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People are living longer these days! Older citizens are choosing to work longer and have more active lives than ever before. The retired population is opting to be more independent and self reliant, which means that many people will continue to drive as they age. Changes in physical, mental, and sensory abilities can challenge a person’s continued ability to drive safely. There are a variety of safe travel options for people of all ages. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)’s Older Driver Awareness week, December 1-5, promotes understanding of the importance of mobility and transportation, ensuring older adults remain active in the community-shopping, working, or volunteering with the assurance that transportation will not be the barrier to keep them at home. During the week, AOTA brings attention to a unique aspect of older driver safety. Occupational therapy practitioners are encouraged to share their experiences during the week on the Driving/Driver Rehabilitation forum in OT Connections. In 2013, the United States Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced a 5-year Traffic Safety Plan to ensure the safety of our nation’s growing population of older drivers and passengers. According to the United States DOT, since 2003 the population of older adults (65 and older) has increased by 21%, and to 35 million licensed older drivers in 2012. In 2012, according to the NHTSA’s latest issue of Safety in Numbers, 5,560 people over the age of 65 died and 214,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes. Those figures represent a 3% increase in the number of fatalities and a 16% increase in the number of injuries from the previous year. To address concerns, the NHTSA focuses on the following topics: Vehicle safety, improved data collection, and driver behavior. Driver safety is vitally important to everyone, and this week is dedicated to shedding light on some of the challenges older drivers face on the road.
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The White House has announced on USA.gov that from now through January 20, submissions are open for the second White House Student Film Festival. The theme of this year’s festival is The Impact of Giving Back, and it’s open to U.S. students, grades K-12. So tell a story about paying it forward, about community service, or what making a difference looks like in your eyes and through your lens. It can be a fictional story or a short documentary, so break out the lights, write a script, get the camera ready, and show us your passion for service and giving back. We can't wait to see what you will make this year! For inspiration, take a look at the official selections from last year's White House Student Film Festival, when the theme was the power of technology in education.
Films can be short – in fact, they must be 3 minutes tops. The official selections will be featured on the White House website, and shared across the world on White House sites and official social media accounts. If selected, you may have a chance to attend the film fest yourself at the White House.
Submission Guidelines: • All films must be shorter than 3 minutes. • All films must be made by students in grades K-12. • No film may use copyrighted material including music, TV shows, or movies. • All films must be uploaded to YouTube • All film submissions must be received by 11:59 p.m. EST on January 20, 2015
This information is brought to you as a courtesy of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) via the USA.gov blog.
Now available for embedding on websites, the U.S. Census Bureau’s glossary widget gives users speedy access to short definitions of 1,500 demographic, geographic, and statistical terms such as income, poverty, census tracts, metropolitan areas, and U.S. trading partners, with links to more information. As the Census Bureau updates the glossary, the widget will reflect the latest information. Look for the embed symbol on the Web glossary here.
This information is provided by the U.S. Census Bureau’s Public Information Office.
As temperatures begin to drop and winter gets closer, many people chose to heat their homes using wood burning stoves, space-heaters, and fireplaces. While these are all may help save money on heating costs, they also pose greater risk for residential fires. Here are some tips to safely heat your home this winter:
• Have your chimney inspected and cleaned annually (PDF), especially if it hasn’t been used in a long time. • Never use fuel burning appliances without proper ventilation. Burning fuel (coal, kerosene, or propane) can produce deadly fumes. • Keep a glass or metal screen in front of the fireplace opening to prevent sparks or embers from jumping out. • Avoid using electrical space heater in bathrooms or other areas where it can come in contact with water. • Be sure every level of your home has a working smoke detector. Check it on a monthly basis.
This information is brought to you as a courtesy of the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) via the USA.gov blog. |