Health

by Steven Mazzafield, Speech Pathologist at Veterans Memorial Hospital
 
It’s summer-time again.  Children tend to do worse on academic tests after summer vacation, sometimes referred to as “brain drain.” Math and spelling also are more likely to get worse over summer break. And, of course, if children are already falling behind or a poor reader, summer vacation can have an even greater impact.

For those who would like to know more about how to help children reduce “brain drain” over the next few months, here are some helpful language-based activities that parents, grandparents, and siblings can put into action.
1. Check out a new book from the library and encourage children to read more by offering a prize or reward.
2. Remember to ask questions about whatever children are reading; this helps improve literacy, sequencing, and comprehension skills. It also holds them accountable.

The demand for blood is very high. Anyone can help!  The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Monday, July 1, from 12-5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon.

Free sports physicals will be offered at the Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Clinic-Waukon for all junior high and high school students who need the physical for participating in school sporting events. These will be held at the Veterans Memorial Hospital-Waukon Clinic the following dates and times:
• Wednesday, July 10 5:30-8:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 24 5:30-8:30 p.m.

These clinics will include all necessary documentation, including a concussion screening, for participation in all school activities.  Physicals are scheduled in one-hour segments. The clinic staff will not be administering vaccines during this time.  If vaccinations are needed for students, call the clinic at 563-568-5530 to schedule a vaccine appointment.

June 13-19 is National CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) Week. Certified nursing assistants began working under the Red Cross program during World War I where they were trained to care for wounded soldiers. The career has continued to evolve over the years, becoming a key part of the health care team at most all health care facilities.

Veterans Memorial Hospital utilizes CNAs in patient care on both the inpatient floor of the hospital and as Home Care Aides in the Community and Home Care Department.  CNAs on the patient floor assist the patients with daily personal cares, eating, walking, and being an advocate during their hospitalization.

The Sunday School youth from St. John’s Lutheran Church in Waukon recently compiled and donated a number of Infusion Activity Bags to the Infusion and Treatment Center at Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) in Waukon. The bags are full of activities to help pass the time for patients when they are in the Infusion Clinic, receiving their treatments.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital Infusion and Treatment Center offers a wide variety of outpatient services, close to home.  Dressing changes, blood transfusions, medications and much more are offered locally by skilled registered nurses. They are now treating more and more patients with rheumatoid arthritis, Chrones disease and most any type of autoimmune disease.

The Infusion and Treatment Center also helps with chemotherapy symptom management, helping to keep patients feeling as good and as healthy as possible while they undergo their chemotherapy treatments at another facility.

by the Iowa Department of Public Health

Warm weather means more outdoor activities, including picnics and cookouts. Every year, Iowa sees an increase in food-borne diseases during the summer. The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) reminds Iowans that a few simple precautions can reduce the risk of food-borne illness.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, June 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 month the topic will be “Diabetes Myths – Busted”. Facilitator Angie Mettille will review many common statements she has heard regarding diabetes that simply are not true and will discuss the truths along the way as she sets these myths straight.

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, Certified Diabetes Educator at VMH in Waukon at 563-568-3411.
 

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s 31st Annual Three Person Best-Shot Golf Tournament will be held Monday, June 17. The tournament will be held at the Waukon Golf and Country Club beginning with a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m.

Thanks to Wade Bucknell, Andy Moore and Caitlin Mahoney, agents of Farm Bureau Financial Services, Waukon, the first person hitting a hole-in-one during the first round at the golf tournament will be awarded a new Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Also, thanks to Bodensteiner Implement - Waukon, anyone hitting a hole-in-one during the second round at the tournament will be awarded a new John Deere riding lawn mower. As always, many other gifts and prizes will be awarded to all the golfers participating.

Free Sport Physicals will be offered at the Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Clinic-Waukon for all junior high and high school students who need the physical exam for participating in school sporting events. These will be held at the Veterans Memorial Hospital-Waukon Clinic the following dates and times:

• Wednesday, July 10 5:30-8:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 24 5:30-8:30 p.m.

 These clinics will include all necessary documentation, including a concussion screening, for participation in all school activities.  Physicals are scheduled in one-hour segments. The clinic staff will not be administering vaccines during this time. If those are needed for students, call the clinic at 563-568-5530 to schedule an appointment.

by Brandy Strub, MS, RD/LD, Dietitian, Veterans Memorial Hospital

Headaches are literally a pain and can make you miss work and/or other important activities. Therefore, getting relief is vital.