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Rheumatological Care Can Be Life-Changing, Especially for Seniors

by MAGGIE THARP Sponsored by Central Florida Health Care How much thought do you give to daily activities like getting dressed, tending to hygiene, and preparing food? If these things are easy for you, the answer is probably “not much.” However, if you experience debilitating pain and joint stiffness, your ability to do these simple…
Pop Quiz! Drilling Down on Dementia

Our brains are responsible for all of our functions—thinking, feeling, and doing—but there’s a chance that your brain can falter in its duties, called dementia. The CDC maintains that approximately 4% to 10% of the US population age 65 and older has dementia. Take our quiz to explore what dementia is, what its symptoms are,…
Tiny Paws, Big Heart

Central Florida Therapy Dog Koda the Fluff Spreads Smiles Worldwide by REBEKAH PIERCEphotos provided by JENA McKINSTRY What’s more adorable than a fluffy Pomeranian sporting hip black sunglasses, jetting around town in a bright red pup-sized convertible? We’ll wait. Koda the Fluff is a registered therapy dog that works with area healthcare facilities, including Orlando…

The Heart of the Matter: Recommendations from the USPSTF for low-dose aspirin use

LOW-DOSE ASPIRIN has long been a therapy for those with a risk of cardiovascular disease, and studies have shown it to be effective at lowering the risk of colorectal cancer as well. However, aspirin also has been shown to have health dangers, such as increasing the risk for bleeding in the stomach and intestines and…
Healthy Cook: Adding on calories when your senior loved one is too thin

BEING A FEW POUNDS overweight can be a pain in the patootie. That can often be solved by using the simple food equation: calories in versus calories out. On the other hand, people who are too slim and can’t gain weight often have no patootie to speak of. Their challenge of putting on a few…
Surgery Facts: Answering the question: ‘Doc, do I need my gallbladder?’

AS A SURGEON, I am asked this question all the time, usually right after I inform a patient that their abdominal pain is due to gallstones. There is an aura of mystery surrounding this little green organ, with a lot of folks unclear as to its exact role in our bodies and our health. Gallbladder…