November is National Home Health Month: Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care travels throughout Allamakee County


National Home Care Month ... The Veterans Memorial Hospital’s Community and Home Care Department’s registered nurses (RNs) and trained home care aides travel the entire Allamakee County area helping their patients to remain living independently in their own homes. Referrals for their services can be made by family members, physicians, neighbors, friends, and other health care facilities. Patients can also request their care themselves when being discharged from another health care facility. Pictured above, left to right, in a selfie is Toni Kolsrud of rural Waterville with Home Care RN, Juli Viet, who cares for her. Submitted photo.

The month of November is National Home Care Month. Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care (formerly called Allamakee County Public Health) travels the entire Allamakee County area offering adults the assistance they need to remain living in their homes, for as long as possible.

Registered nurses and trained home care aides offer a variety of services including nursing visits, medication set-up and administration, dressing cares, IVs, catheter and colostomy cares, overseeing rehabilitation in-home programs and assistance with personal cares.  RN staff is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“The home care people go out of their way to accommodate anyone that they help in their homes and they are always willing to work around our schedules,” states Toni Kolsrud of rural Waterville.  “They are outstanding.  If they are ever running behind they always call so I know that. That’s the difference between this hometown hospital and the big world.

Here they know you by name. I had many of them in class when they were kids. They even call just to check up on me to see if I am ok and if I needed anything. Home health and all the hospital staff have been so thoughtful and concerning. This is what small town hospitals do - they are always willing to go the extra mile for us.”

Whenever being discharged home from another health care facility, the patient can request VMH Community and Home Care provide their home health services. Anyone is eligible.  Referrals can be made by family, physicians, neighbors, friends, and other health care facilities.

Community and Home Care is Medicare certified and a member of the Iowa Association for Home Care. They are located on the upper level of Veterans Memorial Hospital. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

For more information on these services, call 563-568-5660.