MEDICAL ADVICE

week that clients come to take part in the activities, such as chair exercises, painting and puzzles. Change of Pace launched Cardio Drumming earlier this month, where participants pound huge rubber balls with drumsticks in rhythm to music like “The Twist.” It was a huge hit with more sessions to follow. Change of Pace aims for person-centered activities, where each client is assessed based on preferences and abilities, with activities tailored to their individual needs. Shwingel breaks down the cost-benefit ratio by comparing the price of an in-home caregiver versus the cost of Change of Pace. The difference is three hours with an in-home caregiver to a full day at Change of Pace. Additionally, Change of Pace clients are given the opportunity to get out of the house while allowing the caregiver to stay home if they choose. There, caregivers can turn their productivity on other needs at home without interruption, like laundry, cleaning or even sleep. “That’s the benefit of adult daycare that a lot of people don’t recognize,” Schwingel said. Heckman knows Ruth will be in good hands because he has already seen the conscientious and caring environment at the support groups. “There is such a drastic need for this in other communities because there are a lot of caregivers,” he said. “To be honest, your life has taken a different turn.” The five people who started Change of Pace in 2012 did it with the goal in mind to offer caregivers a needed change of pace, thus the name. The main purpose for opening the nonprofit was to give the caregivers a break so that they could better care for themselves and therefore take better care of their loved ones, Schwingel said. Heckman can attest to this. He knows he needs to take time for himself to take care of himself, which he has already had a taste of attending the support group. “They needed to be taken care of,” Schwingel said. “They needed help to guide them through the journey.” Change of Pace holds support group meetings three times a week. “Support groups help caregivers to realize they are not alone in the journey that they are on and give them pointers to make the journey a bit easier,” Swingel said. It offers adult daycare five days a week. Change of Pace is the only adult daycare in Highlands County, according to Schwingel. It operates inside Sebring Christian Church. For more information, visit changeofpacefl.com. HN

National Infant Immunization Week

by DR. JOY JACKSON

Many have received immunizations throughout their lifetime, but it’s often taken for granted how much of an impact these vaccines have on the lives of those in our communities, counties, state and even country. The Florida Department of Health in Polk County recognizes April 24- May1 as National Infant Immunization Week. This is an annual observance promoting the benefits of immunizations for children from birth to age 2. Immunizations protect adults and children from serious diseases and reduce the risk of complications from certain diseases, especially among those with compromised immune systems. Immunizations also reduce the chance of passing on a serious disease to others. The Florida Department of Health is committed to increasing the rate of immunizations among Florida children under 2 years of age. Routine immunizations give every child the chance at a healthy life from the start. Thanks to infant immunizations, significant milestones have been achieved in controlling vaccine-preventable diseases among infants worldwide. National Infant Immunization Week serves as a reminder to parents, caregivers and healthcare providers about the importance of immunizations for children. Infant immunizations protect children against 14 serious illnesses. Some of these illnesses include tetanus, diphtheria, hepatitis A and B, measles, polio, and rotavirus just to name a few. It is important for parents and health care providers to work together to follow the recommended Advisory Committee on Immunizations Practices (ACIP) schedule to protect infants and children. The recommended immunization schedule is designed to protect infants and children early in life when they are most vulnerable and before they are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website offers a recommended schedule for the age or age range that children should receive each vaccine. Those who are fully vaccinated also help protect those who may not be able to protect themselves against diseases. Unfortunately, there are still millions of children worldwide who are unvaccinated or under-vaccinated. As a result, vaccine-preventable diseases can still spread to the United States through various means of travel. For more information about immunizations or immunization status, contact your primary care provider or the Department of Health in Polk County. To learn more about immunizations schedules for children, visit the CDC’s website at cdc.gov. HN

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Dr. Joy Jackson, an internal medicine physician, serves the community as director of the Florida department of Health in Polk County (DOH-Polk). For more information about DOH-Polk, visit mypolkhealth.org. Follow DOH-Polk on Twitter at twitter.com/ FLHealthPolk.

NO REGRETS

Gessler Clinic’s Dr. Alan Gasner Approaches 50 Years of Medical Practice

by PAUL CATALA

From his first internship in May 1972 to his most recent patient visit in his clinic office in 2021, Dr. Alan Gasner has literally had a pulse on his patients and his career. Now in his 46th year of professional practice, Gasner continues to help his patients lead healthier lives through his nearly five decades of experience as an internal medicine specialist. It’s a profession that has taken him from a residency in his hometown of Buffalo, New York, to working as chief of medicine, chief of cardiology, medical staff president and 30 years of trusted treatment at Gessler Clinic in Winter Haven. Along the way, Gasner, 74, says medicine has been a satisfying career and says he’ll continue seeing patients until “I drop in the saddle.” Speaking from his Gessler Clinic office, Gasner says his career has been satisfying, though it can be challenging to keep up with ongoing technological changes. When he first started, patient records were kept by dictation, typing and handwriting; now, records are mandated to be put via computer. The upside to working in a clinic with the amenities of modern medical-care technology also has its benefits, Gasner says. He says it offers more sources for information on better treatments for patients. “Working at a multi-specialty clinic is beneficial in that you have other specialists you can call upon in-house for problems when you need it,” says Gasner, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1968 and medical degree from State University of New York in 1972. “You also have all of the business portions of the clinic handled by administrators, and that leaves you to practice medicine.”