Health

Earlier this month, Veterans Memorial Hospital’s new, updated website went live. The new website can be found at www.veteransmemorialhospital.com. Work on this project began last summer with all hospital staff and departments involved with updating departmental information and capturing staff and patient photos for the new site.

Advantages with this new website include a direct link to the patient portal for patients who wish to follow their personal health record.  The website also features a short biography and photo of all providers who serve the patients at Veterans Memorial Hospital.  In addition, each department of the hospital has its own page with many details about the services it provides the area communities, plus the fundraising and volunteer branches of the hospital are also highlighted.

All babies born at Veterans Memorial Hospital in the year 2020 will receive a special Baby Coupon Book coordinated by the hospital.  This book will be presented to each and every family that delivers their child at Veterans Memorial Hospital in 2020.

This book is made possible thanks to the generous coupon donations made by the over 50 participating businesses located throughout the hospital’s service area including businesses in Harpers Ferry, Lansing, Luana, Monona, New Albin, Postville, and Waukon. Each business receives their own specially designed coupon with logo in the book free of charge. The business only has an expense if the family redeems the coupon at their business. The coupons range from a discount on an item in the store to complimentary give-aways with a total estimated value of over $600 in the entire book.

February is National Heart Month.  Save a life this February by making a life-saving donation of blood at the next Waukon Community Blood Drive Monday, February 3 from Noon to 5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon.

Donating blood is safe, simple and it saves lives.  Every two seconds, someone needs blood and one pint can save up to three people.

Blood donors have a unique opportunity to contribute to their community by making a life-saving blood donation.  Everyone who registers to donate blood goes through four simple steps during the donation process:  registration, donor history and mini-physical, blood donation and snacks.

New blood donors who are not familiar with the blood donation process are encouraged to ask questions before, during and after their blood donation. Below are a few tips for ensuring a successful donation:

The next Caregiver Support Group meeting will be held Monday, February 17 at 1:30 p.m. in the Meditation Room in the front entrance of Veterans Memorial Hospital. 

When a person is diagnosed with a chronic illness, a lot of focus and attention is put on how to keep that person as independent and as healthy as possible. When a person loses some of their abilities to care for themselves the burden of care is often assumed by the spouse, a child (or children), or sometimes friends and neighbors. While everyone who becomes a caregiver handles the added responsibility with different skill sets, attitudes and understanding levels, there is no question that there is a very real strain associated with care giving.

Recent studies have estimated that the stress caused just by becoming the caregiver of an adult with a chronic illness or disability will take seven years off of a persons’ life. With more and more Iowans aging, this is a real concern in the local community.

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. 

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.

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

This diabetes class is open to everyone who has diabetes or 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.
 

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Jim Sweeney by Ed and Ann Roed, Ron and Nancy Brandt, Jerry and Theresa Ashby, Jr., Jim and Linda Ryan, Steve and Denise Duffy, Marv and Marge Strike, Carl and Betty Christianson, Les and Ada Marie Kerndt, Blair and Jess Everman, Dave and Laurie Martin, Dave and Rita Newton, Eide Bailly LLP, Boulevard Brewing Co., Mark and Julie Blake, Systems Equipment Corporation, Mike and Shawna Sweeney, Orrin and Nan Grangaard, Keith and Sandra Lazar, Carol Krumme, Tom and Lynn Thomson, Brad and Judy Herman, John Gasaway, OD, Don and DiAnne Haler, Bob and Cheryl Bjerke, Chuck and Marcy Fritz, Greg and Marlene Palmer, Dr.

The Safe Routes to School program offered through Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) will be hosting its Beat the Blues Winter “Marathon” Challenge once again with the start of the new year. Starting January 1 in northeast Iowa, anyone can challenge friends, family and themselves to complete a full “marathon” worth of activities, or more, between January 1 and February 12 of this year.

Participants can run, walk, ski, snowshoe or bike 26 miles outdoors at their own pace when it works for them and their family during that timeframe, or play outside for 30 minutes in any activity to equal one mile. They can then record their mileage and submit it online after each “marathon” they complete for a chance to win a $50 gift card to Decorah Bicycles to rent skis, ice skates or bikes.

by Brianne Leikvold, RN, Maternity Services Supervisor, VMH

At Veterans Memorial Hospital Birthing Center, we offer a variety of services that can provide our patients with a more natural and enjoyable experience throughout their labor. Our patients are given options for the type of labor and delivery they would like; and our staff attempt to carry out our patients’ wishes in the safest way possible.

In recent years, water births have gained popularity amongst hospitals and mothers looking for a natural birthing option in a controlled environment. With water birth popularity growing the past three years throughout other facilities, we take pride in ourselves for having offered this service for over the past 17 years. For low-risk women seeking a more natural experience throughout the birthing process, water birth is a great option.

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Monday, February 3 from 12-5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. Blood drives are held every month in Waukon.   The LifeServe Blood Center of Iowa supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital with its blood and blood products.

The LifeServe Blood Center of Iowa is seeking donors to ensure a safe and plentiful blood supply in Iowa. Because there is no substitute for human blood, the need for donors is continuous.  Many Iowans are encouraged to make donating blood on a regular basis their New Year’s resolution this year.