Health

Veterans Memorial Hospital Urgent Care is available seven days a week and designed for treating injuries or illnesses requiring immediate care, but not serious enough to require an emergency department visit.

Examples of what a patient may seek Urgent Care for could include back pain; bladder or urinary tract infection; cough; cuts, scrapes and bruises; diarrhea; fever, colds and flu; ear pain, swimmer’s ear, ear infection, or wax removal; insect or tick bite; joint pain; minor burn; nausea/vomiting; pink eye; rash; seasonal allergies; sinus and upper respiratory infection; sore or strep throat; strains/sprains; sudden back or neck pain; urinary problems or vaginal irritation/discharge.  Most insurance does cover urgent care visits. Patients can usually expect to pay a copay or deductible for visits to Urgent Care treatment centers.

“Welcome to Medicare” is a free, two-hour seminar offered by the Veterans Memorial Hospital Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) counselors.  This program will be held Monday, March 2 from 5-7 p.m. in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital.

“Due to the great turn-out we continually have for these meetings, we have decided to offer another free seminar to the community this spring,” says Russ Hagen, SHIIP volunteer. “I am happy they are so well attended. Medicare is such an important program and understanding what it offers helps assure that anyone eligible gets the health benefits they deserve.”

“Welcome to Medicare” will cover Medicare Part A and Part B benefits, the prescription drug benefit (Part D), Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare supplement insurance.

Veterans Memorial Hospital will not be offering a CPR course in February. The next class available will be offered Wednesday, March 18, and it will be offered for health care professionals.

The cost for all CPR classes, for certification or recertification, at Veterans Memorial Hospital is the same and all registrants should bring along their own pocket mask. The card received with the course does certify attendants in CPR for two years.

Pre-registration plus a minimum of four participants is required for the class to take place. For more information and to register for the next CPR Course, call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
 

Veterans Memorial Hospital will sponsor a Babysitting Seminar Saturday, March 14 from 8:30 a.m to Noon. The class will be held in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital.

Intended participants are individuals 10 years of age and older who are responsible for their own care after school until their parents come home from work, and individuals who care for other children in or outside of their own home. Girls are not the sole babysitters in this society. Boys are also welcome and encouraged to attend.

Topics to be covered include fire and personal safety, accident prevention and emergency actions, nutritious snacks and basic care of children.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, February 20, beginning at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at Veterans Memorial Hospital in the Large Conference Room, which is located on the lower level of the hospital in Waukon.

This diabetes class is open to everyone who has diabetes or who has a friend or loved one with diabetes. For more information on the Diabetes Support Group, call  Angie Mettille, RN at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
 

Surveillance by the Iowa Department of Public Health and Allamakee County Public Health, and testing by the State Hygienic Laboratory indicate flu activity continues to be widespread in Iowa. The flu season typically peaks in February and can last as late as May. “As long as flu viruses are circulating, it’s not too late to get the vaccine,” said Allamakee County Public Health Director Lisa Moose.

There has been much focus on the novel coronavirus first detected in China and while public health officials take the novel coronavirus outbreak seriously, the risk of influenza is much more significant to Allamakee County residents. It’s not too late to receive the flu vaccine and in order to prevent flu and other viruses from spreading, remember the three Cs:

· Clean hands frequently with soap and water.
· Cover coughs and sneezes with the elbow or upper arm.
· Contain germs by staying home when ill.

The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital will be holding its monthly Euchre Marathon for all individuals of the community interested Thursday, February 20. Men and women are welcome to attend, even if not an Auxiliary member. The Euchre marathons are held the third Thursday of each month at the Senior Citizens Room at the Waukon Wellness Center in northwest Waukon. 

The Auxiliary’s Euchre Marathons begin at 11:30 a.m. with dinner, if chosen. Call Northland Agency on Aging at 877-838-8077 if choosing to eat dinner. Card playing will follow at 12:30 p.m. until approximately 2:30 p.m. Anyone wishing to stay and play cards following the Senior Citizens meal is more than welcome to do so. All proceeds go towards the Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital. Prizes will be awarded.

Anyone interested in attending, but preferring to play Bridge is also welcome to join in. It is asked that they come with their own table of four players, however.

Memorials were received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of LeRoy McCabe by Dr. Bill and Libby Withers, Bob and Marilyn Bulman, Don and DiAnne Haler, Maury and Kay Mooney, Chuck and Lois Votsmier, and Dr. David and Suzanne Hahn.

Memorials were also received in memory of Hilmen Christianson by Nancy Kruse, John and Sheryl Prestemon, Jim and Bev Larson-Needham, Jane Dietrich and Lillian Larson.

In addition, two donations were received by the Foundation given by Karen K. Regan and Margaret Halverson.

Memorials and donations are greatly appreciated by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation.  The Foundation is a 501C3 organization. All donations to the Foundation are tax deductible. Memorials and donations can be sent to the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation, 40 First Street SE, Waukon, IA  52172.
 

Quitline Iowa is a free service with a team of coaches trained to safely guide those who want to quit tobacco down the path to success. Allamakee County residents can take advantage of the program by calling 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669), or visit www.quitlineiowa.org.
 

The following information was received by the Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care Department (formerly Allamakee County Public Health) February 4, 2020 from the Iowa Department of Public Health concerning the Coronavirus.

The 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a coronavirus identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China in December 2019.