Health

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon, in cooperation with the American Heart Association, is offering a course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation for lay people (those not working in healthcare), which includes child care providers, Monday, February 12 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The CPR class, which will cover adult, child and infant CPR, will be held in the ICN Room located on the lower level of the hospital. The cost of the class, for certification or recertification, is the same. The card received with the course does certify attendants in CPR for a period of two years.

CPR is administered when someone’s breathing, pulse, or both, stop. When both of them stop, the victim has suffered sudden death, which can be caused by poisoning, drowning, choking, suffocation, electrocution, smoke inhalation, or the most common cause, heart attack.

A new, local Caregiver Support Group will begin meeting monthly at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon.

The meetings will take place the third Monday of each month at 1:30 p.m. The first meeting will be held Monday, February 19 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in the Large Conference Room, located on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital.

This informal meeting is open to anyone who provides care and support for a family member or friend. Feel free to attend and bring a friend. This new Caregiver Support Group will continue to meet the third Monday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.

Café Purple is a new support group for those who have dementia or Alzheimer’s and their caregivers. The group is held on the fourth Tuesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Decorah Lutheran Church.

Café Purple is facilitated by Brecka Putnam and Debra Masek, who both help create a safe, confidential, and supportive environment and a chance for participants to develop informal mutual support and social relationships.

“No family should have to navigate Alzheimer’s alone. Café Purple is here to make all of us stronger by providing a space to share with and learn from others who are facing the same thing,” said Putnam.

Alzheimer’s is a disease near and dear to Putnam’s heart. Her father was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 57. That is when Putnam and her sister formed Trails for Dale, a 24-hour biking event, as a way to celebrate and honor their dad.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Darlene Winkie by Randy and Karen Loeb, Gayle Larkin, Mary Ann Hager, Patsy Kerndt and family and friends of Darlene Winkie.

A memorial was also received in memory of John O’Hara by Brad and Erin Berns.

In addition, a donation was received in honor of Gary and Marlene Houg’s 60th Wedding Anniversary by Marv and Marge Strike.

Memorials and donations are greatly appreciated by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation.  The Foundation 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.
 

A Suicide Bereavement Group is offered by Northeast Iowa Behavioral Health the first Sunday of every month, beginning at 7 p.m. The group meets at Northeast Iowa Behavioral Health, located at 905 Montgomery Street in Decorah.
The group provides support for those who have lost a loved one to suicide. For more information call 563-382-3649 and ask for Marcia or Joelle.

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Monday, February 5, 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 in Waukon 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.

Veterans Memorial Hospital is encouraging individuals in the area communities to sign up to participate in Live Healthy Iowa for the next 10 weeks.  The Live Healthy Iowa web-based program offers many advantages including personal on-line fitness tracking, weekly motivational emails and unlimited access to recipes, workouts and other health information, all easily accessible on the Live Healthy Iowa website.

For a small fee, each team member will receive a Live Healthy Iowa t-shirt and a free magazine subscription to one of many popular magazines. To get a team signed up, go to www.livehealthyiowa.org and click the sign-up button.

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon, in cooperation with the American Heart Association, is offering a course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation for lay people (those not working in healthcare), which includes child care providers, Monday, February 12 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

The CPR class, which will cover adult, child and infant CPR, will be held in the ICN Room located on the lower level of the hospital. The cost of the class, for certification or recertification, is the same. The card received with the course does certify attendants in CPR for a period of two years.

CPR is administered when someone’s breathing, pulse, or both, stop. When both of them stop, the victim has suffered sudden death, which can be caused by poisoning, drowning, choking, suffocation, electrocution, smoke inhalation, or the most common cause, heart attack.

A new, local Caregiver Support Group will begin meeting monthly at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. The meetings will take place the third Monday of each month at 1:30 p.m. The first meeting will be held Monday, February 19 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in the Large Conference Room, located on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital.

This informal meeting is open to anyone who provides care and support for a family member or friend. Feel free to attend and bring a friend. This new Caregiver Support Group will continue to meet the third Monday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.

The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital will be holding its monthly Euchre Marathon for all individuals of the community interested Thursday, February 15. 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. The cost is $3 per person with all proceeds going 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.