The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Health News 03/04/2020

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Sherry Pressner (Courtesy of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point)

Pressner takes over HR reins
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has appointed Sherry Pressner as vice president of human resources (HR). Her career with HCA began in 2000 at the Medical Center of Trinity as a human resource generalist. Since that time, she has served in the role of HR vice president at Memorial Hospital of Tampa, Citrus Memorial Hospital, Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point, and most recently Blake Medical Center.

 

 

 

 

 

Volunteer at Gulfside
Gulfside Hospice is looking for individuals who are passionate about helping people to join its team of volunteers and help with a variety of tasks.

Volunteer opportunities include patient care tasks, as well as positions that do not require working directly with patients.

Volunteers can offer companionship to patients at the Gulfside Centers for Hospice Care or at the patient’s home, offer respite care to give caregivers a break, staff the thrift shops, help at community and fundraising events, and more.

Those interested can complete an application online at Gulfside.org.

All new volunteers must complete an interview, background check, and various training based on the applicant’s choice of tasks.

For information, contact Laura Wright at (727) 845-5707 or .

Learn to quit smoking
The Florida Department of Health’s Tobacco Free Florida program offers 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, such as nicotine patches, gum or lozenges, also are available to tobacco users who are age 18 or older, if medically appropriate.

For information, visit TobaccoFreeFlorida.com/quityourway.

Three-year grant awarded
The Area Agency on Aging of Pasco Pinellas (AAAPP) has been selected as one of 11 recipients statewide for the Innovation in the Health Care System grant, for funding from the Florida Blue Foundation.

The three-year, $300,000 grant will fund the AAAPP Senior Community Health Program, which strengthens the links between medical and social service providers, to improve access and health outcomes for under-resourced seniors.

The program currently operates out of the Baycare Turley Family Health Center in Clearwater and the WellMed Clinic in St. Petersburg. Funding from the Florida Blue Foundation will equip AAAPP to serve more seniors in the current sites and expand into Pasco County, with a newly developed partnership with the Medical Center of Trinity, an HCA hospital.

Seminar focuses on youth drug use, suicide

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When Heather Sefton, of Wesley Chapel, began losing close friends to suicide, she didn’t know how to cope with the trauma.

The untimely demise of one in the Bay Area was preceded by six others in Sefton’s native New Hampshire.

From front left to back right: Yahkaira Borbosa, Imam Hassan Sultan, Teresa Daniels, Eddie Williams, Jesse Varnadoe, Al Hernandez and Emery Ailes were participants at a Feb. 17 health seminar. The program was hosted by Pasco-Hernando State College to address the issues of mental health and substance abuse. (Brian Fernandes)

“I really didn’t understand what was going on,” the 19-year-old said. “They all just kind of kept hitting me.”

She too, began having suicidal thoughts as a result of her own family issues and having struggled with her self-identity, she recalled.

Pasco-Hernando State College (PHSC) has been active in providing resources for those like Sefton, seeking help.

One of its programs — Linking in Faith and Education (LIFE) — seeks to help improve mental and behavioral health by encouraging communication with group support.

The college also hosted a recent seminar – LIFE, Spirit, Wellness: Combating Substance Abuse and Mental Health Issues in Youth.

The Feb. 17 event, at PHSC’s Porter Campus at Wiregrass Ranch, focused on the issues of mental health and substance abuse.

Panelist Teresa Daniels, a volunteer for the Tampa Bay branch of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, spoke about her son, Tristen, who took his life over five years ago.

“We had no idea that he was having any thoughts, or that anything other than what we believed to be normal high school stressors, [were] going on,” she said.

Daniels said she thought her son might be having issues coping with the loss of his  grandmother, as well as working odd hours and lack of sleep.

But, there were no serious signs of depression, she said, adding that Tristen was the class clown.

He may have been “masking” his true feelings, Daniels said.

In other words, he may have been hiding his personal issues, while in the company of others.

Likewise, Sefton said there were no obvious signs that her friends were suffering.

Panelist Eddie Williams, a PHSC mental health counselor, provided some advice.

“One of the things I would say the youth is missing usually [is] socialization,” he said. “Having a peer-to-peer support group, or another youth there to talk with, could break the mold. Talking is healing.”

Williams is trying to implement these kind of groups across PHSC’s five campuses.

When it is apparent that someone is doing the opposite of their usual routines, or interests, it’s best to consult them to find out if there’s underlying issues, Williams advised.

The college’s LIFE program also encourages a religious component to be used in offering help, as well.

It aims to educate faith leaders on how to rally around and support those within their community who have mental concerns.

It was Sefton’s growing attendance at Wesley Chapel’s Life Church that helped change things for the better, she said.

“I was found by Jesus,” Sefton said. “That’s really what got me through – my relationship with him.”

And, with finding therapy, she has begun to offer it, as well.

“I’m very vulnerable and open about my story now,” Sefton noted. “I feel like that’s led a lot of people to talk to me about how they feel.”

Johnny Crowder was present at the seminar to offer to those in need, another outlet – with Cope Notes.

This texting service sends multiple messages a day, to its users, consisting of inspirational words and questions.

Cope Notes asks questions for recipients to voluntarily respond to, or just to reflect upon.

The intent is to help others consistently focus on the positive, as their mood may change throughout the day.

Crowder founded the service as a result of his own background.

“I’m a suicide and abuse survivor,” he said. “I spent 10 years in treatment for mental illness.”

He said there wasn’t a specific catalyst that led him to suicidal tendencies.

Besides experiencing domestic violence at home, Crowder said he did not find a sense of community in school and felt isolated.

“It was a childhood full of trauma and neglect that eventually snowballed,” he explained.

Crowder said that he began to find solace in singing, painting, writing and playing the guitar.

This, coupled with socializing and gradually building trust, is what helped him through his pain, he added.

Another speaker, Rachel Starostin, provided a presentation on substance abuse, an issue in which she has struggled with.

She had lived an independent life as a nurse, raising three children before she was hit by a drunk driver.

As a result, she was placed on pain medication to cope with her injuries.

However, Starostin became hooked on her prescription medicine and found it difficult to maintain her daily life.

“I functioned for a long time — until I didn’t,” she said, adding that she gradually transitioned to crystal methamphetamine.

She began neglecting her responsibilities as a mother and eventually lost her home, having to move her children from one hotel to another, Starostin recalled.

A brush with the law resulted in her arrest and her children being taken in by their grandmother.

“When I got out, they didn’t want to come home,” Starostin said. “They didn’t want to look me in the eye.”

Elizabeth Statzer, of the Medical Center of Trinity, took part in Starostin’s class, noting “substance use disorders are something that effects all ages, all races, all genders.”

The Medical Center of Trinity offers selective programs to help users overcome their addiction, she said.

Services include in-patient mental health services. There also is an outpatient program at the hospital where an addict can come by for group therapy three days a week.

Family support groups and family-to-family education classes also are provided to assist loved ones.

Starostin went through a 12-step program for recovery.

She currently is a public speaker, educating others on the dangers of substance abuse.

She also plans to help open a faith-based recovery home for women.

For free treatment referrals and information, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at (800) 662-4357.

To learn more about, or to try Cope Notes for free, text COPE to 33222, or visit CopeNotes.com.

Published February 26, 2020

Health News 02/26/2020

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(Courtesy of St. Joseph’s Hospitals)

Infusion center expands
St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz will be 10 years old this year, and is continuously expanding. The hospital’s Infusion Center originally opened in October 2012 and had about 20 visits monthly. Today, the Center sees an average of 225 visits monthly, and has expanded from six beds to 15 beds. The Infusion Center performs chemotherapies and other cancer-related services. It also relocated to a new space in late January (on the first floor of the Physician Office Building), giving patients easier access. Karen Hay, left, and Rubi Ison prepare a room at the new Infusion Center.

Volunteer at Gulfside
Gulfside Hospice is looking for individuals who are passionate about helping people to join its team of volunteers and help with a variety of tasks.

Volunteer opportunities include patient care tasks, as well as positions that do not require working directly with patients.

Volunteers can offer companionship to patients at the Gulfside Centers for Hospice Care or at the patient’s home, offer respite care to give caregivers a break, staff the thrift shops, help at community and fundraising events, and more.

Those interested can complete an application online at Gulfside.org.

All new volunteers must complete an interview, background check, and various training based on the applicant’s choice of tasks.

For information, contact Laura Wright at (727) 845-5707 or .

Learn to quit smoking
The Florida Department of Health’s Tobacco Free Florida program offers 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, such as nicotine patches, gum or lozenges, also are available to tobacco users who are age 18 or older, if medically appropriate.

For information, visit TobaccoFreeFlorida.com/quityourway.

Three-year grant awarded
The Area Agency on Aging of Pasco Pinellas (AAAPP) has been selected as one of 11 recipients statewide for the Innovation in the Health Care System grant, for funding from the Florida Blue Foundation.

The three-year, $300,000 grant will fund the AAAPP Senior Community Health Program, which strengthens the links between medical and social service providers, to improve access and health outcomes for under-resourced seniors.

The program currently operates out of the Baycare Turley Family Health Center in Clearwater and the WellMed Clinic in St. Petersburg. Funding from the Florida Blue Foundation will equip AAAPP to serve more seniors in the current sites and expand into Pasco County, with a newly developed partnership with the Medical Center of Trinity, an HCA hospital.

Saint Leo to get $20 million wellness center

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Saint Leo University will soon be home to a sprawling $20 million wellness center —integrating student recreation, fitness, health services, counseling services and campus ministry.

A groundbreaking ceremony earlier this month celebrated the forthcoming 59,000-square-foot wellness center, to be situated on the west end of the campus by Lake Jovita.

From left: Jon Akvan, project manager, JLL; Troy Powell, project manager; Creative Contractors Inc.; Dr. Melanie Storms, Saint Leo University senior vice president; Jose Caban, Saint Leo associate vice president of facilities management; Dr. Jeffrey D. Senese, Saint Leo president; Celine-Deon Palmer, student government union president; D. Dewey Mitchell, Saint Leo Board of Trustees chair; Alan Bomstein, CEO, Creative Contractors; and Joshua Bomstein, Creative Contractors president, at the ceremonial groundbreaking of Saint Leo University’s new Wellness Center. (Courtesy of Renee Gerstein, Saint Leo University)

Construction tentatively will begin in April, and university officials hope to open the wellness center in fall 2021.

The new facility will provide space for group exercise, spinning and yoga classes, and a large community fitness center. There also will be two indoor basketball courts, an indoor walking track, a healthy café and smoothie bar, a resort-style outdoor pool with a lakeside infinity edge and outdoor barbecue, as well as a relaxation terrace and garden. There also will be several multipurpose rooms, which could be used as space for meditation, specialty classes, gaming and so on.

Many of those amenities, such as a dedicated cycling and yoga studio, aren’t presently offered on campus. Also, “There will be new machines, new equipment on the fitness floor that we don’t currently have,” said Dr. Melanie Storms, senior vice president at the university, who is  spearheading the wellness center project.

The university’s current recreation and fitness offerings are mainly housed at Marion Bowman Activities & Aquatics Center.

But, once the new wellness center opens, the Bowman Center will become an exclusive training ground for Saint Leo’s various athletic programs, Storms said.

The Bowman Center has been somewhat limited for recreation and intramural activities because the space also is shared by the university’s intercollegiate athletic programs, such as the Saint Leo men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball teams.

Saint Leo University is building a 59,000-square-foot wellness center that integrates student recreation, fitness, health services, counseling services and campus ministry. The $20 million project will be housed on the west end of the campus by Lake Jovita. It is expected to be open by fall 2021. (Courtesy of Saint Leo University)

Because of that, Storms said the regular student body has been pining for a “fully dedicated rec gym” the wellness center will offer.

“We definitely have had high student demand —  voices from the students saying they needed additional space, that the (recreation) hours and offerings just haven’t been sufficient to meet the needs,” Storms said.

The wellness center primarily will be for Saint Leo students, faculty and staff, but some features may be open to be public.

Storms said summer pool memberships will “definitely” be offered to the local community, while public-use options for the fitness center and health services are still being explored by university officials; the university is in talks with several health care providers that potentially could serve the community by delivering medical services on-site.

Storms said student health and counseling services currently offered at DeChantal Hall will move to the new facility once it opens, making it the “single source of health services” at Saint Leo. She added the DeChantal Hall building will stay in use for other purposes for the time being, as it also houses other university departments, such as theology faculty.

The wellness center project has been under discussion for a number of years, but officials say now was the time to proceed — as the school in the fall welcomed its largest incoming group of students in the university’s 130-year history (1,001 new students).

The school now has about 2,100 students on campus, plus more than 700 faculty and staff.

Said Storms, “With the increase that we saw in our student population this past fall, and the anticipated coming in next fall, we just realized it was time; our recreational facilities are overloaded.”

Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, presented a history of the site, during a ceremony celebrating the groundbreaking for Saint Leo University’s new Wellness Center.

Creative Contractors of Clearwater is serving as the construction firm for the project, while S3 Design Inc., of Braintree, Massachusetts, is handling the architectural design; and JLL of Tampa will provide project management services.

The university has secured financing to proceed on the multi-million project, but also is working to secure private fundraising and state funding, Storms said.

The wellness center is going on land that originally belonged to the Benedictine Sisters of Florida.

With that, Storms believes the facility “fits within the historical context of who they are and how they used the space.”

She observed, “The site is very special in the sense of being dedicated to the mind, body, spirit, and the sort of holistic well-being of the individual, and sort of carrying forward their legacy in that way. It’s beautiful because it’s lakeside, it’s very serene, and I couldn’t think of a better way to use the land than this.”

At the groundbreaking, Saint Leo president Dr. Jeffrey Senese predicted the new wellness center will have a significant impact: “We are creating an iconic building for Pasco County, Tampa Bay and Florida. It is our vision that this building will take your breath away.”

Published February 19, 2020

Health News 02/20/2020

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New board member
Gulfside Healthcare Services has announced that Dr. Joseph Pino has joined the organization’s board of directors.

Currently, Pino is the chief medical officer for Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point (RMCBP).

Joseph Pino, MD, MBA (Courtesy of Gulfside Healthcare Services)

He is board certified in family medicine and geriatrics, and has practiced both in the community for 30 years.

Pino most recently was assigned as the program director for HCA’s new Fellowship program in Hospice and Palliative Care, in which Gulfside Hospice physicians and nurse practitioners will collaborate in training through a Gulfside Hospice and Gulfside Palliative Care rotation.

Prior to starting his career in medicine, Pino served in the U.S. Navy, as a hospital corpsman.

He received his degree in health sciences from Hunter College of the City University of New York.

He is a graduate of Ross University School of Medicine and is a diplomat of the American Board of Family Medicine.

Pino also is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

He received his MBA from The University of Phoenix.

Since 2006, Pino has been the chief medical officer at RMCBP, where he also served as chairman of the board. In addition, Pino is a past president of the Pasco County Medical Society.

CARES programs
CARES’ Health and Wellness Department offers a variety of evidence-based programs funded by the Administration on Aging (Federal) and the Department of Elder Affairs Area Agency on Aging (State).

Chronic Disease Self-Management Program “Living Healthy”
This workshop is 2 1/2 hours, once a week, for six weeks, for people with different chronic health problems, such as hypertension, COPD, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and others.

Topics include techniques to deal with problems (frustration, fatigue, pain and isolation); exercise for maintaining and improving strength, flexibility and endurance; use of medications; communication; nutrition; and, how to evaluate new treatments.

A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns about Falls
Eight, two-hour sessions involve group discussions, problem-solving strategies, videos and gentle physical exercise. Older adults can learn positive coping methods to reduce the fear of falling, and remain active and independent.

Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance
The program focuses on prevention of falls by regular practice, to improve one’s balance and reduce the likelihood of falling. Each of eight single forms can be performed and practiced repeatedly as a single movement, or in a combination as part of a routine.

Healthy Eating Every Day
The group meets one hour per week, for 14 weeks, to help people improve the quality of their diets by building cognitive and behavioral skills.

Diabetes Self-Management
This workshop is presented for 2 1/2 hours, once a week, for six weeks, for those with Type 2 diabetes. Topics include: techniques to deal with symptoms; appropriate exercise for strength and endurance; healthy eating; use of medications; and, working effectively with health care providers. Participants make weekly action plans, share experiences and help solve problems.

Chronic Pain Self-Management
Classes meet for 2 1/2 hours, once a week, for six weeks. This program is designed for people who have a primary or secondary diagnosis of chronic pain, such as neck, shoulder or back pain; fibromyalgia; whiplash injuries; regional pain syndromes; neuropathy; and, more. Topics include nutrition, activity and rest, new treatment evaluation, exercise, use of medications, and problem-solving.

Active Living Every Day
This one-hour class meets once a week, for 12 weeks, and is a step-by-step behavior changing program to help individuals overcome barriers to physical activity. Participants choose their own activities and create a plan based on their lifestyle and personal preferences.

For information and questions, contact Theresa Brock, CARES health and wellness coordinator, at (727) 862-9291, ext. 2008 or (727) 514-4770.

Less Pain and Quicker Recovery With Opioid-Free Anesthesia

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Now Available At Medical Center of Trinity

There’s a new way of doing surgery at Medical Center of Trinity that greatly reduces patient pain and recovery time, and eliminates the use of opioid medication and its addictive properties.

Dr. Dilendra Weerasinghe, a board-certified general and bariatric surgeon, recently joined the hospital’s medical staff and brought with him expertise in opioid-free anesthesia. He has worked closely with Dr. Jonathan Hisghman, who heads up the hospital’s anesthesiology department, to set up an opioid-free anesthesiology program.

Dr. Dilendra Weerasinghe

The two physicians have implemented a protocol for surgery and post-operative care that was initially developed in the United Kingdom, where Dr. Weerasinghe received his medical training.

“Instead of using opioids and traditional anesthesiology, this protocol uses multiple drugs and nerve blocks that stop the pain at the source, before neurons transmit pain from its source to the brain,” explains Dr. Weerasinghe. “For example, before you make an incision or a cut, you block the pain before it reaches the brain or the central nervous system.”

Dr. Weerasinghe came to Medical Center of Trinity last fall to launch an opioid-free weight loss and general surgery program. His team has already successfully used this protocol on more than 20 surgeries, including bariatric cases.

Opioid-free anesthesiology has many benefits, but one of its most important is not exposing the patient, his family and caregivers to opioids’ addictive risks.

“We have an opioid crisis today, and the source for many of these drugs are prescriptions written to relieve pain after surgery,” explains Dr. Hisghman. “Unfortunately, these prescriptions can sometimes be abused by the patient, or by people who have access to a patient’s drugs.”

“Treating pain with opioids has the unintended consequence of opioid addiction, and continuing to prescribe opioids today contributes to the addiction and overdose crisis impacting our communities,” adds Dr. Weerasinghe.

There are many other important advantages of opioid-free anesthesiology. This includes less pain and shorter recovery time after surgery, reduced nausea that allows patients to more quickly resume normal eating and drinking, and no constipation common with opioid drugs.

“Most importantly, patients spend less time in the hospital, and resume their regular activities much sooner,” said Dr. Weerasinghe.

For the past 20 years, there was a big push to eliminate patient pain, explains Dr. Weerasinghe, which led to the over-prescribing of opioid medication.

“Being free of pain is not necessarily a good thing, especially if it delays a person’s recovery and exposes him to potential addiction,” said Dr. Weerasinghe. “Cultural, political and pharmaceutical factors pushed for a standard of no pain, which is not always the best goal for a patient because of the risk opioids bring.”

Dr. Weerasinghe shared that research on patient discharge after surgery shows that 7% of patients are still using opioids six months after surgery, and of those, 14% are still on opioids five years later. The best way to prevent addiction from occurring is to not prescribe opioids at the time of surgery.

“The opioid crisis contributed to exploration of alternative pain relief, which led to the multi-modal approach to pain relief that we’re using with opioid-free anesthesiology,” said Dr. Weerasinghe.

“This is not an abandonment of pain relief — but a new solution to stop the pain at the source,” adds Dr. Hisghman. “After almost 20 years of practice, I did not want to be left out on this new approach to treating pain at its source, with better outcome for my patients.”

Drs. Weerasinghe and Hisghman have found that opioid-free anesthesia often provides superior post-operative pain control and lessens side effects often found with opioid pain medication.

“Opioid-free anesthesia makes surgery more pleasant, increases safety and enhances recovery,  all while providing superior pain control,” said Dr. Weerasinghe. “Our patients want this – it makes surgery less complicated and gives us better outcomes.”

Medical Center of Trinity is the only hospital in Tampa Bay currently using opioid-free anesthesiology. Its patients have ranged in age from their 30s to 80s, and all have left the hospital with minimal to almost no pain.

“I even recommended a similar opioid-sparing anesthesia model for my mother-in-law, who had great success,” said Dr. Hisghman. “She is a believer in this protocol, and so am I. This is a visionary approach for our hospital, and truly sets us apart from other medical facilities. We are very proud to be offering it to residents of our community.”

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Flu virus spreads in Pasco

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Key indicators that track flu activity remain high nationally, and, after falling during the first two weeks of the year, it increased over the last three weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dr. John Morrison, a family physician at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, often educates others about the flu virus and about different ways it can be spread. (Courtesy of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel)

Indicators that track overall severity — including hospitalizations and deaths — are not high at this point in the season, the CDC reports.

Statewide, there were 11 new outbreaks during the week ending Jan. 25, according to the Florida Department of Health. In Pasco County, there were at least five new outbreaks, the agency reported.

During the same week, Florida had seen its highest level of observed infections, in the season this far, the agency added.

The CDC reports that people who are more susceptible to the virus are those age 65 and older, children younger than age 5, and pregnant women.

In Pasco County, the public school district reported there have been outbreaks at six county schools since October.

And, as of Feb. 5, seven influenza-related deaths among children have been reported across Florida, according to the state department of health. All of those deaths involved children who had not been vaccinated, the agency adds.

“The AdventHealth West Florida Division is seeing flu numbers more than twice as high, compared to the same time last year,” said Ashley Jeffery of AdventHealth.

Dr. John Morrison, who practices family medicine at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, said getting a flu shot is the best form of protection against the virus.

While there are steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of getting the flu, vaccination is the best method, says Dr. John Morrison of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel.

He also offered these preventative tips:

  • Hand-washing
  • Sanitizing surfaces before contact
  • Avoiding close contact with those known to be infected
  • Adequate rest
  • Adequate hydration
  • A healthy diet

“Eating a well-rounded diet can certainly help,” Morrison said. “Fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamin C and zinc can certainly play a role in the immune system.”

On average, 8% of the U.S. population gets sick from the virus each year, according to the CDC.

Be on the lookout for these symptoms of the flu: Coughing, a sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headaches, fatigue and/or diarrhea.

Sources for vaccinations can include local pharmacies, hospitals, clinics and schools.

For more information on the flu virus, visit CDC.gov/Flu/.

Published February 12, 2020

Learning to live with Lewy Body

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Although Lewy Body Dementia has no known cure, identifying its symptoms and employing specific techniques can heighten a patient’s safety.

Gary Joseph LeBlanc, a public speaker for the Dementia Spotlight Foundation, provided an educational presentation on Feb. 5 about the disease at Atria Lutz, an assisted living facility.

Lewy Body Dementia is one of several diseases that inflicts dementia upon people, causing brain degeneration and memory loss.

The Atria Lutz assisted living facility offers a memory care program for its residents who may be dealing with dementia. (Brian Fernandes)

It’s the second most progressive form of dementia, behind Alzheimer’s disease, affecting 1.4 million Americans, according to the Lewy Body Dementia Association.

The condition occurs when protein deposits, called Lewy bodies, build up in the brain.

These areas of the brain regulate behavior, cognition and movement.

The dementia is named after Frederich H. Lewy, a neurologist who discovered the protein deposits in the brain in the early 1900s.

“When these people get to the end of these diseases – their brain is not going to tell their organs how to function anymore,” LeBlanc said.

There are instances when Lewy Body can be underdiagnosed because it shares some of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, he said.

Lewy Body and Alzheimer’s both bring about cognitive or memory disorders.

However, Lewy Body affects cognition as it relates to problem solving and complex reasoning.

Alzheimer’s on the other hand affects cognition as it relates to making new experiences into memories.

The symptoms of Lewy Body and Parkinson’s are a hunched posture, stiff muscles, a shuffling walk and trouble initiating movement.

Those who experience dementia within one year of Parkinson’s symptoms are typically diagnosed with Lewy Body.

But, when Parkinson’s symptoms go into effect after a year, patients are usually diagnosed with Parkinson’s.

Other symptoms of Lewy Body include:

  • Declined thinking or reasoning
  • Confusion that varies from day to day
  • Hallucinations
  • Delusions
  • Sleep disturbances

Another symptom associated with Lewy Body is called sundowning, where one becomes more confused or agitated during the afternoon or later in the evening.

It is best to keep individuals who exhibit signs of sundowning productive during the earlier part of the day, LeBlanc said.

Not recognizing faces or surroundings, can cause a patient to experience anxiety.

Signs of such anxiety can include sweaty hands or feet, shortness of breath or heart palpitations.

“If your loved one is tossing and turning, the chances are this is probably all anxiety-related,” LeBlanc said. “If we can control anxiety and depression, [you’re] going to see a whole new patient out of this person.”

Physicians can provide the necessary medications for these symptoms, he said.

The speaker also explained the term ‘elopement,’ which is when a patient wanders away from a safe environment.

That person will typically steer in the direction of their dominant hand, LeBlanc explained.

“If not found in 72 hours, the survival rate is down by 20%,” he said.

The File for Life packet is used in these situations or when a patient is found unconscious in their home.

File for Life is a magnetic pouch where important documents can be placed and put on the refrigerator.

It may provide helpful information to law enforcement, firefighters or search parties about a patient, when lost.

There also are methods that can be beneficial to the patient.

LeBlanc also touched on using redirection to divert a patient’s attention when they are upset. Giving them an activity, such as folding clothes, or showing them old photos to help spark memories, can be helpful.

Setting a routine is important, too, he said.

Daily meals at a specific time at the same location can help keep a patient on track and can help reduce anxiety.

He also recommends keeping the patient social by going outdoors, and he said it’s good to speak to them daily.

However, do not bombard him or her with long sentences, he said. Break them down one small sentence at a time, so the patient can better comprehend what you’re trying to convey, LeBlanc said.

At times, a patient might do some mental time traveling, where he or she believes they’re in a past time or place in their life.

It’s good to explain to that individual what the current date is, but don’t force the issue, LeBlanc said.

Sometimes you have to acclimate to the patient’s reality.

“If the facts don’t matter to him or her, they should not matter to us,” LeBlanc said.

When addressing a patient, it’s more effective to say “we” as opposed to “you,” he added. That helps the patient to view a task as a team effort, which tends to result in a greater likelihood of cooperation.

For more information on this disease, visit the Lewy Body Dementia Association at LBDA.org.

Published February 12, 2020

Awards are bestowed

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Robert Prezioso, recognized as the ‘most dependable,’ holds his award next to Maynard, the HIPAA Hippo. (Courtesy of Access Health Care Physicians)

Access Health Care Physicians recognized its employees at its annual ACES (Access Celebrates Excellent Service) event.

The winners of the ACES awards were nominated by fellow team members, and each winner received a certificate, a trophy and eight hours of paid time off.

  • Best Attitude: Alicia Sirico
  • Best Coworker: Marisol Colon
  • Best Skills: Yolanda Thomas
  • Dirty Job Award: Ashley Lutz
  • Most Dependable: Robert Prezioso
  • Most Hospitable: Caridad Perez
  • Most Humble: Jackie Santana
  • Most Tactful: Melissa Coe
  • Most Teachable: Shannon Cook
  • Participation: Daisy Aponte
  • Person of Integrity: Marinna Mihan
  • Ray of Sunshine: Tassandra Jean Marie
  • Team Player: Yamaly Rodriguez
  • Unsung Hero: Lizbet Casilla Hernandez
  • HIPPA Hero: Lexus Frederburg

Health News 02/05/2020

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(Courtesy of Patricia Serio)

Aiming to fulfill basic needs
The GFWC Lutz-Land O’ Lakes Woman’s Club collected hundreds of pairs of eyeglasses, sunglasses and more, and donated cartons filled with the eyewear to the local Lions Club. The Lions Club, in turn, sorts and distributes the used eyewear to low and middle income people in countries and states (including our own) lacking access to basic eye care needs and services. From left: Elayne Bassinger, Lions Club officer Claudette Henry, and Madeline McCulloh. For more information on the woman’s club, visit GFWCLutzLandOLakesWomansClub.org or its Facebook page.

Women’s Choice Award
AdventHealth Wesley Chapel has been named one of the top hospitals in the country for obstetrics and patient safety by the Women’s Choice Award.

The Women’s Choice Award empowers women to choose the best health care based on female patient satisfaction and clinical excellence for hospitals across the country.

This is the fifth consecutive year AdventHealth Wesley Chapel has been named a top choice for women.

“We are thankful for once again (to) be the top choice for women looking for high-quality health care,” said Erik Wangsness, president and CEO of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, in a release.

“We work hard every day to provide safe quality care, and to have that work recognized is gratifying,” Wangsness added.

The Women’s Choice Award evaluates specific Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey results, along with primary research about women’s health care preferences.

For information on the award, visit WomensChoiceAward.com.

Top AdventHealth hospitals
AdventHealth West Florida Division again has earned the highest marks possible for patient safety and quality, according to a news release.

The Leapfrog Group announced the Top Hospitals in the country, and AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth North Pinellas, AdventHealth Sebring, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Zephyrhills all received the Top General Hospital award.

The Top Rural Hospital designation went to AdventHealth Wauchula, for the sixth time in a row.

Top General Hospital is an elite designation with only 37 hospitals in the country and 21 hospitals in Florida receiving the recognition from the Leapfrog safety group. Only the highest-performing hospitals on the Leapfrog Hospital Survey, earning an A rating, are eligible to be recognized annually with this award.

In addition to the six Top Hospital designations, these hospitals received an A or B in patient safety from Leapfrog: AdventHealth Carrollwood (A); AdventHealth Dade City (B); AdventHealth Lake Placid (A); AdventHealth North Pinellas (A); AdventHealth Ocala (B); AdventHealth Sebring (A); AdventHealth Tampa (A); AdventHealth Wesley Chapel (A); and, AdventHealth Zephyrhills (A).

To see the full list of institutions honored as 2019 Top Hospitals, visit LeapfrogGroup.org/tophospitals.

New appointment
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has appointed Paige Laughlin, MHA, as chief operating officer.

Laughlin comes to Bayonet Point from Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas, where she served as the vice president of operations, ethics and compliance officer, and chief staffing officer.

She received her bachelor’s degree in industrial and systems engineering from Ohio State University, and a Master of Health Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.