Health

Three Veterans Memorial Hospital staff members studying nursing have each been awarded a $3,500 scholarship from the Iowa Hospital Education and Research Foundation (IHERF), which is supported by the Iowa Hospital Association (IHA). These three staff members, who are also current students, include Morgan Van Ruler, a nursing student at Viterbo University; Tyler O’Neill, a nursing student at the University of Iowa; and Jayne McCormick,  who is already an RN and is now achieving her bachelor’s degree from Mt. Mercy University.

These three staff members are among 62 outstanding students from all over Iowa who have received assistance this year from the IHERF Health Care Careers Scholarship Program.

The children of Harold and Margaret Halverson recently donated an automatic defibrillator to Veterans Memorial Hospital in Margaret’s memory. Margaret utilized the hospital facility and services numerous times over the years. This defibrillator is located on the lower level of the hospital for easy accessibility to all the meeting rooms and the dining area located in the hospital. Pictured, left to right, are Mark Halverson, Mary Jo Meyer, Margie Sommers, Cindy Butikofer and Greg Halverson. Submitted photo.
 

Due to COVID-19 and the postponement of Waukon Corn Days, Veterans Memorial Hospital will not be holding its 27th annual 5K Walk/Run this year. But the hospital staff has marked the route that curves around the city for anyone in the community to enjoy at any time.

The first distance offered on the route is a 1.5-mile loop around the hospital campus and golf course.  Participants may choose to return to the hospital at that point, or go the entire distance of the 5K or 3.1 miles that will continue around the city streets of Waukon before returning to the hospital campus.

Maps of the 5K route and the alternative 1.5-mile route are available at the main entrance of the hospital along with participant goodie bags. The routes start and end at the south side of the hospital along the Gundersen Clinic parking lot. The entire route is clearly marked with arrows and the word “5K” all in brightly colored paint.

Veterans Memorial Hospital continues to be appreciative of the outpouring of community support  in making and donating face masks for patients and staff. With the reopening of some elective procedures, the hospital is requesting more donations, if possible.

Face masks are required for all patients and visitors at Veterans Memorial Hospital. Everyone is asked to wear a mask when they enter the facility. If they do not have a mask already, they are given one of these reusable masks to wear each time they return to the hospital. With the limited supply of masks, it is requested the patients and visitors take their masks home and launder them in hot water and dry them in a hot dryer, then wear them over and over again.

The regular Caregiver Support Group meetings held monthly at Veterans Memorial Hospital have been canceled due to the COVID-19 virus.  However, this support group is now being held through conference calls. Northeast Iowa Agency on Aging is offering weekly Caregiver Support Group conference calls every Monday from 10-11 a.m.

To join a call, just dial 1-800-264-8432. Then enter the participant code 961847# to then be connected to the support group conference call, joining other caregivers.

Memorials were received by Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Ele Klenske by Chuck and Lois Votsmier, Carl and Betty Christianson, Dave and Laurie Martin, Marv and Marge Strike, Gwenn Bray, Mary Ann Hager, David and Suzanne Hahn, DVM, Bill Withers, MD, Bob and Marilyn Bulman, Arlen and Karlene Wonderlich, DVM, Jim and Helen Johnson, Jane Dietrich, Jim and Jill Kiesau, Bev Shafer, Bob and Joy Hansmeier, Jack and Denise Hager, Viv Andregg, family and friends of Ele Klenske.

Memorials were also received in memory of Pat  Sander by Dave and Laurie Martin, Mary Ann Hager, Bev Shafer and Jerry and Linda Siegrist.

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

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care has availabilities for immunizations which are now held on an appointment-only basis.  The walk-in immunization clinics remain on hold during COVID-19, but for those who want to call ahead and make an appointment, they can do so by calling 563-568-5660. When the appointment is made, instructions are given for the private location the immunizations will be administered.

With school right around the corner, the Community and Home Care public health office advises families to make their appointments now to be sure all needed immunizations are received before school begins. Immunizations are extremely important. They have eradicated Small Pox, eliminated polio from the Americas, and they have almost eliminated Tetanus, Diphtheria and Rubella.  Immunizations have also greatly reduced the occurrence of Measles, Pertussis and Meningitis.  Millions of deaths and other tragedies have also been prevented by vaccines.

by Jill Fleming, MS, RD/LD

Many people are experiencing more worry and stress in their lives as they look for ways to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and the “new normal”. Unfortunately, a lot of those people may be turning to eating to fill the time and escape from the anxiety. Healthy eating and exercise plans have been replaced by comfort-foods and being more sedentary, as we absorb the daily news feed updates. It’s hard to cope with social-distancing from our loved ones, plus being bored and not wanting to reach for a favorite snack or two each day. While an occasional treat is usually not a problem, regular consumption can quickly add extra weight, as these processed foods are loaded with calories. Processed foods and baked goods increase stomach fat, because they create a yo-yo effect on a person’s blood sugar and insulin levels.

Veterans Memorial Hospital still encourages the continued use of face masks in the community, but urges all to wear them appropriately. Masks are extremely effective against the COVID-19 virus, but must be worn correctly to ward off the virus.

The following instructions from Johns Hopkins Medical Center give simple, effective rules for mask use.  First, hands must be cleaned just prior to putting on the mask, making sure to touch only the sides or bands of the mask with the hands - the front of a mask should never be touched. Hands should always be cleaned again after removing a mask. Masks must always cover both the mouth and the nose and fit under the chin.  Reusable masks must be laundered after each use in hot water and dried in a hot dryer.  Disposable masks should be thrown when they are visibly dirty or damaged.  Masks should also never be shared with another person.  Masks should be worn whenever around others in public places away from home.

The local Grief Support Group will again begin holding its monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital Tuesday, August 11, at 5 p.m. in the Meditation Room, located just inside the main entrance of the hospital.

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.