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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Health

Health News 08/04/2021

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(Courtesy of Andy Taylor/Pasco County)

‘Topping off’ a new build
Pasco County Commissioner Mike Moore signs a beam that was later raised and placed in the new BayCare Wesley Chapel hospital. Also signing is Keri Eisenbeis, vice president of Government Affairs and Community Relations for BayCare. The beam-signing was part of a traditional topping off ceremony on July 16. The new hospital, being built off Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, is expected to open in 2023.

Donations needed
The Tampa Bay Network to End Hunger is seeking donations and local volunteers for its Meals on Wheels for Kids program.

The program’s mission is to provide nutritious home-delivered, shelf-stable meal ingredients, produce and prepared meals to transportation-disadvantaged and/or homebound children and their families who lack adequate access to food distribution locations throughout the community.

Meals on Wheels for Kids provides a weekly delivery of meals and shelf-stable groceries, as resources allow.

All donations go to providing these deliveries to children enrolled in the program.

Donations will be accepted via the program’s website, NetworkToEndHunger.org/mow4k/, or by calling 813-344-5837. If no one answers, please leave a message and someone will return your call within 24 hours.

Homebound vaccines
The Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA) has launched “We Will Meet You at Home,” to ensure that every older adult who wants a vaccine will receive one, according to a news release.

The initiative builds upon other programs throughout the state to provide homebound seniors access to COVID-19 vaccinations.

While many of Florida’s older residents have received a COVID-19 vaccination, not every senior is able to leave their home.

In these cases, the Florida DOEA and the state’s 11 Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) are offering seniors access to transportation to go and receive a vaccine. Elders also have the option of having a health care worker bring the vaccine to their front door.

DOEA’s statewide initiative is distributing over 175,000 informational flyers to older homebound adults requesting more information about vaccines or vaccine access.

The AAAs made tens of thousands of outbound wellness calls over a two-month period to identify people requesting more resources.

The DOEA’s Area Agencies on Aging connect seniors with community providers to get a ride to a doctor’s office, a pharmacy, a grocery store, or another vaccination site. The local AAAs also may assist in arranging a health care professional to come to the individual’s house to receive a vaccination.

If you or someone you know would like assistance with transportation in getting to a COVID-19 vaccination appointment or would like a health provider to bring a shot to your front door, call 800-963-5337, or email .

COVID-19 cases on the uptick

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COVID-19 cases are on the rise across the nation, with outbreaks occurring in parts of the country with low vaccination rates, according to officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

As of July 22, 35% of counties in the United States were experiencing high levels of community transmission, and COVID-19 cases were on the rise in 90% of the nation’s jurisdictions, according to a CDC interpretative summary of the week’s data.

That July 23 briefing, posted on the CDC’s website, notes that “the worrisome trends are due, in part,” to the rapid spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant.

The increase in COVID-19 infections is being observed locally, too.

Officials with AdventHealth’s West Florida region are noticing “a significant uptick in COVID-19 cases” and “an increase in COVID hospitalizations at its hospitals in Hillsborough, Pasco, Hardee, Highlands, Pinellas and Marion counties, according to a media briefing from the health care chain.

“The Delta variant is the most prominent strain we are seeing in our system,” AdventHealth reports.

It also notes that “some 94% of patients hospitalized with COVID-19” across its nationwide system have not been vaccinated.

“We continue to urge everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated, which is the most effective way to prevent hospitalization and death from COVID-19, as well as prevent new variants of the virus from spreading,” AdventHealth’s briefing adds.

The increase in cases is coming as schools gear up for the 2021-2022 school year.

Experts at the CDC have issued guidance for COVID-19 prevention in kindergarten through 12th grade schools.

That guidance says, in part, that “masks should be worn indoors by all individuals (age 2 and older) who are not fully vaccinated.”

The CDC also “recommends schools maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms, combined with indoor mask-wearing by people who are not fully vaccinated, to reduce transmission risk.”

The American Academy of Pediatrics also advocates “keeping masks on in school and urging everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19” among its recommended interventions to prevent spreading the virus.

The Pasco and Hillsborough public school districts already have announced that masks would be optional in their schools during the upcoming school year.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis also has made it abundantly clear that he won’t support — and will actively battle — any attempts to make masks mandatory in the coming school year.

He addressed the issue during a news conference on July 22 at Indian River State College.

“We look forward to this upcoming year, to be a normal school year,” the governor said, during the conference, streamed by a television station covering the event.

“There’s been talk about people potentially advocating at the federal level imposing compulsory masks on kids. We’re not doing that in Florida, OK?

“We need our kids to be able to be kids. We need them to be able to breathe,” DeSantis said.

Parents can send their children to school with masks if they choose to do so, the governor said. He added, “But there shouldn’t be any coercive mandates on our schools.”

He elaborated on his opposition to requiring masks: “Is it really comfortable? Is it really healthy for them to be muzzled and have their breathing obstructed all day long in school? I don’t think it is,” DeSantis said.

If an attempt at a federal mandate is made, DeSantis pledged to fight it.

DeSantis went on to say: “If anybody is calling for lockdowns, you’re not getting that done in Florida. I’m going to protect people’s livelihoods. I’m going to protect kids’ rights to go to school. I’m going to protect people’s rights to run their small businesses.”

The governor also noted: “We have a situation where we have three vaccines that have been widely available for months and months, now.”

Contrary to what President Joe Biden said, DeSantis added, people who have been vaccinated have tested positive for COVID-19.

“But I think what it does do, is that it really prevents against severe outcomes, particularly death or a serious hospitalization,” the governor said.

For instance, “the nursing home fatalities are down 95% since the vaccines rolled out,” DeSantis said.

Health officials continue to urge vaccinations.

“The best way to slow the emergence of new variants is to reduce the spread of infection by taking measures to protect yourself, including getting a vaccine when it’s available to you,” the CDC’s summary says.

The Delta variant now makes up an estimated 83.2% of the recent U.S. cases, according to the July 23 CDC report.

Published July 28, 2021

Protect yourself from red tide effects

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As efforts continue to remove dead fish from regional waterways, officials from Hillsborough County have compiled some pointers from the Florida Department of Health, to help reduce the risks posed by red tide.

(www.freepik.com)

Here are those pointers, shared in a news release from Hillsborough County:

  • When possible, stay away from water bodies and beaches where red tide or fish killed by the toxic algae is present.
  • Don’t touch or swim near dead fish.
  • Wear shoes to prevent injuries from stepping on fish carcasses.
  • Keep pets away from water, sea spray, and dead fish affected by red tide.
  • Don’t harvest or eat shellfish from an affected area.
  • People with chronic respiratory problems should avoid a red tide area.
  • If breathing difficulties do not subside after leaving a red tide area or going indoors, contact your health care provider.

For more information on the status of red tide in Hillsborough County and how to report fish kills, visit HCFLGov.net/RedTide.

Published July 28, 2021

Health News 07/28/2021

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Dr. Michelle Spencer

BayCare welcomes new physicians
Dr. Michelle Spencer has joined BayCare Medical Group, 28864 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel. She is the newest primary care physician at the Saddelbrook office, which opened this spring. She is board certified in family medicine, and is accepting new patients age 2 and older. Dr. Spencer joins the group after practicing family medicine in New Hampshire for more than 22 years.
To learn more, visit DrMichelleSpencer.org.

Dr. Shiva Tadakal

Dr. Shiva Tadakal also has joined the BayCare Medical Group office at 2529 Cypress Ridge Blvd., in Wesley Chapel. He is a member of the American Academy of Family Physicians, and speaks Hindu, Telugu and Kannada. Dr. Tadakal specializes in family medicine and also is accepting new patients.
To learn more, visit DrShivaTadakal.org.

 

 

 

New AdventHealth office
AdventHealth Medical Group Multispecialty at San Antonio now is open at 30115 State Road 52, Suite 101, in San Antonio.

The practice treats gastrointestinal, bariatric and other chronic digestive disorders.

“As we continue to grow in the community, our goal remains the same, to continue providing world-class and convenient patient care closer to home,” said Jason Newmyer, administrator/vice president for AdventHealth Dade City, in a news release.

“By opening this new practice, we will be able to expand our robust digestive health offerings and make our community a healthier place,” said Newmyer.

The 6,000-square-foot facility features onsite imaging, eight exam rooms, and onsite education/consultation rooms for patients to receive support during and after treatments.

Dr. Naga Thatimatla and Dr. Kalyani Meduri now are accepting patients at the practice.

For information, visit AHMGTampaBay.com.

Tapping into the power of positive psychology

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If you want to make big changes, start small.

And then, keep building on your successes.

That’s the advice of Patricia Sullivan, a training and leadership coach, who shared her expertise with members of the North Tampa Chamber of Commerce during a Lunch and Learn Zoom session.

“If we take on big chunks, or time-consuming issues —  then a lot of times they fall down to lower priority,” Sullivan said. “Whereas, if we can just really start with small habits for us, I believe they lead to different changes. They lead to positive psychology.

“When we’re talking about micro-habits, we’re talking about most of our habits being subconscious and really happening without much consideration at all.

Patricia Sullivan is a training and leadership coach who recently spoke on the topics of self-care and micro-habits during a Lunch and Learn Zoom session with some members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce. (Courtesy of Patricia Sullivan)

“For many of us, we created new habits during COVID.

“Our world changed and we needed to change with it.

Even beyond the global pandemic, “we create habits any time there’s a change,” she said.

Those new habits occur when we move, when we get a new job, when the kids go off to school and when we bring someone new into our world, whether it’s a new friend or significant other or grandbaby, she said.

“New habits form all of the time because of change. And, oftentimes, change is what requires us to undo habits that then have become poor habits.

“I don’t know about you, but studies are showing that we’re either exercising a lot more with the pandemic, or we’re staying home and we’re doing less.

“Studies are showing there’s a lot more alcohol being sold,” she said.

“So, you might be somebody who used to enjoy a glass of wine every couple of days. You might be drinking a half-a-bottle now, because of the COVID thing,” she said.

And, now that things are opening up, it might be a time to go back to a healthier habit.

“So, we create habits when there’s change and often in response to change,” Sullivan said.

Micro-habits are done in short bursts
“When you recognize there are some things you want to change — instead of saying ‘I’m going to change my diet.’ You could be saying, ‘I’m going to eat a vegetable three times a day.’

“Eating a vegetable at breakfast or lunch or dinner is very different than saying, ‘My whole diet needs to be different for my physical, mental, long-term health.’

“And, micro-habits are empowering because of positive psychology.

“When you do something in micro, you have a little success. And, when you have a little success, you’re more confident taking on a bigger success,” she said.

Micro-habits can move you toward where you want to be.

“It breaks the cycle of inertia,” Sullivan said.

She offered an example of one micro-habit she’s established.

She began with the idea of doing five pushups — the kind that are done while kneeling — a couple of times day, on the days when she works at home.

Over time, she’s built up the habit. She now does 10 pushups, while kneeling, seven times a day.

“I’m going to Hawaii in December,” Sullivan said.

“Defined arms by December is the longer-term goal, but five pushups to start, a couple of times a day, didn’t seem so bad.

“Micro-habits really are a catalyst for big change,” Sullivan said.

She noted the same concepts apply in organizational change.

Organizations that have a change initiative are successful just 20% of the time, she said.

That’s because of resistance to change.

Reactions to change can include flight — employees decide to get a new job; freeze — employees decide to sabotage the effort; or, fight — employees stay and stir up conflict.

“With all of that being said, fight is probably the best in organizational change, because they’re (employees) so passionate. They’re still telling you, ‘I’m going to have conflict with this. You need to get me through it,’” she said.

In such cases, “there’s an opportunity to bring them on board.”

Sullivan offered Zoom session listeners some ideas for micro-habits that might work for them.

“How about, in leadership, one positive feedback a week for somebody that works for you?”

In other words, make an effort to catch somebody performing well and give a positive shout-out. The acknowledgment can be done in an email, or handshake, or thank you note, or website posting — or some other way to let the person know you noticed.

“If you can find four positives every week, or every month, with your group of people, you’re doing some good things for organizational behavior,” she said.

Micro-habits can help change mindsets, too.

You can make a habit of being grateful, Sullivan said.

At the beginning or end of each day, list three specific things you appreciate. Change that list daily.

Other possible micro-habits include:

  • Sitting in nature 5 minutes a day
  • Creating a grocery list before shopping — to help you load your cart with things you really want to buy, instead of impulse buying
  • Making your bed every day
  • Listening to a podcast once a week
  • Parking at a spot furthest from where you are shopping, to help boost your exercise
  • Keeping a gratitude journal

Daily intentions can help you change habits
A daily intention could be to drink more water, in the pursuit of better health. Or reaching out to your loved ones through a text, email or phone call. Or making a commitment to do an act of service to help someone else.

Developing a micro-habit to find calm can help create physical, mental and emotional balance, she said.

She recommends using breathing exercises to change chaos to calm.

“Here is something we know is true: You can’t think your way out of stress,” Sullivan said. “You can contemplate. You can reflect on what you learned, based on stress. And, you can think and then take action, but the thinking is not going to allow stress to go away. You acting, will.

“And, when I say, taking action — I’m talking about taking planned action — not reacting in a way that you upset everybody else in the room,” she said.

Sullivan also reminded Zoom listeners to pay attention to the words they use.

“If you’re using all-or-nothing language, it does not really support reality. So, one, you’re probably not even viewed as being objective at that point of time, because rarely is it all or nothing, always or never,” Sullivan said.

So, instead of making stuff up or being emotional, seek to be objective, she said.

It’s also important to listen to learn and understand, rather than listening to prove yourself right or the other person wrong.

“If we can take control of our own habits, our own thoughts — recognizing that our thoughts actually become words, and our words become actions — then, when we’re taking care of ourselves, we’re much better to take care of the people who are counting on us, at home and in the workplace,” Sullivan said.

If you would like to reach out to Patricia Sullivan, her email is .

Revised July 21, 2021

AmbuBus helps streamline emergency response

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(Courtesy of Hillsborough County)

With a fresh coat of paint, a new logo and an interior revamp, an old Hillsborough County school bus has been converted into a new AmbuBus, according to a Hillsborough County newsletter.

The vehicle was funded solely through donations and grants from the Hillsborough County School District, and the Tampa Bay Health and Medical Preparedness Coalition.

The interior of the bus has been outfitted with supplies, cots and stretchers. It can carry 12 to 20 patients and paramedics at a time, and will be used for large-scale emergencies, such as hurricanes.

The bus will be equipped with all of the necessary medical equipment that is included in regular ambulances and will be used to free up other vehicles that are needed to respond to different locations.

Published July 21, 2021

Pasco health grant will help with return of students to school

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The health department in Pasco County recently received a $12 million grant from the Florida Department of Health, that is intended to help with the return of students to school, according to Ray Gadd, deputy superintendent of Pasco County Schools.

“This is a very broad grant,” Gadd said, during a school board meeting last month. “It’s allowing us to purchase canopies, picnic tables and various supplies that will help us kind of separate kids during lunches and cafeteria time, to help mitigate the impact of COVID in the new school year.

The grant will support more health professionals, nurses and other personnel — allowing district nurses to focus on their nursing duties, which involve screenings and of other activities with students, Gadd said.

“Also, as part of this grant that we have with the department of health, we’ll be continuing to offer testing services to kids and staff, although the department of health will be running those testing programs.

“They’ll be doing it with a mobile bus on the east and the west side of the county. We’ll still have this location here, in the center of the county, but the department of health will be running it, as opposed to the school system.

“In addition, we are offering vaccinations through Health Heroes, and this is strictly voluntary,” Gadd said. That program provides free vaccinations for youths age 12 and older.

Published July 21, 2021

Health News 07/21/2021

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Gulfside launches new website
Gulfside Healthcare Services announced the launch of its new website, providing a user-friendly online experience with even more access to care options and resources for the community, according to a news release.

The new website can be found at Gulfside.org, and features information about the organization’s three primary health care services and resources for caregivers. It also has a frequently asked questions (FAQ) video library, a collection of grief articles, easy-to-complete contact forms, downloadable care guides, and more.

“Gulfside Healthcare Service’s new website reflects our three values of patient-centered care, honoring our staff, and community-supporting service,” Linda Ward, president & CEO of Gulfside, said in the release.

Gulfside has been serving the community since 1989, as a hospice provider. It also offers palliative care for chronic illness, and skilled home health and rehab services.

The organization also provides bereavement counseling and caregiver support to the community, and operates five thrift shops to support charity care for those in need.

The new website features virtual tours of the Gulfside Centers for Hospice Care, as well as testimonials about the care provided by Gulfside’s team, Ward said.

Other featured sections include upcoming events, ways to donate, and various programs that provide specialized care for patients and families.

Food initiative for teens
AdventHealth has launched a teen-focused Food is Health initiative to teach healthy habits, and to help reduce food insecurity and poverty.

AdventHealth Foundation West Florida and AdventHealth Carrollwood have partnered with the Hispanic Services Council and The Skills Center, a sports-based youth development organization, to pilot a youth version of the health system’s Food is Health program, at Armature Works and The City of Tampa’s Parks & Recreation.

The program aims to increase access to health education and fresh, healthy foods to improve the overall health of local communities.

“We are committed to caring for all who need us, whether they’re in our care in an AdventHealth hospital or out in the community,” said Kimberly Williams, director of community benefit, AdventHealth West Florida Division.

Twenty-five students from The Skills Center will participate in nutrition classes that incorporate Share Our Strength’s “Cooking Matters at Home Lessons,” taught by the Hispanic Services Council, and learn hands-on cooking techniques.

Students also will receive free vouchers to shop for fresh fruits and vegetables on site, to prepare nutritious meals at home with their families.

Mask mandate dropped in Pasco, Hillsborough public schools

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Students returning to public schools in Pasco and Hillsborough counties will not be required to wear masks.

Pasco County Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning took a moment at the school board’s July 6 meeting to reiterate the Pasco district’s position.

“I’ve been getting a number of emails from folks, across the district, that I guess are still concerned that I’m going to have staff and students in masks.

“I am not going to have students in masks, come the beginning of the school year.

“I think it’s been patently clear by this district that masks would be optional starting in August.

“I think it’s even more clear with the remarks made by our governor that there would be no masks in school. So, they’ve removed that decision from local school districts,” Browning said.

“So, I just want to make it abundantly clear that we will not have masks required in Pasco schools.

“We will, however, continue to monitor COVID and COVID data, with the Delta variant that’s out there,” Browning added.

Hillsborough County public schools also has announced that it would drop the mask mandate.

Gov. Ron DeSantis told the Florida Board of Education at its June 10 meeting that most of the state’s school districts had already decided that “kids should be able to go to school normally, they should not be forced to wear masks.

“I think that that’s important that we do that statewide,” he said.

However, guidance from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, updated on July 9, for COVID-19 prevention in K-12 schools says: “Masks should be worn indoors by all individuals (age 2 and older) who are not fully vaccinated.”

The guidance continues: “Consistent and correct mask use by people who are not fully vaccinated is especially important indoors and in crowded settings, when physical distancing cannot be maintained.”

The CDC “recommends schools maintain at least 3 feet of physical distance between students within classrooms, combined with indoor mask wearing by people who are not fully vaccinated, to reduce transmission risk. When it is not possible to maintain a physical distance of at least 3 feet, such as when schools cannot fully reopen while maintaining these distances, it is especially important to layer multiple other prevention strategies, such as indoor masking.”

Published July 14, 2021

Health News 07/14/2021

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Kyle and Allie Mosher donated a Cuddle Cot to AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, in memory of their daughter, Aubrey. (Courtesy of AdventHealth West Florida Division)

Cuddle Cot donation
The family of Aubrey Mosher has partnered with Madison’s Miracles to donate a Cuddle Cot to The Baby Place at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel.

Aubrey’s mom, Allie, suffered complications during birth, and thanks to the Cuddle Cot, the Mosher family was able to hold Aubrey, create memories and honor her presence.

The Mosher family did not deliver baby Aubrey at the Wesley Chapel hospital, but worked with Madison’s Miracles to make the donation.

AdventHealth Wesley Chapel now will have the ability to provide the additional comfort to honor the needs of grieving families in its care.

Madison’s Miracles was founded by Chris and Christina Stamper following the loss of their daughter, Madison Elizabeth Stamper, and is dedicated to honoring all babies gone too soon, every day.

For more information, visit MadisonsMiracles.org.

Baker Act services
TransCare Medical Transportation Services, a division of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, has expanded its Baker/Marchman Act transportation services to include the transfer of students from Pasco County Schools to mental health receiving facilities, according to a news release.

TransCare has established a partnership with the Pasco Sheriff’s Office to manage all Baker Act transports initiated at Pasco County Schools.

It is common for these transports to be done in the back of patrol cars, even though these individuals have not committed a crime and are not being arrested.

When a student is on a Pasco County Schools campus and needs to be Baker Acted, the school resource officer contacts TransCare to request a transport.

TransCare staff then report to the designated school and safely transport the student to a Baker Act receiving facility for evaluation.

TransCare has two vehicles stationed within Pasco County during school hours for easy travel throughout the county.

Since implementing this arrangement in February, Pasco Sheriff’s deputies have been able to utitlize this program on 54 occasions, reducing the stigma and trauma related to a Baker Act while assisting those in need.

The initial contract for TransCare to provide these services will remain in effect through the remainder of the year.

For information, visit CrisisCenter.com.

Business as usual
All West Florida Division hospital and emergency room locations in Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Marion, Pasco and Pinellas counties are open for business as usual at this time, according to a news release.

All AdventHealth Medical Group practices, AdventHealth Express Care at Walgreens, and AdventHealth Centra Care locations in Tampa Bay are reopen for in-person visits.

The specific regional AdventHealth Centra Care locations include:

  • AdventHealth Centra Care Brandon
  • AdventHealth Centra Care Carrollwood
  • AdventHealth Centra Care Citrus Park
  • AdventHealth Centra Care South Tampa
  • AdventHealth Centra Care Temple Terrace
  • AdventHealth Centra Care Trinity
  • AdventHealth Centra Care Wesley Chapel

AdventHealth video visits remain available 24/7 through the AdventHeath app.