & Your Loved Ones
• Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program
• Meatless Monday is a national public health campaign associated with Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and supported by 28 other leading schools of public health.  A not-for-profit service organization, Meatless Monday advocates a sensible approach to healthy eating, encouraging Americans to adopt a more "flexitarian" diet that's rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and low in saturated fat. The goal of the campaign – consistent with recommendations by the US Department of Agriculture, US Department of Health and Human Services and American Heart Association  –  is to help Americans reduce their saturated fat intake by 15%. Going meatless just one day a week can greatly reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, and cancer – four of the leading causes of death for Americans today. Visit MeatlessMonday.com or Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health for more information.

Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month

• Cancer Caregivers
• Cancer Health Condition Information
• Caring for a Loved One with Breast Cancer
• Managing Cancer Symptoms
• Managing Fatigue

Healthy Aging Month

• Healing with Music
• Healthy Lifestyle Basics
• Impart a Legacy of Health
• Making Shared Time Enjoyable For All
• Old Age Information
• Old Age or Treatable Condition?
• The Benefits of Meditation
• Touch and Comfort HealThe Winds of Health

 

Hearing Aid Awareness Week,
September 30 - October 6
International Hearing Society
16800 Middlebelt Road, Suite 4
Livonia, MI 48154
(734) 522-7200
(734) 522-0200 Fax
acmarkey@ihsinfo.org
www.ihsinfo.org  

• Hearing Changes in Aging People with Mental Retardation
• Vision & Hearing Loss Health Condition Information

Leukemia & Lymphoma Awareness Month
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
1311 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains, NY 10605
(800) 955-4572
(914) 821-8806
(914) 821-3607 Fax
infocenter@leukemia-lymphoma.org
www.lls.org  

Menopause Awareness Month

• Caregiving and Menopause
• Causes of  Insomnia
• Reduce Stress with a Cup of Tea

National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
Office of the Director, Consumer Affairs
1 Choke Cherry Road, 2nd Floor
Rockville, MD 20857
(800) 729-6686
(240) 276-2750
info@samhsa.gov
www.recoverymonth.gov


National Cholesterol Education Month
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Health Information Center
P.O. Box 30105
Bethesda, MD 20824-0105
(301) 592-8573
(240) 629-3255 TTY
(301) 592-8563 Fax
nhlbiinfo@nhlbi.nih.gov
hin.nhlbi.nih.gov/cholmonth

• Caring for a Loved One with Heart Disease
• Have a Heart Healthy Day
• Healthy Eating for Seniors
• Healthy Lifestyle Basics
• Heart Disease Health Condition Information
• Heart Failure Health Condition Information
• Making the Most  Out of Healthy Hispanic Meals
• Power Foods For You & Your Loved Ones
• Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program

National Rehabilitation Awareness Celebration
National Rehabilitation Awareness Foundation
100 Abington Executive Park
Clarks Summit, PA 18411
(800) 943-6723
(570) 341-4637
(570) 341-4331 Fax
jbrogn@allied-services.org
www.nraf-rehabnet.org  

• Long-Term Care Insurance
• Older Adults with Developmental Disabilities and Their Aging Caregivers
• The Right Rehabilitation Therapist
• When Your Elderly Loved One is in the Hospital

National Mesothelioma Awareness Day, September 26
Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation
P.O. Box 91840
Santa Barbara, CA 93190-1840
(805) 563-8400
(805) 563-8411 Fax
info@marf.org
www.marf.org 

National Suicide Prevention Week, September 9-15
American Association of Suicidology
5221 Wisconsin Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20015
(202) 237-2280
(202) 237-2282 Fax
info@suicidology.org
www.suicidology.org  

• Bipolar Disorder Health Condition Information
• Caring for a Loved One with Mental Illness
• Depression Health Condition Information
• Finding a Psychiatrist
• Recognizing a SAD Loved One
• Understanding Depression

Osteopathic Medicine Month

• Arthritis Health Condition Information
• Caregiving After Joint Replacement Surgery
• Causes of Chronic Hip Pain
• Choosing an Orthopedic Surgeon
• Healthy Hip Anatomy
• Is Hip Replacement Surgery Right for Me?
• Joint Pain Health Condition Information
• Joint Replacement Surgery Message Board
• Managing Chronic Pain
• Osteoarthritis Health Condition Information
• Osteoarthritis Statistics
• Osteoarthritis Treatment
• Osteoporosis Health Condition Information
• Staying Active After Joint Replacement Surgery
• Take Care of Your Bones

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month
National Ovarian Cancer Coalition
500 NE Spanish River Boulevard, Suite 8
Boca Raton, FL 33431
(888) OVARIAN (682-7426)
(561) 393-0005
nocc@ovarian.org
www.ovarian.org  

• Cancer Caregivers
• Cancer Health Condition Information
• Managing Cancer Symptoms
• Managing Fatigue

Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
National Prostate Cancer Coalition
1154 15th Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
(888) 245-9455
(202) 463-9455
(202) 463-9456 Fax
info@fightprostatecancer.org
www.fightprostatecancer.org  

• Cancer Caregivers
• Cancer Health Condition Information
• Managing Cancer Symptoms
• Managing Fatigue
• Manage Incontinence with Appropiate Products
• Managing Incontinence
• Managing Urinary Tract Infections

STOP A Suicide Today Day, September 10
Screening for Mental Health, Inc.
1 Washington Street, Suite 304
Wellesley Hills, MA 02481
(781) 239-0071
(781) 431-7447 Fax
AKeliher@MentalHealthScreening.org
www.stopasuicide.org

• Bipolar Disorder Health Condition Information
• Caring for a Loved One with Mental Illness
• Depression Health Condition Information
• Finding a Psychiatrist
• Recognizing a SAD Loved One
• Understanding Depression

Take a Loved One for a Check-up Day, September 18
Office of Minority Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
P.O. Box 37337
Washington, DC 20013-7337
(800) 444-6472
(240) 453-8223 Fax
info@omhrc.gov
www.healthgap.omhrc.gov

• Caregiving is a Two-Way Street
• Finding an Elder-Friendly Physician
• Finding Dr. Right
• Helping Your Loved One Accept a Second Medical Opinion
• How to Talk With Your Doctor About Embarrassing Medical ProblemsMaking the Most of Your Doctor’s Visit
• Navigating the Healthcare System
• Talking with Doctors
• Tips for Getting Your Loved One to Go to a Doctor
• Wanted: The Right DoctorWhen Your Parents Ignore Your Healthcare Advice

Whole Grains Month
The Whole Grains Council
226 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 421-5500
(617) 421-5511 Fax
Cynthia@oldwayspt.org
www.wholegrainscouncil.org/WGmonth.html 

• Healthy Eating for Seniors
• Power Foods For You & Your Loved Ones
• Seniors Farmers Market Nutrition Program

World Alzheimer's Day, September 21
Alzheimer's Disease International
64 Great Suffolk Street
London
SE1 OBL
United Kingdom,
info@alz.co.uk
www.alz.co.uk/adi/wad/  

• 10 Real-Life Strategies for Dementia Caregiving
• Alzheimer’s and Dementia Message Board
• Alzheimer’s Disease Health Conditions Information
• Dementia Health Conditions Information
• Managing Meals for a Loved One with Dementia
• Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease

World Heart Day, September 30
World Heart Federation
5, avenue du Mail
1205 Geneva
Switzerland
admin@worldheart.org
www.worldheartday.com  

• Caring for a Loved One with Heart Disease
• Have a Heart Healthy Day
• Healthy Lifestyle Basics
• Heart Disease Health Condition Information
• Heart Failure Health Condition Information

Women's Health & Fitness Day, National (Second week in September)

• A Medical Miracle in Your Hands
• Beat the Bulge
• Benefits of Tea
• Exercise: How to Stay Motivated
• Exercising When You’re Caring for Someone Else
• Have a Heart-Healthy Day
• Hidden Fitness
• Managing Fatigue
• Power Foods for You & Your Loved Ones
• Sleeplessness and Overeating
• Stressed and Overeating
• Take Care of Your Bones
• The “O” Words, Overweight and Overfat
• Tips for the Exercise Newbie