Health

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation recently received a $1,000 grant from Alliant Energy to support the purchase of three new ambulance jump bags for the EMS team. A generous private donation to the Foundation provided the remaining funds needed to complete the purchase, ensuring EMS staff have updated equipment in each ambulance to better serve patients throughout the area. 

Currently, EMS personnel use 10-year old canvas jump bags on all emergency responses. These bags have limited organization, causing lifesaving equipment to be stored loosely and slowing access during emergencies. The canvas material is difficult to clean and disinfect after exposure to blood and bodily fluids, creating infection control challenges.

September 10 was World Suicide Prevention Day. Pictured above are several staff members at Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) who supported the day by wearing teal and purple, representing this important message. The entire month of September is Suicide Prevention and Awareness Month, an opportunity to strengthen connections, share trusted resources and encourage conversations about mental health at every age. Checking in with someone, listening with care and helping them connect with professional support can be important steps. Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or emotional distress should call or text 988. In an immediate, life-threatening emergency, they should call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. More help is available locally than ever before. The new Veterans Memorial Hospital Senior Life Solutions (SLS) program provides support for older adults facing depression, anxiety, grief, and life transitions. Call 563-568-5560 for more information.

September is National Healthy Aging Month
 
By 2026, over 25-percent of Iowa’s population is expected to be 60 years of age or older according to the Iowa Department on Aging1. The health and wellbeing of older adults is a priority in the state. September is National Healthy Aging Month and Allamakee Public Health (aka Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care) and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services are reminding Iowans to make sure they are up to date on key vaccines.

“As people grow older, they may be more susceptible to infectious diseases. Vaccination plays a vital role in preventing illnesses and protecting older adults from potentially severe complications,” said Sheryl Darling-Mooney RN. “Staying up to date on immunizations is one of the easiest, safest ways to protect yourself.”

Dr. Olaitan Akinboboye, the new family practice physician, has officially begun caring for patients at both the Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Postville and Waukon Medical Clinics.

Dr. Akinboboye cares for patients each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in the Postville Clinic, offering a physician choice to this clinic once again, following the retirement of Dr. McMullan last November. Dr Akinboboye also cares for patients Mondays in the Waukon Clinic.

“I practice full-spectrum Family Medicine, providing comprehensive care for patients of all ages - from newborns to seniors. My practice includes preventive wellness exams, acute care for immediate illnesses, and long-term management of chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension. I am also passionate about health promotion and partnering with patients to improve their overall quality of life,” explains Dr. Akinboboye.

WinnMed in Decorah announced at its September Board of Directors meeting that Chief Nursing Officer Kathy Moritz of Lansing will retire November 25 of this year, concluding a distinguished 36-year nursing career and nearly nine years of service as the organization’s Chief Nursing Officer.

Since joining WinnMed’s leadership team, Moritz has played a vital role in advancing patient care, supporting nursing excellence, and strengthening healthcare services for the communities WinnMed serves. Her leadership has helped guide the organization through periods of growth and change while maintaining a steadfast commitment to quality, safety, and compassionate care.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, September 17 at 10 a.m.   The meeting will be held in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of the hospital.

This month, Angela Taylor, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner will be presenting. Angela is one of the three mental health practitioners caring for patients in both the VMH Waukon and Postville Medical Clinics. She will be covering ways to cope with stress.  

Stress has a negative effect on blood sugars just like high carbohydrate meals and sedentary lifestyles. Following Angela’s presentation, Angie Mettille, Diabetes Educator, will review the importance of blood sugar monitoring.

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, Diabetes Educator, at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
 

The new family practice physician, Dr. Olaitan Akinboboye, begins seeing patients this week at the Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Postville and Waukon Clinics.  He will be caring for patients in the Waukon Clinic each Monday and the Postville Clinic Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays each week.

Dr. Akinboboye will again add a physician choice to the Postville Clinic, following the retirement of Dr. Thomas McMullan last November. He will join nurse practitioners Minji Ransom, NP; Katie Maker, NP/Nurse Midwife; Hannah Kelly, NP; Mason Kerian NP; and Alex Berns, NP, who all provide family medicine one to two days a week at the Postville Clinic as well as at the Waukon Clinic.

The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital & Clinics, Elliott Jewelers and Waukon Chamber of Commerce hosted their “Women’s Wellness Night Out,” September 1 at the Allamakee Fairgrounds Pavilion and welcomed a record crowd of nearly 250 ladies attending.

September is National Suicide Prevention Month.  988 is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline available 24/7 for anyone contemplating suicide. This year, the 988 Crisis Lifeline shares the message of ‘Compassionate Help. Anytime. Anywhere.’  

This theme reflects the core principles and messaging promoted by the 988 Lifeline and partner organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and Vibrant Emotional Health:
• Emphasizing accessibility: The phrases reinforce that help is always available through a simple, three-digit number.
• Reducing stigma: The language is designed to encourage those experiencing emotional distress to seek help by highlighting that support is confidential and non-judgmental.
• Building a better crisis response: The theme of “reimagining crisis response” reflects the broader, long-term goal of improving mental health crisis services nationwide.

Knowing what to expect when calling 988, the Suicide and Crisis line, can make reaching out feel more manageable.

When you call or text 988, a skilled counselor will ask about your safety, listen to what you are experiencing, provide support and share resources that may help. People can contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for suicidal thoughts, emotional distress, mental health or substance use concerns, or when they need someone to talk with. Family members, friends and caregivers can also contact 988 when they are concerned about someone else.

The service is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day.

During Suicide Prevention & Awareness Month, save 988 in your phone and share this information with your family, friends and community.