For individuals with moderate to profound hearing loss, conversations can be hard to follow. While hearing aids are helpful for many, there may come a time when a patient no longer benefits from them. The cochlear implant might be a better option.
Read more below:
READ THE DAILY SUN ARTICLE
Read The Daily Sun November healthcare report to see how TVH is working with community partners to keep our hometown healthy.
11/05/2024
READ THE DAILY SUN ARTICLE
11/12/2024
READ THE DAILY SUN ARTICLE
11/19/2024
READ THE DAILY SUN ARTICLE
11/26/2024
READ THE DAILY SUN ARTICLE
They come from all walks of life and military branches. They’ve traveled across sky, land, and sea—from combat to post-military careers in sales, security, entertainment, marketing, and more. Now residents of the Sunshine State, these veterans spend their time socializing, swinging golf clubs or pickleball paddles, and enjoying the ease of their self-paced lives. The Villages Health honors veterans and proudly recognizes these military men for their service and sacrifices. As we support their health initiatives, they share the lifestyle practices that enrich their retirement years and protect their longevity.
He could fill a book with his extraordinary, and often risky, military experiences. In fact, Jack Petro has. His novel No Ordinary Spy draws from his time as an enlisted man in World War II and as an officer during the Korean War. Like his novel’s protagonist, Jack was tapped for Naval Classified Material Courier duty. He recalls many career highlights, including his role as a U.S. Embassy escort to Queen Elizabeth II during her coronation at Westminster Abbey.
Following his military career, Jack managed various manufacturing plants for General Electric and traveled internationally to scout out potential jobsites. With his round-the-world airline ticket, he notes he has “climbed Ayers Rock in Australia, scuba-dived the Great Barrier Reef, walked a section of the Great Wall of China, touched the Pyramids in Egypt, and sailed the Nile from Cairo to Aswan.” Later, he taught at a junior college and honed his writing skills as a newspaper columnist, covering live theater performances for The Villages Daily Sun.
Jack’s Health Philosophy: At 97, Jack enjoys a loving marriage to his wife of 73 years, Jan. He spends his days sharing big salads with her, playing cards, taking the occasional nap, and soaking up sunshine at putting courses. Jack maintains his mental edge by participating in creative writing clubs.
In 1969, Charley trained at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida. He served in Vietnam thereafter. “I was in combat from October 1971 to June 1972,” he said. Now a Villager, Charlie is a member of the American Legion Post 347, Lake Deaton United Methodist church in Wildwood, and various social clubs. Lively games of pickleball keep him on his toes, fueled by his morning smoothies. “I’ve been drinking them for 15 years,” he said. Spinach, watercress, nuts, olive oil, berries and flax are some of the main ingredients in his nutritious concoction.
Among his military keepsakes, Charley cherishes a patriotic quilt and a framed, black-and-white photograph of himself in uniform. The shot captures him next to his naval aircraft, with tail numbers matching his daughter’s birth date. Some would call this curious fact a coincidence, but Charley sees a twinkling of the divine. My daughter calls it a “Godwink,” he said.
Charley’s Health Philosophy: A smoothie a day keeps the doctor away.
Upon graduating from the United States Coast Guard Academy in 1965, Howard spent the next 25 years in 18 different assignments. He commanded a range of vessels, from patrol boats to destroyer-size ships, and conducted vital operations such as search and rescue and environmental protection. In 1982, Howard received a Unit Commendation from President Ronald Reagan for his role in preventing drug smuggling into the U.S.—a highlight of his career.
In 1989, Howard retired from the Coast Guard and boarded a cruise ship for his next occupation. As corporate head of security for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., he ensured the safety of passengers and crews at terminals and ports around the world until he retired in 2013. Shortly after, he settled in The Villages and became a member of several military organizations, including Villages Honor Flight Club (VHF). Howard serves as Speakers Bureau Administrator on the volunteer management team.
“All my life I avoided talking about (certain military experiences) but being a speaker for this organization has made a significant difference,” he said. “It’s such a well-rounded organization.” Howard notes that VHF has taken approximately 23,000 veterans who served active duty to tour the monuments in Washington, D.C.
Howard’s Health Philosophy: Volunteer work enhances wellbeing while games of golf and daily walks make great exercise.
As a naval officer, Don flew over 70 Vietnam missions, became a jet pilot instructor and received leadership training through The Navy Service Support Advanced Training Command (NSSATC). He flew over 60 typhoon penetrations for weather research and early warnings in the western pacific. Don’s post-military path took him out of the air and onto the screen. With a degree in marketing and advertising, he landed television appearances with household names including Bob Barker, Art Linkletter and other celebrities. Don directed the Pillsbury Bake-Off, a show that roused viewers’ appetites for later food competition programming, such as Top Chef and Cake Boss. For 35 years, he served in sales and executive management positions, including field sales engineer roles for various telecommunications companies. Additionally, he’s performed stand-up comedy for clubs, conventions and churches and is a 40-year member of Mensa.
Don’s Health Philosophy: Golfing, albeit poorly, and comedy, keep him physically and socially active. An avid reader, Don stays sharp by reading approximately 70 books per year, and he volunteers at Mark Twain Library in The Villages. His motto is “common sense and moderation.”
Hurricane season runs from June through November. If you’ve been in Florida a while, you likely know what to expect. You may have your first-aid kit handy, a pantry full of dried goods, and water bottles by the dozen. But is your health information accessible?
Navigating online platforms can at times feel more hectic than helpful. But in an emergency, technology can be the quickest way to solve a problem or seek help. Having your health records available and easily accessible is an important step in disaster preparedness–whether a hurricane looms or the forecast is promising. It’s never a bad idea to make plans for the worst-case scenarios.
Your patient portal is a handy tool for messaging your care team, requesting medication refills, paying your bill, scheduling an appointment or viewing your latest lab results. However, the ability to access your medical history in a hurry may also be vital to your care when disaster strikes. If an accident occurs, emergency responders, loved ones, or caregivers are better able to meet your needs and understand your individual health status.
The Villages Health patients may use the following literature to create their personal account securely on a smartphone, tablet or computer.
Read The Daily Sun report on how TVH is working with community partners to keep our hometown healthy!
10/01/2024
READ THE DAILY SUN ARTICLE
10/08/2024
READ THE DAILY SUN ARTICLE
10/15/2024
READ THE DAILY SUN ARTICLE
10/22/2024
READ THE DAILY SUN ARTICLE
10/29/2024
READ THE DAILY SUN ARTICLE
Watching someone faint can be scary, and being the one who goes down is even worse. Depending on where it happens, a sudden fall could also lead to significant injury. The condition–known as syncope–isn’t typically serious, however. An episode can happen for a number of reasons, such as a sudden drop in blood pressure or heart rate. It’s important to see a doctor to determine the cause and prevent future fainting spells and falls.
In the Daily Sun feature below, you’ll learn more about the potential causes of syncope, and why a proper diagnosis could save you thousands of dollars on medical tests and wasted trips to your emergency room.
While patients might not verbalize the question, it often lives in their minds, along with other common fears and misconceptions about wearing a hearing aid. Lyric is an innovative option that is completely invisible, and it may be the ideal solution for some folks suffering with hearing loss. In this article, you’ll learn why I call Lyric the contact lens for the ear…
Find out more about audiology at TVH.
On October 5th, the green plot of land where polo ponies and players compete will be flooded with pinwheel flowers and purple T-shirts. For the fifth consecutive year, The Villages Health will sponsor the Walk to End Alzheimer’s (WTEA), the world’s largest fundraiser for Alzheimer’s care and research. Held annually nationwide in more than 600 communities, WTEA brings us together to help change the future for Alzheimer’s patients and their families.
The walk is just one of many community events powered by The Villages Health and its passionate team of health and wellness professionals, including Dementia Care Specialist Melissa Denham. Melissa runs the Dementia Care Coordination program, which has served over 900 families to date by providing essential education and resources to patients and non-patients.
Alzheimer’s, A Shared Illness
Like a storm causing widespread destruction, Alzheimer’s has sweeping effects on families and is often called a shared illness. Unfortunately, the disease is also prevalent and expected to increase among older adults. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 5.8 million Americans aged 65 years or older had Alzheimer’s disease in 2020. By 2060, the numbers are projected to almost triple to 14 million.
“There is a great need to support those dealing with dementia and I want to be able to offer my support,” Melissa said.
Stepping Up for Alzheimer’s Patients & Families
Although Alzheimer’s does not currently have a cure, research continues, and promising new treatments are making a difference. While scientists do their part to help us diagnose, manage, and prevent the disease, we can take positive steps to support their efforts. Those steps begin at The Walk to End Alzheimer’s.
TVH invites you to join us. Wear your sneakers and a smile as we step up and out for the cause!
Noisy insects can be a summertime nuisance. For the millions of people with tinnitus, a condition characterized by ringing, buzzing or hissing in the ears, the problem can’t be swatted away.
The Truth About Tinnitus
Tinnitus affects more than 50 million Americans and is most common among people over 40. The condition manifests as head noise when no external noise exists. The severity of these symptoms can vary, as some simply find it annoying and others are significantly impacted. Understanding the causes of tinnitus and available treatment options can help demystify the condition and offer hope to those affected. While challenging to cure completely, tinnitus can be managed and reduced in around 80% of the cases.
What Causes Tinnitus?
While not a disease, tinnitus can result from another disease or underlying health condition. Common causes may include exposure to loud noise, age-related hearing loss, ear infections, and earwax buildup. Certain medications, such as antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, and high doses of aspirin, can also trigger tinnitus. Medical conditions such as Meniere’s disease, acoustic neuromas, and even cardiovascular issues can lead to tinnitus.
Tinnitus & Phantom Limb Pain
Tinnitus shares similarities with phantom limb pain, a condition that causes amputees to feel sensations, often painful, in the missing limb. Both tinnitus and phantom limb pain are believed to stem from changes in neural activity. In phantom limb pain, the brain continues to receive signals from nerves that originally served the missing limb. Similarly, tinnitus may result from altered neural circuits in the auditory pathway, where the brain generates sound perceptions in response to the lack of normal auditory input.
Research indicates that these neural changes can be attributed to the brain’s ability to reorganize itself, known as neural plasticity. When the brain loses sensory input from the ears, as in auditory damage, it may compensate by amplifying neural signals, leading to the perception of sound in tinnitus. This neural reorganization is a shared characteristic with phantom limb pain, where the brain attempts to compensate for the lost limb.
Seeing an Audiologist: The Key to Management
Consulting an audiologist who specializes in tinnitus is crucial for effective management of symptoms. A doctor of audiology can help you learn the truth about tinnitus by providing a thorough evaluation to identify underlying causes, rule out worst-case scenarios, and offer best options for successful treatment.
Cutting-Edge Options for Tinnitus
More and more treatment options, ranging from environmental sound therapy to cutting-edge bimodal stimulation therapy, have shown to be 80% or more effective in reducing a person’s perception of tinnitus. Treatment options are diverse and should be tailored to the individual needs of a patient, as opposed to a one-size-fits-all approach. It’s important, however, to seek the help of a doctor of audiology who specializes in the treatment of tinnitus.
Although tinnitus is widely misunderstood, it is often manageable. If you’re among the millions of people suffering with symptoms, it’s time to hear the truth about tinnitus.
Reach out to The Villages Health for a consultation with one of our board-certified audiologists. Or join us at any of our free audiology-related events to learn more about hearing loss and hearing devices.
Read The Daily Sun report on how TVH is working with community partners to keep our hometown healthy!
09/03/2024
READ THE DAILY SUN ARTICLE
09/10/2024
READ THE DAILY SUN ARTICLE
09/17/2024
READ THE DAILY SUN ARTICLE
09/24/2024
READ THE DAILY SUN ARTICLE
Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest news.
