DELAND, FLORIDA, April 1, 2008— Florida Hospital DeLand’s Rehabilitation and Wellness Center is celebrating National Occupational Therapy month. Occupational therapy is designed to help people achieve independence in all aspects of their daily lives. Occupational therapists help patients gain their independence by working with them to overcome disabilities and medical conditions that affect even the smallest day-to-day tasks. In addition they assist employers and employees by designing a workplace around individuals so to avoid injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome.

Florida Hospital DeLand’s Rehabilitation and Wellness Center has a new Ergonomics program to help aid in the prevention of these conditions. According to the American Industrial Hygiene Association, working Americans spend about 2,000 hours a year in the workplace. Not surprisingly, all of these hours can take a toll—on people’s eyes, backs, arms, and necks. Exposure to adverse working conditions can result in momentary pain or long-term injury. Moreover, poorly designed working environments contribute to reduced efficiency, decreased production, loss of income, increased medical claims, and permanent disability.

Ergonomics is the science of fitting jobs to people. The Ergonomics program at Florida Hospital DeLand is designed to prevent injuries and improve worksite health, comfort and safety. The overall goal of the program is to design a workplace that will help prevent employees from developing work-related injuries.

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Florida Hospital DeLand, located at 701 West Plymouth Avenue in DeLand, was established in 1962 and is a 156-bed acute-care hospital. Florida Hospital DeLand is a part of the Adventist Health System; the largest Protestant not-for-profit hospital system in the nation and works to provide exceptional, patient-focused care to the DeLand community. For more information about Florida Hospital DeLand visit www.fhdeland.org.