First and foremost, taking the proper precautions to limit the lifespan of this pandemic doesn’t have to be political. These precautions are vital if we want to continue to keep our local businesses open to support our community.

On June 26th, the governor had to close bars due to poor compliance of some of our folks. I believe this governor is a very good supporter of individual liberty, but we cannot live in a selfish bubble where life is all about one’s self.

We are surrounded by other human beings and it’s imperative that we take a selfless approach to the health of our entire community. Our actions, whether positive or negative, will come back to affect all of us.

By refusing to take basic precautions, we are indirectly contributing to a premature loss of life that can be easily avoided. I personally value life and anyone it includes: whether they are unborn or alive, old, young, white, black, brown – even pets and animals.

Citrus county is the second oldest county in the country in terms of average age. These folks are at a high risk of dying of this disease, not to mention many younger folks who have undiagnosed immune problems.

If we don’t care for the vulnerable folks in our community, who will? Please don’t lose our humanity over politics!! We can work together to overcome this pandemic by wearing a mask, practicing social distancing, and being vigilant about washing our hands.

This is not a political issue – it’s a human issue.

Dr. Dacelin St. Martin is a triple board certified physician in adult internal medicine, pediatrics, and sleep medicine. He is the medical director of Quick Care Med.

The post Thoughts from Dr. Dacelin St. Martin on the Importance of Selflessness appeared first on Quick Med Care.

Now, throw in some social distancing, and it can make for some interesting celebrating this Father’s Day.

We’ve decided to compile a list of things you can do for dear dad to make him feel special on his day. Take a look below for ideas that won’t break the bank, optimize family time, and are great for forming memories.

1. Personalized Gift Basket

You know what dad likes. Maybe he works long hours and wishes to remain horizontal on his day off. Try putting together his favorite snacks so he can stretch out in his recliner for some Netflixing. You can share the best part of the experience, but remember – dad chooses the show.

1. Let Him Sleep In

This is a given for all the dads out there who are busy day in and day out dadding. The charm about this is what you’re doing while he’s sleeping. Corral the kids and make dad his favorite breakfast, complete with a fancy coffee drink. Have the kids tidy their rooms and pick up those pesky Lego pieces sharp enough to take off a toe.

1. Make Dad the Star of the Show

If dad likes to grill out, set things up for him to do what he loves with minimal effort. Marinade the kabobs and prepare the sides ahead of time. All dad has to do is put the meat on the grill and cook it to perfection. The best part is that he takes credit for such a wonderful meal without the prep work. Then help clean up so that dad can relax pool-side or in front of the game.

1. Make Dad a Card

This point pretty much speaks for itself. The significant part is that you can use whatever medium you have on-hand, even binder paper with lines. The charm behind this idea is the IOU card that you put inside your creation. Maybe it’s a fishing day or a foot rub, or one steak dinner to be redeemed in the future. You can be creative and generous as you feel fit. Not all celebrating has to happen right on Father’s Day.

1. Family Game Day/Night

Do you have a family game that you play? If not, then maybe it’s time to dust off one of those board games on your top shelf, like Monopoly. It doesn’t matter what you decide to play as long as you do it together. Make a point of laughing at dad’s corny jokes and take lots of pictures of the family festivities. If you’re extra nice, let dad win so the day can end on a high note.

From our Quick Care Med family to yours, have a wonderful Father’s Day. Remember, we have ten urgent cares across four counties to ensure everyone is well this Father’s Day. We offer office and Telemedicine visits. Click here to schedule a Telemedicine appointment.

The post 5 Ideas to Make Dad Feel Special this Father’s Day appeared first on Quick Med Care.

Here are some things you can still do this weekend, and some new things you can add to your usual festivities.

Get Crafty with Easter Eggs

Have the little ones color eggs and really get into the Easter spirit this year. This may be something you normally do with a few of their friends over, so maybe you can join in this year and color some of your own.

Get into the holiday a little more than usual and decorate your home. The kids can color some pictures and hang them up, hide Easter eggs around the house and go on an in-home Easter egg hunt. Have a ton of fun with the holiday and make it memorable for everyone involved. 

It’s a Great Time for New Traditions

This is a great opportunity to go back to basics. Without all the extra ta-da! of making a big holiday dinner and the distraction of visiting guests, you can take the time to introduce some new ideas to your family.

You can have a family fun game night, or maybe break the projector and screen out and have a movie night picnic in the backyard. You can still have your family dinner, but this year you can use the “nice” dinnerware since you won’t have so many more people to entertain.

Enjoy Streaming Easter Services 

If you and your family traditionally go to church on Easter, you can still enjoy a sermon without physically being there. Many religious venues have adapted to the situation and have begun live streaming their services online.

Whether on Facebook, YouTube, and sometimes via your church’s website, you can still be present for a service. Look them up online to see what they’re doing to make their service available for viewing.

Don’t let the current situation control the narrative for your family holiday this year. You can make memories that your kids will remember forever. Use social distancing to your advantage and spend quality time with those closest to you.

The post How to Celebrate Easter while Practicing Social Distancing appeared first on Quick Med Care.

There’s only so much TV and gaming you can do, but thankfully, there are many activities out there to keep little (and not-so-little) minds happy and occupied. Keep in mind that all these activities require little to no prep and use props that most of us have around the house.

Forts

If you have a couch, some cushions, and some blankets, well, you have a fort. Your new homestead can be anything: a campsite, a medieval fortress, or a secret society. If you opt for a secret society, come up with signature handshakes or your language. More props to you if you can include the family dog in this adventure.

Snacks & Shapes

There’s a good chance that one of your staples (along with water and toilet paper) is white bread or any bread. And if you have cookie cutters, you can cut out shapes into snazzy designs, and even put together some scrumptious P&J sandwiches. Just remind the little ones to wash their hands before they get started.

Shaving Cream Art

This activity is great if you have little ones who are under the age of five. Please encourage them to make their favorite animal, person, or thing. Also, shaving cream is excellent for finger painting and letter recognition. Begin to spell out simple words, and the first person to guess the word gets the point. The winner receives a trophy made from construction paper or grandpa’s bowling trophy from the ’70s.

Old Halloween Costumes

Have your kids model their Halloween costumes from years gone by. Think of it as “spooky dress up.” Have them model their “new looks” and take pics of them to have a relic of the time you spent together as a family. If you have leftover candy (or anything for that matter), practice your trick-or-treating for next year by having your kids knock at many doors around the house.

Freeze Dance

Pump up the bass and get your kids dancing. Feel free to join in or lounge on the sidelines on the couch. Play the music for a few seconds and then pause it, which indicates that everyone should stop moving. Dance, pause, repeat until the kids are good and tired, and are ready to return to their forts for a nap.

There are so many activities that you can do to keep your family busy and make memories while in the process. What’s most important is that you’re safe and sound in your home’s comfort, spending time with those who mean the most to you.

The post Activities to Keep the Kiddos Busy appeared first on Quick Med Care.

When we’re being told to practice social distancing, you can start to feel trapped. You start feeling restless, irritable and lose all motivation to…anything. There’s only so much of the usual daily routine you can handle before you can’t stand it anymore. That old-timey disorder cabin fever can affect anybody, but what can you do to beat it?

Once you are confined to your home, those times of regular relaxation only last so long, you lose your sense of time, and you run into a period where you just don’t want to do the things you usually do when you’re at home.

Time to get out of the average home routine and make a new one.

Be Productive

Give yourself goals to accomplish each day, each week. Whether it’s cleaning a room, finishing that home project you’ve put off, re-purposing your house, take some time each day to DO something.

If you can combine your goals with something that makes you use your brain, that’s another benefit to those going stir crazy. Learn a new skill, build something you’ve put off; giving stimulation to your mind reduces feelings of isolation and uselessness.

Don’t Graze out of Boredom 

Keeping bits of your typical day helps you maintain a sense of schedule. When we get bored, we tend to eat whatever, whenever, grazing for food throughout the day.

Eating right gives you more energy and a better sense of motivation. You may be less hungry if you aren’t out moving around as much, but if you focus on keeping a healthy diet, limiting sugary and fatty foods.

Give Mom a Jingle

Stay in touch with your friends and family. When you begin to feel caged in your home, it’s time to benefit from some of the available technology.

Reach out to your friends, video chat them, stay in touch. Get a sense of things going on outside of your home. Take the extra time you have to reach out to some people you haven’t spoken to.

Take advantage of the technology available to us to get in touch with as much of the outside world as possible.

Social distancing can be a productive and enjoyable time away from the stressors of everyday life. Remember, it’s just a brief pause in time before we’re back to our daily routines.

The post Social Distancing: A How-To appeared first on Quick Med Care.