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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…

Vision and Learning

Children require clear, comfortable vision to be successful in school and extracurricular activities. We use our eyes to read, write, throw a ball, use computers, and watch TV. As children advance in school, the demand for clear vision increases because they spend more time reading and learning. Thus, any vision problems should be addressed at…
Are You Considering Cataract Surgery?

A cataract is where the normally clear lens inside the eye becomes cloudy. This is a normal process that occurs with age. Certain medications such as steroids, smoking, and high levels of sun exposure can cause cataracts to develop at an earlier age. Early symptoms of cataracts often include blurred vision with glare and halos…
Cardiac Testing in a COVID-19 World

In this column, I’ll talk about the varied tests done in cardiology in general and how we do them in a COVID-19 world. After all, people don’t stop having heart trouble because of a pandemic. First, I will discuss the various facets of the heart, how the tests are done and how we check them…