The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Health

Health News 04/29/2020

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(Courtesy of Debra Ruyle)

Moffitt gets a boost from ‘friends’
Breast Friends Forever hosted ‘Pink Heals Hits the Links,’ a golfing fundraiser, at The Groves Golf and Country Club. With the support of sponsors and the community, $23,000 was raised for Moffitt Cancer Center. The funds were earmarked for breast cancer treatment and research. The event also included a putting contest, raffle drawings, an auction and entertainment. Breast Friends Forever, from left: Debbie Wright, Diane Wiley, Judi Miller, Pam Gerbig, Hilda Holt and Debra Ruyle.

(Courtesy of AdventHealth West Florida Division)

A police tribute for health care personnel
Members of the Dade City Police Department stopped by AdventHealth Dade City in a show of support for the team members and EMS workers at the hospital. The police department also set up digital signs out in front of the hospital that read, ‘AdventHealth team and EMS, thank you.’

 

 

Virtual grief support
To help those dealing with grief, Gulfside Hospice is offering a solution that allows for proper social distancing — virtual support groups.

These video conferencing groups are currently replacing the organization’s weekly in-person groups, and are open to the community to participate.

“We want to make sure people know that even though they are at home, they don’t have to go through their grief alone,” said Charlie Lowry, director of caregiver support services at Gulfside, in a news release.

In addition to participating in the virtual support groups, Lowry also recommends keeping up with regular phone calls to close family and friends, writing regularly about your thoughts and emotions in a journal, practicing self-care, and going through normal daily routines, like checking the mail, making the bed, and washing the dishes.

For information about the virtual support groups, call Gulfside’s bereavement department at (800) 561-4883.

Additional resources, including a grief support library, are available online at Gulfside.org.

These services are offered for free.

Premier recipient of award
Premier Community HealthCare (Premier) has been named the recipient of a $1.4 million award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to combat COVID-19.

The funding stems from the passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and is part of the $1.3 billion awarding of funds by HHS through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) to nearly 1,400 health centers nationwide.

The $1.4 million award will be put to immediate use, as Premier responds to emerging and evolving local needs, while continuing to deliver high-quality primary health care services to patients.

Specifically, it will support the ability to detect, prevent, diagnose and treat patients impacted by the virus, while also providing enhanced preparedness and response workflows.

Community health centers, like Premier, are on the front lines combating COVID-19 and providing essential care to those in need.

These centers serve the nation’s most vulnerable individuals and families, including people experiencing homelessness, agricultural workers, residents of public housing, and veterans.

For information about Premier and its mission, visit PremierHC.org.

Pasco County has history of health scares

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The global pandemic known as coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has claimed lives — including thousands across the United States — but, this health threat isn’t Pasco County’s first experience with uncertain times.

In fact, weeks after the county was formed by the Florida Legislature on June 2, 1887, it faced a deadly yellow fever.

At that time, Pasco had just one medical doctor, James G. Wallace, according to Bill Dayton, past president of the Dade City Historic Preservation Advisory Board.

The Spanish influenza made headlines on the front page of The Dade City Banner dated Oct. 4, 1918. Two weeks later, a sick list published the names of several health care professionals, including Dr. C.F. Touchton whose condition the article described as ‘alarming.’ (Courtesy of the University of Florida Digital Collections)

The epidemic hit Florida’s port cities first, then spread to Tampa where five people died from yellow fever in September of 1886.

“It was reported that hundreds of people fled their homes, literally leaving meals on their tables,” Carol Jeffares Hedman wrote, in a history column published on Dec. 18, 2001, in The Tampa Tribune.

Dade City was still unincorporated and serving as a temporary county seat, when the Pasco County Commission adopted a countywide quarantine in 1887.

“There were no health departments back then,” said Glen Thompson, an environmental specialist who worked for the Pasco County Health Department from 1973 until 2006.

The Florida Southern Railroad had been transporting goods and products to Dade City since 1885. This new railroad also provided an opportunity to carry yellow fever into Pasco County.

“The Pasco County Commission voted to pay $5 per day to post guards at the Dade City Depot, among other points of entry,” Thompson explained.

With little knowledge of yellow fever, one popular theory suggested it traveled underground at 2 miles a day.

Experiments were tried, including one that involved firing military canons, on the premise that the shock waves could kill yellow fever.

John Wall, a physician and mayor of Tampa, from 1878 to 1880, was one of the first to point out that mosquitoes carried the disease.

More than 100 students and campus employees eating at the William P. McDonald Student Center at St. Leo College became sick in 1980 with a foodborne outbreak attributed to the Norwalk virus. (Courtesy of Fivay.org)

Wall reported that in 1881 — 20 years before Walter Reed led a medical team in Central America and confirmed that fact in 1901.

Reed became famous for eliminating the threat of yellow fever for workers completing construction of the Panama Canal.

As for Wall, he contracted and survived yellow fever in 1871. He was still pleading his case when he died of a heart attack in 1895 while addressing the Florida Medical Association in Gainesville.

The Spanish influenza — the deadliest plague in history — claimed the lives of 100 million, worldwide, at the height of World War 1, according to “The Great Influenza,” a 2005 New York Times bestseller by author John Barry.

More people died from the Spanish influenza in that single year than the Black Death had killed in a century.

Local families were not spared from the suffering.

The first death from Spanish influenza reported by The Dade City Banner occurred in 1918.

It involved 21-year-old William Craig, a Dade City native, who was stationed in Camp Jackson, South Carolina.

A sign of the times posted at the offices of the Florida Department of Health (FDOH) in Dade City. The department updates its COVID-19 dashboard twice daily on its website at FDOH.maps.arcgis.com/covid-19. (Courtesy of Doug Sanders)

The newspaper received a telegram reporting the death had occurred in the base camp’s hospital.

“Such was the sad cry that passed through Dade City this morning,” the newspaper later reported on its front page. “The family has requested that the body be shipped to Dade City.”

Churches closed, but The Dade City Banner reported on Oct. 25, 1918 that prayer services would be held on the courthouse lawn at 5 o’clock in the evening for divine intervention “…as a matter of precaution.”

Florida saw a total of 4,000 deaths in 1918 from Spanish influenza, and thousands more weakened survivors would die from pneumonia.

The Florida Legislature passed an act in 1931 to create county health departments using state funding, according to a historical account published in concert with the health department’s 75th anniversary.

But, it wasn’t until 1947 when the Pasco County Health Department first opened an office in Dade City.

Another Pasco County health challenge arose on Nov. 5, 1980, at what was then St. Leo College. It involved the outbreak of Norwalk Virus Gastroenteritis.

A 1985 report by the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health said, in part, that: “College officials notified the local health department that more than 100 students complaining of sudden onset of abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea had reported to the Student Health Center since the previous evening.”

Former health department employee Thompson recalls: “We only had three health specialists on staff and were quickly overwhelmed with medical surveys and reports.”

Thompson joined a task force working with the Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services and the Tampa Regional Laboratory to examine students and campus employees who had eaten one or more meals at the campus cafeteria from Nov. 3, 1980 to Nov. 5, 1980.

“The Norwalk virus was most likely spread by a combination of exposure to contaminated tossed salad and person-to-person transmission,” concluded the report submitted to the American Journal of Epidemiology. However, the report also noted, “the source of contamination was not identified.”

Now, the health department’s Pasco office is the midst of working to prevent the spread of COVID-19, while also continuing its work to address a Hepatitis A outbreak —an ongoing battle since 2016.

Pasco County led the state with 415 cases in 2019, followed by Pinellas County with 377 cases.

Since January 2019, there have been more than 3,200 cases in Florida associated with Hepatitis A. While this outbreak has not yet ended, Pasco showed new cases trending downward to nine so far in April 2020, according to Melissa Watts, public information officer with the Florida Department of Health in New Port Richey.

As of the morning of April 20, the number of positive COVID-19 cases in Pasco County, was 207, including three deaths.

Published April 22, 2020

Health News 04/22/2020

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(Courtesy of Mariah Berberich)

A nightly tribute for those on the front lines
Molly Berberich started a new tradition in her Willow Bend community, to honor essential workers. Berberich and her family have been clapping every night at 7 p.m., at the corner of Willow Bend Parkway, in Lutz. The family has a daughter currently working as a nurse in New York City, so the cause is close to their hearts. Abiding by social distancing, a group of neighbors come out each night, too, to pay tribute to those serving on the frontlines. Other community members are encouraged to join, from a safe distance or from their own driveway.

 

 

(Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospital-North)

Reenactment echoes these trying times
Donna Banuelos, a clinical nurse at St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz, recreates the iconic Rosie the Riveter image (inset) from World War II. Rosie the Riveter represented the U.S. coming together during the war in the 1940s and the ‘can-do’ effort put forth by all citizens. Banuelos’ reenactment resonates today as the fight against COVID-19 continues.

 

 

 

 

(Courtesy of AdventHealth West Florida Division)

Essential workers get essential meals
Select AdventHealth hospitals are providing take-home meals and groceries for team members to help make sure they get what they need after working long shifts. At AdventHealth Tampa and AdventHealth North Pinellas, team members can select their meals at the beginning of their shifts and pick up the pre-prepared meals when they leave for the day. A couple of the hospitals are offering onsite groceries, too, for those team members who aren’t able to make it to the store.

 

 

(Courtesy of 3 Daughters Brewing)

Looking out for community employees
The motormen, bus operators and paratransit operators of the Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) are essential employees who provide a critical services to the community, like medical personnel, first responders, pharmacists and grocery store employees. HART recently received a ‘thank you,’ when 3 Daughters Brewing in St. Petersburg donated a 10-gallon supply of its hand sanitizer for all HART’s operators. The brewing company began bottling hand sanitizer in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Providing a necessary precaution
Members of the GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club have been busy for the past month sewing face masks for area hospitals and Lab Corp. The masks also were provided to all of the club’s 100-plus members, and husbands. Under the circumstances, the undertaking took a lot of coordination to make home deliveries of the pattern and material packets to the ladies, so they could work ‘at a safe distance.’ KarenSue Molis was one of the members sewing masks.

Crisis line’s call volume rises

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The call volume has been increasing at the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, amid the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Statistics kept by the crisis center reveal that from March 21 through March 27, a total of 1,617 calls came in — with 540 of those being related to COVID-19.

Calls from March 28 to April 3 totaled 1,828, including 704 pandemic-related calls.

Clara Reynolds, president and CEO of the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay, said the center is fielding more calls and spending more time on each call, as anxiety increases during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. (Courtesy of Crisis Center of Tampa Bay)

“The biggest reason right now is regarding financial assistance, but we also saw a high rate of individuals seeking emotional support, as well,” said Clara Reynolds, the crisis center’s president and CEO.

“And, as you can imagine, you may be calling because you’re worried about your finances, but you can see where that would also have an emotional toll,” Reynolds said.

During the week ending March 27, there were 236 calls involving financial need; during the week ending April 3, the volume of those kind of calls increased to 412.

“Certainly, what we have seen, too, added into this stress over the past week, now Week 2, is adding the home educational requirement that many families are experiencing as well,” Reynolds noted.

“You’ve got one — the stress of the virus. Then you’ve got lockdown, which can add additional stress to households. Then you add people losing their jobs, or seeing their jobs change significantly, i.e., working from home, versus working in an office. Then, you add these children on top of it that have to have some educational stuff at home, as well.

“It is just a soup of stress and anxiety,” Reynolds said.

On top of that, there’s additional stress and anxiety for people who are living in a domestic violence situation, or in a home that’s not stable and steady.

When people call 211 looking for assistance and support, they may be calling in regarding whatever the top issue is at that time, Reynolds said.

But, she added: “it’s always a symptom of bigger problems.”

“Right now, the big symptom is, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to keep this roof over my head. I don’t know how I’m going to feed my family,’” Reynolds said.

“We believe that after we watch the COVID-19 spike and then start to decline —  we are going to see an incredible increase in the number of behavioral health calls,” she said.

“People right now are just trying to survive, whatever survival looks like.

“Once we get past it and life returns to this ‘normal’ place, we believe we’re going to see a behavioral health crisis like we’ve never seen before,” she said.

Those mental health needs are likely to come from first responders, who are working 16-hour to 20-hour days. Or, from people who had jobs and don’t have them now, or the jobs they have, have changed.

“It’s going to be this new ‘normal,’ that many of us are not going to know how to manage or navigate,” Reynolds said.

Before COVID-19, she said. “we would spend about 7 minutes on average, with each caller, helping them to talk through what their issues were, so we could really get to the root of a problem.”

Now, it’s taking 15 minutes to 20 minutes.

“There’s so much stress, we’ve got to de-escalate first before we can then get to the root of the problem,” she said.

There’s also a percentage of callers that Reynolds described as “high-need, high-utilizers.”

Those callers may call in as may 200 to 300 times a year, because the crisis center is their outlet, she said.

Typically, a call like that may take 15 minutes to 20 minutes to de-escalate. Now, it’s maybe taking 30 minutes to 45 minutes, Reynolds said.

“So, not only has our call volume increased, but it’s taking us longer to get through each call to make sure that we’re providing a real benefit,” Reynolds said.

Concerns about the pandemic can affect people of all ages, so Reynolds offers this advice on how to talk to children about it.

“I think it’s important for them to understand how they can help because kids are natural helpers. Anything that they can do to feel like they are doing something positive to contribute, will help to lessen their anxiety.”

Teach them about washing their hands, covering their coughs and sneezes, staying 6 feet away from others, she said.

It’s also easy for people to feel socially isolated and miss having contact with family and friends, she said.

She recommends making creative use of technology to bridge gaps, such as holding virtual happy hours.

She said it’s also a great time to journal, express yourself artistically, do coloring sheets, or cook.

At a time when you can’t make in-person connections with your family and friends, it’s a good time to give yourself permission to engage “in more self-care than you normally would,” Reynolds said.

Need help?
Those in a domestic violence situation should call 911, 211 or The Spring of Tampa. TheSpring.org has resources to help.

Published April 15, 2020

Three Essential Tips For Caregivers

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As a result of the COVID-19 crisis and Stay-At-Home Order, caregivers are feeling more overwhelmed and sequestered than ever. The important thing to know is that you’re not alone, and there are essential resources available to help.

Charlie Lowry

The new Caregiver Support Services program at Gulfside Hospice is currently helping those who are caring for their hospice patients, with the goal of empathetically interacting with them to improve quality of life for them and those for whom they provide care. We have over 700 caregivers in our program right now — some who are new to Hospice whose loved one has been recently diagnosed, and others who have been caregivers for years with their loved ones entering the final phase of their life.

Some caregivers live with the patient, and some live out of the area and yet are still responsible for their loved one’s care. Either way, caregiver services are important for family members who manage their loved one’s care. That’s why we have put together this quick list of tips to help you stay organized and take time for self-care.

While love and commitment are at the core of caregiving, and it can produce feelings of joy and fulfillment, we understand the stress and chaos that can also be produced by caregiving responsibilities, especially during this time, and we want to lend a helping hand.

Take Care of Yourself
If you are a caregiver, you are the person responsible for running your household and making sure quality care is being provided. It is essential that you take care of yourself first, so you don’t get sick or run out of energy.

– View yourself as your top priority – if you aren’t healthy in mind and body, you won’t be able to properly take care of others.

– Set aside 15-20 minutes, two or three times a day, to unwind and focus on yourself. Do a crossword puzzle, work on a jigsaw puzzle or color a page with pencils or markers.

– Take a 30-minute walk around the neighborhood, and/or exercise along with a You Tube video.

– Schedule your personal breaks into your day planner — just like you do meals and medication.

Build Your Support System
Don’t be afraid to ask people to help. Grow your support system so you can utilize them when you need help with errands, or to help with family communications that can take up much time and be emotionally draining.

– Your support system can be family, friends, neighbors, and hospice volunteers and staff. Ask in advance if they are able to help when the need arises, and keep their contact information in an easy to remember spot, so you have it when you need it.

– Your support system can shop for groceries and other household needs, pick up medications and even fill up your gas tank. All this can be done without coming into your home and exposing them or your household during this crisis.

Get Organized
It’s important to have everything you need in one place when you are a caregiver. This includes assembling a medication list, banking information and passwords, a list of email addresses and passwords to pay utilities, mortgage and auto loans, credit cards and other monthly obligations, maintain an updated list of family names, phone numbers and email addresses, and assemble wills and other legal documents, such as do not resuscitate orders and other medical directives.

By Charlie Lowry, Director of Caregiver Support Services
Gulfside Healthcare Services

Charlie Lowry is the Director of Caregiver Support Services and has been at Gulfside Healthcare Services for three years, and has worked in hospice services since 2012. The caregiver services that Lowry’s team provides are not covered by Medicare and other insurance companies, and are dependent on fundraising events and private donations. To contribute, go to Gulfside.org/make-a-gift, or call (800) 561-4883.

Published April 15, 2020

Health News 04/15/2020

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Area Agency on Aging updates
The Area Agency on Aging Pasco Pinellas (AAAPP) has given these recent operational updates, in an April 6 press release.

  • All AAAPP offices are closed and staff is working remotely. All critical services will continue to be available by phone.
  • The Helpline and Intake/Screening/Medicaid teams remain open during normal business hours. For out-of-area callers, dial (800) 963-5337 or (727) 217-8111.
  • Nutrition providers remain available. Home meal deliveries are being completed with 6 feet of distance to protect the elderly. Congregate dining has transitioned into drive-thru dining services. Drive-thru meal options are available for any adult age 60 and older. To sign up, Pasco residents can call (727) 834-3340. In Pinellas, call (727) 573-9444.
  • The SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) and the Senior Victim Advocacy/Elder Abuse teams are available for support and assistance by telephone only, through the numbers listed above.
  • Case management teams are continuing to coordinate and provide services wherever possible to individuals, using extra precautions to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
  • Adult day care, senior center programming and other community sites are largely suspended. Check with the direct provider or municipality for updates on site closures.

For more information, visit AgingCareFl.org/covid-19-updates-and-information/.

Telehealth service launched
In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Premier Community HealthCare has launched its telehealth service for established adult patients seeking care.

The software is user-friendly, accessible, and seamlessly integrates with Premier’s electronic health record system, according to a news release.

Additional telehealth services for pediatrics, behavioral health, women’s health, and dental services are also in the process of being developed.

All Premier offices (except the Brooksville Dental Center) will remain open for emergency services, five days a week.

Currently, Premier’s waiting room capacity is limited to five patients, with the option for patients to wait in their car.

“Our clinics are forced to evolve in ways much faster than we are financially ready for, but this is what community health is about. We will keep moving forward and adapt in innovative ways to care for our community,” said Delisa Heron, Premier Community HealthCare’s chief  medical officer, in the release.

For information, visit PremierHC.org.

Keep kids safe from traffickers
In Our Backyard links arms across Oregon and America to fight human trafficking through education, mobilization and partnership.

The organization offers these tips for parents to protect their kids online from traffickers.

  • Educate your kids about human trafficking: That it exists, what it looks like, and to talk to you or another responsible adult if they think they have been approached by someone online.
  • Children should not accept friend requests or chat with someone online (gaming systems, TikTok, Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) that they have not met in person. Even if it is a friend of a friend.
  • Make sure your children do not post personal information about where they go to school, or any contact information (phone number, email or home address) or pictures with geo tags of places they hang out.
  • Set up parental controls so it’s harder for children to get access to something they shouldn’t see.
  • Know your kid’s passwords. Your child’s privacy is important, but so is their safety.
  • Set time limits for device usage.
  • Make a rule that devices can only be used in common areas of your home.
  • Communicate with your kids and let them talk to you without judgment. They need to know they are safer with you than anywhere else.

For more information, visit InOurBackyard.org.

Pasco Kids First recognized
Pasco Kids First has been awarded re-accreditation by the National Children’s Alliance, following an extensive application and site review process.

Pasco Kids First was established in 1989 with the mission to assist in the protection of children from the devastating effects of child abuse and neglect, providing services for 30 years to children and families.

The Children’s Alliance awards various levels of accreditation and membership to centers responding to allegations of child abuse in ways that are effective and efficient, and put the needs of child victims of abuse first.

Accreditation is the highest level of membership with the National Children’s Alliance and denotes excellence in service provision.

Accredited children’s advocacy centers must undergo a re-accreditation process every five years to ensure that best practices are continually being applied.

With standards being updated in 2017, Pasco Kids First’s re-accreditation reflects its commitment to providing evidence-based methods practice.

Tobacco-free policy encouraged
The Florida Department of Health in Pasco County’s Tobacco Prevention Program has worked closely with local worksites to encourage them to adopt a Tobacco Free Grounds Policy.

It is estimated that smoking costs Florida billions of dollars a year in workplace productivity losses, premature deaths and direct health care expenditures. Tobacco use is a leading contributor to lost productive work time.

Tobacco Free Florida recommends that employers implement a worksite model, which includes these three principles:

  • Provide employees with access to proven successful tobacco cessation medications and counseling
  • Create a supportive workplace environment that makes it easier for your employees to quit tobacco
  • Evaluate your progress and success, and adapt your plan accordingly

The Tobacco Prevention Program recently acknowledged Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point in its efforts to maintain a Smoke Free Campus policy, in which the hospital’s staff is leading by example.

Tobacco Free’s Quit Your Way program offers free Phone Quit, Group Quit and Web Quit services, in addition to individual tools like text support, a Quit Guide and helpful emails.

Free nicotine replacement therapy (patches, gum or lozenges) also are available to tobacco users age 18 and older, if medically appropriate.

For information, visit TobaccoFreeFlorida.com/quityourway.

Deadly COVID-19 virus poses challenges on all fronts

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Florida has joined the ranks of states across the nation that have issued Stay-at-Home orders in an effort to reduce the spread of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a 30-day Stay-At-Home executive order effective April 3.

His action came just days before U.S. Surgeon Gen. Dr. Jerome Adams warned the nation that “this is going to be the hardest and the saddest week of most Americans’ lives. This is going to be our Pearl Harbor moment, our 9/11 moment. Only it’s not going to be localized, it’s going to be happening all over the country,” Adams said to Chris Wallace, during a Fox News program over the weekend.

The death toll from the COVID-19 virus continues to rise.

As of the afternoon of April 6, there were 330,891 cases in the United States and 8,910 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Statewide, there are 13,324 confirmed cases, including 399 non-residents; and, 236 deaths.

In Pasco County, there have been 110 cases, including four non-residents. There have been 22 hospitalizations and two deaths.

In Hillsborough County, there were a total of 571 cases, include 15 non-residents. There have been 86 hospitalizations and five deaths.

To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, the CDC has consistently recommended that people maintain a 6-foot distance between themselves and others, and to stay at home as much as possible.

Recently, it changed its guidance regarding masks. Before, it recommended masks only for those who were sick to ensure an adequate supply for hospital staff.

Now, the CDC recommends “wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.”

Meanwhile, at the local level, governments are responding to the economic and medical threats posed by the deadly virus.

Pasco County Commission Chairman Mike Moore organized a virtual meeting on March 31 with regional leaders from Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, and the cities of Tampa and Clearwater to discuss how the region can respond to the unprecedented challenges being posed by COVID-19.

The meeting didn’t yield any immediate solutions, but the leaders shared information about issues such as hospital capacity, availability of medical supplies and concerns about economic impacts from COVID-19.

Moore asked regional leaders for their thoughts about transporting patients to other counties, if the need arose.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor responded, “I think it would probably be more beneficial just to make sure that you have that overflow capacity, just in your particular area.”

Other regional leaders agreed.

Clearwater Mayor Frank Hibbard said his primary interest would be in working together regionally to figure out a way to share best practices, so individual governments don’t need to reinvent the wheel.

While Moore was reaching out regionally, Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey arranged a virtual Town Hall meeting featuring panelists including Summer Robertson representing U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, and Shahra Lambert representing Florida Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services Nikki Fried. Others on the panel included Pasco Schools Superintendent Kurt Browning and representatives for several county offices.

During the town hall, the speakers gave overviews on issues such as the federal government’s $2 trillion stimulus package; the school system’s current status; and, a variety of services that are available — or unavailable — at this time.

Commissioner Starkey offered words of encouragement.

“It is such an unusual time. I know when I talk to my fellow workers in government that we have never been busier. I cannot keep my phone charged,” Starkey said.

She added: “It certainly is a challenging time for all of us, but there will be an end to it, and we’ll be able to get back out and enjoy our beautiful county.”

Practical Information

  • Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended foreclosure and eviction enforcing laws for 45 days to provide temporary relief to Floridians.
  • Pasco County Public Transportation has waived fares and increased frequency of buses on the busiest routes — U.S. 19, State Road 54 and U.S. 301, to provide financial relief for those in need and increased services for workers who need to get to grocery stores, hospitals and other essential services for their jobs.
  • Pasco County parks and playgrounds are closed, so residents are encouraged to find ways to exercise in their neighborhoods — while practicing social distancing.
  • Some stores are opening an hour early on some days a week, to give those age 65 and older a chance to shop for essential items. Check store websites for more information.
  • The deadline for paying federal taxes has been delayed until July 15. Go to the IRS website for more details.
  • Pasco County senior centers for congregate meals and social activities are temporarily closed, but there are drive-thru and delivery services available.
  • School campuses are closed, but school districts are providing “to go” bags for children 18 and younger. To find out more details, visit local school district websites.

Recreational options

  • Suncoast Trail is open. Suitable for biking, walking and rollerblading. It is 42 miles long, including 22 miles in Pasco County.
  • Starkey Boulevard Trail and Starkey Gap Trail are open; Pinellas Trail as of last week was still open. Trails next to U.S. 301 and State Road 56 also are open.

Please be prepared for no public access to restrooms or water fountains.

Please maintain social distancing.

Avoid bicycling in packs.

Do not use trails if you are exhibiting symptoms of illness.

Published April 08, 2020

Health News 04/08/2020

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New appointments

Dr. Rosario Tucci

• Access Health Care Physicians appointed Dr. Rosario Tucci, primary care physician, to its staff. Dr. Tucci received her medical degree from Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Facultad de Medicina de San Fernando, Lima, Peru. She completed her medical internship at Hospital del Maestro in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

She also is fluent in both her native Spanish and English, and conversationally skilled in American Sign Language.

Dr. Tucci will practice in Hudson and can be reached at (727) 378-8503.

• North Tampa Behavioral Health’s newly appointed leadership started at the facility last December:

Clint Hauger, CEO, has more than five years of experience as a behavioral health executive, and spent the last five years as the CEO of Palmetto Lowcountry Behavioral Health in Charleston, South Carolina.

Lorenzo Rivera, director of human resources, previously served as the manager of human resources at Belmont Behavioral Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He has more than eight years of experience as a human resources professional in behavioral health care.

Dr. Joseph Pino

• Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has appointed Dr. Joseph Pino has program director for hospice and palliative care, and as site director for geriatrics in the hospital’s Graduate Medical Education Program.

Dr. Pino has served the community since 1984, first as a practicing physician. He is board certified in family medicine, geriatrics, and hospice and palliative medicine.

In December 2013, he became the first chief medical officer at Bayonet Point, a position he has had until now.

 

Organ donations
LifeLink of Florida provided a record number of organs for transplant (756 organs transplanted in 2019) because of the generosity of 262 organ donors and their families. This marks the most organ donors facilitated by LifeLink of Florida during a year, with nearly a 7% increase over last year, according to a LifeLink news release.

LifeLink of Florida credits the support of donor families, the forethought of individuals who chose to join their state donor registry, continuously improved processes, staff commitment to excellence, strong hospital relationships and education, and community partnerships and public education.

Coping with uncertainties

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As concerns ratchet up regarding the health and economic threats posed by coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19), a licensed mental health counselor from Wesley Chapel offers some suggestions to help cope with the additional pressures.

“People’s lives go through various ups and downs, and the same is true of our human existence.

“The world also goes through up and downs,” said Shabana Churruca, a licensed mental health counselor and certified addictions professional at Wiregrass Counseling.

The COVID-19 pandemic will result in difficulties and loss of lives, but Churruca said, “the thing that we have to remember is that we are going to get to the other side of this.”

She also offered strategies that may prove useful during this uncertain time. Here are some of her suggestions:

• Focus on the things we can do.
“What’s happening is that we are sort of in this global place of feeling this angst, and this feeling of being completely out of control. That is often time what brings on anxiety.”

To counter that, find things you can control.

“Sort through the drawers. Clean out the pantry. Do some things that you’ve been putting off doing.”

• Stay connected with others.
Even during a time of “social distancing,” we can still reach out to the others.

“We’re kind of going to have to reinvent the way we do things.

“We have to figure out, ‘How can I still stay connected to people that are important to me?’

Social gatherings may be out, but virtual gatherings aren’t.

“We have to maybe think outside the box for ourselves,” she said.

• Focus on the present moment.
“Anxiety and depression will kind of put us in this state where we’re living in the past or living in the future. What we want to do is stay in the right now,” she said.

“The best way to do that is just by really paying attention to your senses.

“If you open up your senses — what am I seeing? What am I feeling, touching, tasting? When you open up your senses, it allows you to stay in the present moment.”

• If you have extra time, take advantage of it.
Maybe now is the time to start a meditation or prayer practice. Or, perhaps to learn a new language, pick up a new hobby, do some crafts, play games with your family, take online courses, and so on.

• Raise your vibration.
Negative thinking lowers our vibrations. Positive actions raise them. So, if you’re a negative space, put on some music you enjoy — and don’t just listen, sing.

“You’re engaging more of your brain by actually singing,” the mental health expert said.

“It really does have the quality of changing how you feel,” she adding, noting that music also can transport us to a different time and place.

In a nutshell, do things that make you feel good — whether that’s listening to music, exercising, cooking, painting, gardening or some other pursuit.

• Take one thing at a time.
“What’s the most important thing you have to deal with right now?”

Do that. Then do the next thing. Just keep working through your list of priorities.

• Take care of yourself.
You may not be able to control whether your job will end or not, but you can eat nutritious foods, go for walks, drink lots of water and do what you can to maintain your health.

• Ask for help.
If you need help, ask for it. It’s not a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of strength.

Published April 1, 2020

Numbers of confirmed COVID-19 cases, deaths climb

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The numbers keep climbing.

There were a total of 140,904 cases and a total of 2,405 deaths as of the evening of March 30, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Northern Marianas and the U.S. Virgin Islands have reported cases.

“The United States nationally is in the acceleration phase of the pandemic,” the CDC reports.

The CDC said the cases include imported cases in travelers, cases among close contacts of a known cases and community-acquired cases where the source of the infection is unknown.

Most U.S. states are reporting some community spread of COVID-19, the CDC adds.

Florida had a total of 5,704 cases, including 215 non-Florida residents, as of the most recent data available on the morning of March 31 from the Florida Department of Health, the lead agency addressing the health crisis.

The department also reported that 715 had been hospitalized, and 71 had died.

Locally there were 272 cases, including 265 residents and seven non-residents in Hillsborough County. Forty-five have been hospitalized and two have died.

In Pasco County, there were 38 cases, including one non-resident. Seven have been hospitalized and two have died.

Published April 1, 2020