Health Events

The Department of Health (DOH)-Pasco County offers free HIV testing at the county health department, 10841 Little Road in New Port Richey. Testing is available by appointment only, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. For information on HIV from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, visit CDC.gov/hiv/default.html. Visit FloridaHealth.gov/knowyourstatuspasco for information on DOH-Pasco services for HIV/AIDS. To scheduled an appointment, call 727-619-0260.

AdventHealth Zephyrhills will host “Undertanding the Beat” on July 7 at 10 a.m., at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis and Wellness Center, 6585 Simons Road in Zephyrhills. The guest speaker will be Dr. Binu Jacob. For information or to register, call 877-534-3108, or visit AHZephyrhills.com.

The Department of Health (DOH)-Pasco County will offer walk-in, no-cost school immunizations for school-aged children ages 5 to 18, on these dates:

• July 8 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 10841 Little Road in New Port Richey
• July 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., 10841 Little Road, New Port Richey
• July 25 fom 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., 13941 15th St., Dade City

The first 50 people to show up will receive a free drawstring backpack with goodies inside.

For information on school immunizations, visit FloridaHealth.gov, and click on “Programs & Services,” “Children’s Health,” and then “Immunization.”

AdventHealth Zephyrhills will present a class on childbirth and newborn care on July 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the AdventHealth Wellness Center Zephyrhills. The guest speaker will be registered nurse Janna Hardiman. For information and to register, call 877-534-3108, or visit AHZephyrhills.com.

Premier Community HealthCare is encouraging men to have a health tune-up during Men’s Health Month. Premier offers services such as A1C tests (blood sugar levels), blood pressure screenings, skin cancer screenings, cancer prevention resources, and more, at multiple locations including Dade City, New Port Richey and Zephyrhills. For information and additional locations, call 352-518-2000, or visit PremierHC.org.

The Alliance for Healthy Communities will host these virtual seminars, at 1 p.m.:

• June 29: Pediatric Oral Health, presented by Laura Parra of Premier Community Health
• July 6: Marijuana Use and Pregnancy, presented by the SEN Committee
• July 13: Substance Misuse During Pregnancy, presented by Whitney Hughson of Groups Recover Together
• July 20: SCRIPT Smoking Cessationand Reduction in Pregnancy, presented by Linda Graham of the Florida Department of Health

For information and to register, visit EventBrite.com.

The University of South Florida (USF) is seeking healthy older adults to volunteer for the Preventing Alzheimer’s with Cognitive Training (PACT) study, according to a news release.

The study examines whether computerized brain-training exercises can reduce the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease.

Additional funding of $3.2 million was awarded to further investigate if Alzheimer’s can be detected early through simple blood tests, the release said.

The PACT study is recruiting volunteers age 65 and older with no signs of cognitive impairment or dementia. Those interested in the study may participate in initial testing at USF Tampa or St. Petersburg campuses, at Reliance Medical Centers in Lakeland or Winter Haven, or at designated college campuses. PACT participants may now volunteer to provide blood samples that will be used to develop tests for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease, too.

“We need 2,000 healthy older adults to volunteer for the PACT study. We are grateful to the 1,800 volunteers from Tampa Bay who have already joined our fight against Alzheimer’s disease by enrolling in PACT,” said Jerri Edwards, principle investigator, professor of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences, USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, in the release. “Participants will now not only be contributing to our work on how to possibly prevent dementia, but also advancing efforts to develop blood tests for early detection of the disease,” said Edwards.

For more information, visit PactStudy.org, or call 813-974-6703.

Stand Above the Influence is a coalition of youth leaders determined to end youth substance misuse in Pasco County, by providing education to teachers, police, businesses and other community members. The organization focuses on youth mental health; leadership skills; drug and alcohol prevention and education; and advocacy. The group is open to all middle and high school students, who can earn volunteer hours. The next meeting is on July 7 at the New Port Richey Recreation Center, 6630 Van Buren St., in the Oak Room. For more information, visit EmpoweredCommunities.org/STAND.

Stand Above the Influence and SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) will host the “Change Begins with You(th) Summit: From Inspiration to Action” on July 7 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event will include inspirational speakers, lunch, T-shirts and prizes. Space is limited to 50 people. Visit EmpoweredCommunities.org, or call the Alliance for Healthy Communities at 727-315-8658.

The New River Library, 34043 State Road 54 in Wesley Chapel, will host “Gentle Yoga with Cara Outside” on March 5 at 2 p.m., against the backdrop of the Discovery Gardens. Participants should bring their own mat. For information, call 813-788-6375. To register, visit PascoLibraries.org.