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Pop Quiz: Maintaining optimal optical health

| Understanding the causes of low vision and taking precautions as you age | EYESIGHT is a precious thing, and unfortunately there are many threats to optimal optical health. One common eye problem is low vision, and it affects seniors the most. Low vision, in its simplest terms, is any vision loss that interferes with…
Celebrating Black History Month with a look at local African-Americans in medicine

ALEX ALEXANDER Registered Nurse Bartow Regional Medical Center As a black registered nurse from North Carolina, 56-year-old Alex Alexander has had his run-ins with prejudice. But he’s learned to remember who he is, treat others like his brothers and sisters, forgive, and … not believe everything he hears. “You earn things by your merit and…
Heart disease warnings for women

| Don’t believe you’re not at risk; do believe you can improve your odds | WOMEN HAVE A MEASURE of built-in protection against heart disease — as long as their ovaries are producing estrogen. Although estrogen may delay the onset of heart disease until the sixties or seventies, women’s risk eventually is the same as…

Senior Care: Oral hygiene and its importance for your senior loved one

DENTAL HEALTH is important at any age, but it’s especially true for our senior populations. Today’s seniors likely didn’t have the benefit of fluoridated water and other products as children, and there are few healthcare programs that offer comprehensive dental care; both Medicaid and Medicare only offer scant coverage at best. The issue is so…
Editor’s Dose: Daily steps toward a healthier heart — so you don’t skip a beat

IN MY FAMILY, there is a history of a blood disease, which causes the person to produce too many red blood cells. This, in turn, causes the blood to be too thick, which puts the person at increased risk for heart attack or stroke. Although this rare condition is not linked to heart disease, it…
Senior Care: Talking to your loved one about senior driving safety

DRIVING OFFERS freedom and self-sufficiency to us all, but there could come a time when your senior loved one should give up driving for good. Unfortunately, not every elderly driver is able to admit that he or she should hang up the car keys. It may be up to you to talk to your loved…