A new parking lot is part of the health center's remodeling plan.
Photo by Bailey Keiger
Showing posts with label Team 4 - Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Team 4 - Health. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Health center gets new wing
By BAILEY KEIGER
The University of Georgia’s health center has recently undergone a massive facelift to better serve the campus community.
“The consensus was that we needed to expand to serve a campus like this,” said Liz Rachun, health communications coordinator for the University Health Center.
The plans for renovations began almost as soon as the original health facility was built in 1997.
“Because of all the construction going on in the area during the Summer Olympics, the cost of building skyrocketed, so the plan had to be scaled down,” Rachun said. “Only now have we been able to get a plan for renovation together to add all the services we originally wanted.”
One of the reasons the remodel took over 10 years to plan and complete was the unique location of the health center.
“Our original plan was to extend the back of the facility, but we discovered that there are a number of historic, old trees back there that we didn’t want to harm,” Rachun said. “So we had to wait ‘til we acquired the money over the years to design a new plan that fit the area.”
According to the health center’s Web site, the new plan consists of a brand new vision clinic, expansions to the dental and women’s clinic, and relocation of the allergy and travel clinic and urgent care clinic to the first floor for easier patient access.
There will also be a health promotions department which will include a fully-functional nutrition kitchen to educate students about food preparation and food health.
“The health promotions department has been around, but the nutrition kitchen will be a new addition to that department,” said Alice Bender, nutritionist II for the health center. “We have not been able to offer classes before, so this will be a great opportunity to help students prepare healthy food and to educate them on food safety.”
Senior Barbara Uhler from Putnam County is looking forward to taking advantages of the new classes.
“I will probably use the classes, since I can’t cook at all,” Uhler said. “They sound like fun.”
Bender said that was the main goal of the nutrition kitchen, to teach those who may not have the skills to prepare healthy meals.
“Lots of people come to college not knowing how to cook, and one thing we’ve learned is that it’s difficult to have a healthy diet without proper cooking skills,” Bender said.
Bender said that this facility is unusual among college campuses.
“I haven’t heard of any other university that offers this. We have to give a lot of credit to our director for being so innovative and allowing us to build this,” Bender said.
The first phase of renovations, which cost $13.7 million, started in February 2008 with a remodeling of the parking lot, and ended in March 2009 when the main lobby area was complete. The full renovations will be complete July 2009 after the original areas of the facility have been remodeled.
Edited by HAL TIFT
The University of Georgia’s health center has recently undergone a massive facelift to better serve the campus community.
“The consensus was that we needed to expand to serve a campus like this,” said Liz Rachun, health communications coordinator for the University Health Center.
The plans for renovations began almost as soon as the original health facility was built in 1997.
“Because of all the construction going on in the area during the Summer Olympics, the cost of building skyrocketed, so the plan had to be scaled down,” Rachun said. “Only now have we been able to get a plan for renovation together to add all the services we originally wanted.”
One of the reasons the remodel took over 10 years to plan and complete was the unique location of the health center.
“Our original plan was to extend the back of the facility, but we discovered that there are a number of historic, old trees back there that we didn’t want to harm,” Rachun said. “So we had to wait ‘til we acquired the money over the years to design a new plan that fit the area.”
According to the health center’s Web site, the new plan consists of a brand new vision clinic, expansions to the dental and women’s clinic, and relocation of the allergy and travel clinic and urgent care clinic to the first floor for easier patient access.
There will also be a health promotions department which will include a fully-functional nutrition kitchen to educate students about food preparation and food health.
“The health promotions department has been around, but the nutrition kitchen will be a new addition to that department,” said Alice Bender, nutritionist II for the health center. “We have not been able to offer classes before, so this will be a great opportunity to help students prepare healthy food and to educate them on food safety.”
Senior Barbara Uhler from Putnam County is looking forward to taking advantages of the new classes.
“I will probably use the classes, since I can’t cook at all,” Uhler said. “They sound like fun.”
Bender said that was the main goal of the nutrition kitchen, to teach those who may not have the skills to prepare healthy meals.
“Lots of people come to college not knowing how to cook, and one thing we’ve learned is that it’s difficult to have a healthy diet without proper cooking skills,” Bender said.
Bender said that this facility is unusual among college campuses.
“I haven’t heard of any other university that offers this. We have to give a lot of credit to our director for being so innovative and allowing us to build this,” Bender said.
The first phase of renovations, which cost $13.7 million, started in February 2008 with a remodeling of the parking lot, and ended in March 2009 when the main lobby area was complete. The full renovations will be complete July 2009 after the original areas of the facility have been remodeled.
Edited by HAL TIFT
How to keep your pets safe this summer
John Holden walks his American Border Collie into the university veterinary school.
Photo by SARA SPIGENER
By SARA SPIGENER
If you’re a pet owner, you should take extra precautions in the summer months to keep your pets healthy.
Overheating is one of the biggest concerns when it comes to pet health in the summer. Keep physical activity to a minimum in the middle of the day. Try exercising your pet in the morning or evening when it is coolest, said Kathy Kero, a veterinarian at the University of Georgia Community Practice Clinic.
Most pet owners know not to leave their pets in a car with the windows up, but animals should never be left in a car under any circumstance. Sometimes, especially in the hottest months of summer, all it takes is a few minutes for the temperature inside the car to reach 100 degrees, said Jeff Stortz, a veterinarian at Oconee Veterinary Hospital.
“You wouldn’t want to be left in your car in the summer, so you shouldn’t do it to your pet,” he said.
Outside pets need extra special attention in the summer months to keep them healthy. Make sure there is plenty of shade where your pet is kept outside, and make sure the pet can get to that shade, said Pat Rives, Athens Animal Control superintendent. If your yard is shaded, but your pet is in a pen or tied up and can’t reach it, it doesn’t do them any good.
Keep an eye on your pet’s food and water that is left outdoors. If you feed your pet outside, don’t let extra food just sit in the bowl. This draws insects such as flies and ants. Fly strike is especially common during the summer months when people leave pet food outside, Rives said. Fly strike is the irritation of animals’ ears due to biting flies that are often attracted by food.
Most owners know to keep a supply of fresh, cool water available to their animals. But a lot of times, pets can knock over their water bowls, Rives said. Make sure that the bowl your pet drinks out of is sturdy. Try using a heavy bucket or check the pet store for water bowls that are sturdy and hard to knock over.
Flies are not the only insects to worry about in the summer. Mosquitoes start to show up when the weather gets warm, and this means increased risk of heartworms for your pet, Stortz said. Dogs should be on preventative medication to guard against heartworms, so talk to your veterinarian if your dog isn’t.
Also, summer is the high season for fleas and ticks that can carry disease and cause irritation and infections. These pests can affect any animal, even inside pets, so it is important to keep your yard trimmed and talk to your vet about preventative measures, he said.
Stortz said that one problem that pet owners don’t really think about during the summer is allergies. His office sees a lot of instances of allergies during the summer when pollens and other allergens get worse. If your pet is scratching a lot, you might want to get it checked for allergies. Not only do plants cause allergies, but many of the plants in bloom during the summer are poisonous and can be fatal, Kero said.
Another problem that owners don’t typically think about is chemical ingestion. Some pet owners keep their pets out of the heat by putting them in the garage, but this can expose animals to hazardous insecticides and fertilizers, Kero said. She has seen numerous cases where pets were exposed to antifreeze when their owners were preparing for vacation.
“Just a couple of laps of antifreeze could kill an animal in only a few hours,” she said.
Keep an eye on your pet during the summer. If there is any sudden change in behavior or diet or if the animal becomes more lethargic than usual, make sure to get it examined by a veterinarian right away, Kero said.
If you’re a pet owner, you should take extra precautions in the summer months to keep your pets healthy.
Overheating is one of the biggest concerns when it comes to pet health in the summer. Keep physical activity to a minimum in the middle of the day. Try exercising your pet in the morning or evening when it is coolest, said Kathy Kero, a veterinarian at the University of Georgia Community Practice Clinic.
Most pet owners know not to leave their pets in a car with the windows up, but animals should never be left in a car under any circumstance. Sometimes, especially in the hottest months of summer, all it takes is a few minutes for the temperature inside the car to reach 100 degrees, said Jeff Stortz, a veterinarian at Oconee Veterinary Hospital.
“You wouldn’t want to be left in your car in the summer, so you shouldn’t do it to your pet,” he said.
Outside pets need extra special attention in the summer months to keep them healthy. Make sure there is plenty of shade where your pet is kept outside, and make sure the pet can get to that shade, said Pat Rives, Athens Animal Control superintendent. If your yard is shaded, but your pet is in a pen or tied up and can’t reach it, it doesn’t do them any good.
Keep an eye on your pet’s food and water that is left outdoors. If you feed your pet outside, don’t let extra food just sit in the bowl. This draws insects such as flies and ants. Fly strike is especially common during the summer months when people leave pet food outside, Rives said. Fly strike is the irritation of animals’ ears due to biting flies that are often attracted by food.
Most owners know to keep a supply of fresh, cool water available to their animals. But a lot of times, pets can knock over their water bowls, Rives said. Make sure that the bowl your pet drinks out of is sturdy. Try using a heavy bucket or check the pet store for water bowls that are sturdy and hard to knock over.
Flies are not the only insects to worry about in the summer. Mosquitoes start to show up when the weather gets warm, and this means increased risk of heartworms for your pet, Stortz said. Dogs should be on preventative medication to guard against heartworms, so talk to your veterinarian if your dog isn’t.
Also, summer is the high season for fleas and ticks that can carry disease and cause irritation and infections. These pests can affect any animal, even inside pets, so it is important to keep your yard trimmed and talk to your vet about preventative measures, he said.
Stortz said that one problem that pet owners don’t really think about during the summer is allergies. His office sees a lot of instances of allergies during the summer when pollens and other allergens get worse. If your pet is scratching a lot, you might want to get it checked for allergies. Not only do plants cause allergies, but many of the plants in bloom during the summer are poisonous and can be fatal, Kero said.
Another problem that owners don’t typically think about is chemical ingestion. Some pet owners keep their pets out of the heat by putting them in the garage, but this can expose animals to hazardous insecticides and fertilizers, Kero said. She has seen numerous cases where pets were exposed to antifreeze when their owners were preparing for vacation.
“Just a couple of laps of antifreeze could kill an animal in only a few hours,” she said.
Keep an eye on your pet during the summer. If there is any sudden change in behavior or diet or if the animal becomes more lethargic than usual, make sure to get it examined by a veterinarian right away, Kero said.
Edited by HAL TIFT.
UGA still ready for swine flu
By SUHA ZAKIUDDIN
Although the swine flu virus has not yet proved as dangerous as was once feared in the U.S., experts across the nation are still on alert, and so is the University of Georgia.
There are no reported cases of the virus at the university at this time, but officials are taking precautionary measures.
“UGA has a plan in place and has been working on it for a long time,” said Liz Rachun, the health communications coordinator at the University Health Center.
Some of the prevention steps the university is taking include following guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Public Health. In addition, researchers on campus are monitoring cases in the U.S.
Even though the number is growing, the cases are not terrible, Rachun said.
Researchers are also monitoring the southern hemisphere during their standard flu season for mutations in the virus.
Dr. Ralph A Tripp is a professor in the department of infectious diseases and the associate director at the Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (CEIRS). He is an expert on the virus.
CEIRS is one of six national centers that researches the influenza virus and responds to pandemics. In order to learn more about the swine flu, Tripp tests strategies against the virus in animal models to study its transmission.
“Believe it or not, the best way to protect yourself is to wash your hands,” Tripp said. Both Rachun and Tripp emphasized that hand washing can help protect against the virus.
They also urge people who have influenza to stay at home.
In the Fall, two flu shots may be required, one for influenza and the other for the swine flu. If both are available then Rachun urges students to get vaccinated.
Some students are not as concerned since coverage in the media has slowed.
Gabriela Garcia, a senior double-majoring in public relations and history from San Juan, Puerto Rico, said that at first, she thought the initial outbreak of the swine flu was just a trend that popped up like the bird flu. Her views changed when she learned that people were dying, but she feels better in the months since the outbreak.
“Ask me [about the Swine Flu] two weeks ago, and I would have said I was worried,” Garcia said, “but not so much now.”
Garcia owes this feeling to a “lull” in the coverage of the virus on news stations. She does think that if the threat becomes greater, then there should be more prevention awareness on campus.
The University Health Center Web site (www.uhs.uga.edu) has basic information about the virus and prevention tips. The Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness (www.uosp.uga.edu) has additional information.
Edited by HAL TIFT
Although the swine flu virus has not yet proved as dangerous as was once feared in the U.S., experts across the nation are still on alert, and so is the University of Georgia.
There are no reported cases of the virus at the university at this time, but officials are taking precautionary measures.
“UGA has a plan in place and has been working on it for a long time,” said Liz Rachun, the health communications coordinator at the University Health Center.
Some of the prevention steps the university is taking include following guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Public Health. In addition, researchers on campus are monitoring cases in the U.S.
Even though the number is growing, the cases are not terrible, Rachun said.
Researchers are also monitoring the southern hemisphere during their standard flu season for mutations in the virus.
Dr. Ralph A Tripp is a professor in the department of infectious diseases and the associate director at the Centers of Excellence for Influenza Research and Surveillance (CEIRS). He is an expert on the virus.
CEIRS is one of six national centers that researches the influenza virus and responds to pandemics. In order to learn more about the swine flu, Tripp tests strategies against the virus in animal models to study its transmission.
“Believe it or not, the best way to protect yourself is to wash your hands,” Tripp said. Both Rachun and Tripp emphasized that hand washing can help protect against the virus.
They also urge people who have influenza to stay at home.
In the Fall, two flu shots may be required, one for influenza and the other for the swine flu. If both are available then Rachun urges students to get vaccinated.
Some students are not as concerned since coverage in the media has slowed.
Gabriela Garcia, a senior double-majoring in public relations and history from San Juan, Puerto Rico, said that at first, she thought the initial outbreak of the swine flu was just a trend that popped up like the bird flu. Her views changed when she learned that people were dying, but she feels better in the months since the outbreak.
“Ask me [about the Swine Flu] two weeks ago, and I would have said I was worried,” Garcia said, “but not so much now.”
Garcia owes this feeling to a “lull” in the coverage of the virus on news stations. She does think that if the threat becomes greater, then there should be more prevention awareness on campus.
The University Health Center Web site (www.uhs.uga.edu) has basic information about the virus and prevention tips. The Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness (www.uosp.uga.edu) has additional information.
Edited by HAL TIFT
UGA taking no chances with swine flu (brief)
By SUHA ZAKIUDDIN
Although the swine flu virus has not yet proved as dangerous as was once feared in the U.S., experts across the nation are still on alert, and so is the University of Georgia.
“UGA has a plan in place and has been working on it for a long time,” said Liz Rachun, the health communications coordinator at theUniversity Health Center.
The university is following guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Public Health. They are also monitoring cases in the U.S. Even though the number is growing, the cases are not terrible, Rachun said.
There are no reported cases at the university.
Edited by HAL TIFT
Although the swine flu virus has not yet proved as dangerous as was once feared in the U.S., experts across the nation are still on alert, and so is the University of Georgia.
“UGA has a plan in place and has been working on it for a long time,” said Liz Rachun, the health communications coordinator at theUniversity Health Center.
The university is following guidelines provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Public Health. They are also monitoring cases in the U.S. Even though the number is growing, the cases are not terrible, Rachun said.
There are no reported cases at the university.
Edited by HAL TIFT
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