Health

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care/Allamakee County Public Health continues to offer walk-in clinics for all doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, each Friday afternoon in January from 1:30-3:45 p.m. in the ICN Conference Room located on the southeast side of the hospital. Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be available.

Parking is available by the orange cones along the golf course for easy access to the vaccine location. Flu shots will also be available and can be safely administered at the same time as the COVID-19 vaccine. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Wear a mask and bring an insurance card and vaccination card if coming for a second or booster shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Both Hartig Drug and Nightingale Pharmacy in Waukon have vaccine available for ages 12 and older. Parental/guardian consent is required. Call ahead to schedule an appointment.

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Monday, February 7 from 12 to 5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. The LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital with its blood and blood products.

Here are some interesting blood facts from the Blood Center of Iowa:

“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, February 21 from 5-7 p.m. in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon.

“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.

SHIIP, the Senior Health Insurance Information Program, is a service of the State of Iowa. Local SHIIP counselors Russ Hagen and Nancy Schoh are trained by the State and do not sell or promote any insurance companies, policies or agents.   Veterans Memorial Hospital is a local sponsor for SHIIP in Allamakee County.

The local Grief Support Group will be holding its monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon Tuesday, February 8 at 5 p.m. in the Meditation Healing Center, located just inside the main entrance of the hospital.  Masks will be required.

This informal meeting is open to anyone suffering from any type of loss whether it be death, divorce, illness or some other grief.

Feel free to attend and bring a friend, and be sure to wear a mask. All attendees will be able to physically distance during the meeting.  This grief support group meets the second Tuesday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.
 

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Margaret Herman by Charlotte Christianson, Robert and Karen Fossum, Darlena Herman, James Klenske, Dave and Laurie Martin, Stephanie McGuire, Charles and Shirley Rosendahl, Steve and Maureen Thode, and Chuck and Lois Votsmier.

Memorials were also received in memory of Ann Elise and DiAnn Bakkum by Gregg and Kris Hoins, Dave and Laurie Martin, Diane Nolting, Grace Sorenson, Marvin and Marjorie Strike, Betty Troendle, Chuck and Lois Votsmier, and Gary and Jean Gilbertson.

In addition, memorials were received in memory of Darlene Lange by Laura Duvel; in memory of Pamela Croyle by Mary Ann Hager and Dave and Laurie Martin; in memory of Clarence Haberichter by Betty Troendle; in memory of James McKee by Marvin and Anita Petersen; and in memory of Marjorie Held by Mary Ann Hager, Dave and Laurie Martin, and Chuck and Lois Votsmier.

Veterans Memorial Hospital is again experiencing a very limited supply of COVID-19 testing kits and asks that anyone experiencing any COVID-19 symptoms seek one of the following testing options:

• Test Iowa Kits are available free of charge at the main reception desk at Veterans Memorial Hospital.  With these kits you collect your saliva and send the test in free of charge via UPS.
All instructions are clearly included in the kit with a phone number to call if you have any questions. There is currently just a 24-hour turn-around time for results. The Test Iowa Kits are available at the hospital from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekends and holidays.   
• Over-the-counter test kits can be purchased at all local pharmacies where supplies allow. These have immediate, rapid results; however, this is an unverified form of testing and no work excuses can be given based on these results.

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Monday, February 7, 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.

The Iowa Hospital Association, through subsidiary the Iowa Hospital Education and Research Foundation (IHERF), will award 60 health care scholarships of up to $7,000 ($3,500 per year for up to two years) and $1,000 specific to emergency medical technology/technician certification programs.

The goal of IHERF’s scholarship program is to fill Iowa health care positions that have a notable number of openings by offering financial support for health care education or training. In exchange, each $3,500 award recipient must work one year in an Iowa hospital for each year of the scholarship award and $1,000 award recipients must work one year with hospital-based or hospital-contracted emergency medical services.

Scholarship applicants must be enrolled in an accredited program and be within two years of completing their professional education. IHERF will accept scholarship applications through Thursday, March 31, 2022.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Richard Bloxham by Larry and Susie Blake, Ardie Kuhse, Bernie and Kay Pecinovsky, David and Connie Pecinovsky, Roger and Jeanettte Ruegnitz, and Gary and Jean Gilbertson.

Memorials were also received in memory of Irene Tweito by Ernie and Donnalee Osland, George Pickett, John and Sheryl Prestemon, and Larry and Nancy Straate; in memory of Marlene Klocke by Ron and Nancy Adam, Joan Bieber and Ruth Ann Teff; in memory of Arlene Westby by Ron and Nancy Adam; in memory of Lawrence Anderson by Dave and Laurie Martin; in memory of Beverly Whittle by Angela Kula; and in memory of Dorothy Thornton by Ron and Nancy Adam.

by Jill Fleming, MS, RD/LD

The New Year is here and most of us are interested in adding “lose a few pounds” to our list of New Year’s resolutions. Sounds simple enough, but where to begin?  The key to losing weight, almost effortlessly, is to eat real food most of the time and listen to your body.

A great goal is to eat real food 75-80% of the time.  The term “real food” may be defined differently according to other health professionals, but my definition is: