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Staying in the Game

Polk Senior Games Help Seniors Stay Active and Involved by PAUL CATALA During her younger years in her Michigan hometown, Dot Van Farowe says she participated in a variety of sports and leisure activities. But at 91 years old, Van Farowe’s days of “pass, punt and kick” football, playing basketball, water and snow skiing and…
Pop Quiz: Handwashing Is the Best Defense, but Are You Doing It Right?

Amidst the information being released concerning COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus, is a gem that will serve you well far into the future: proper handwashing procedures. Study after study has shown that properly washing your hands is one of the best defenses against any virus, bacteria, or germ. If you want to prevent being…
Specialized Care

Chapters Health System, Bartow Regional Medical Center Open Palliative Care Clinic by MARY TOOTHMAN In partnership with Chapters Health System, Bartow Regional Medical Center has opened a palliative care clinic in Bartow. Palliative care is specialized medical care focused on relieving the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. The provision of palliative care…

Skin Cancer Screening a Necessity for Floridians

It should come as no big surprise that simply living in Florida puts you at an increased risk for skin cancer. The reason for this is simple: The biggest cause of skin cancer is exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV light) from the sun. There’s a reason that Florida is called “the Sunshine State,” and while…
Diagnosis and Treatment Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

Last month, I explained what an aortic aneurysm is, how it can be detected, its presentation and risk factors. How Is It Diagnosed? An abdominal aortic aneurysm can be diagnosed with the help of an ultrasound, a safe, painless test that does not involve any radiation. If confirmed and found to be larger than…
Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm

An aneurysm is a “weakening” or “dilatation” in a part of an artery. An estimated 15,000 people die of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) every year in the US. About 200,000 new cases of AAA are diagnosed every year. Most of these are diagnosed by tests that are done for unrelated reasons. The aorta is…