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Staying Connected

Peace River Center navigates the ‘new normal’ through pandemic. By PAUL CATALA The fear and anxiety caused by COVID-19 has become universal, causing many to feel isolated, lonely, stressed and anxious. Throughout the country, healthcare practitioners are adapting to the changing times and finding ways to help people deal with the added stress. At Peace…
Harbingers of Hope

From ECT to TMS, Lakeland Regional Health Has Powerful Tools for Fighting Depression By TERESA SCHIFFER Depression is an insidious illness. It can affect people in a myriad of ways, making it difficult to identify at times. If left untreated, it has the potential to impact the individual’s life in a profoundly negative way. Jobs…
Spotlight on Students’ Mental Health

New Law Seeks to Lower Number of Baker Act Incidents by MARY TOOTHMAN When state Rep. David Silvers heard about one child’s horrific experience as she was taken into custody under Florida’s Baker Act, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. A news story about the circumstances haunted him. The Baker Act is a Florida law…

Medical Advice: Your flu prevention to-do list

AS YOU GATHER your “to-do” lists and prepare for the holiday season ahead, the Florida Department of Health in Polk County recommends you add one more important step — get a flu shot! The flu shot is the best way to protect our families and communities against the spread of influenza. When you make it…
Family Health: Flu shots for seniors

HE FLU is nothing to sneeze at. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 200,000 people will be hospitalized this year with the influenza virus, and it has been estimated that 50 to 70 percent of those hospitalized are people age 65 and older.
Word of Mouth: Your dentist is key to early cancer detection

IT SEEMS LIKE you hear about many different kinds of cancers these days, but one that isn’t being talked about enough is oral cancer. Cancer in the mouth and throat are diagnosed in nearly 50,000 Americans a year, and statistics show that only 57 percent of those diagnosed still will be living in five years.