Health

Congratulations to the numerous students who completed the Veterans Memorial Hospital baby-sitting class. The class, which was held Saturday, June 4, consisted of teaching the qualities of being a good baby-sitter including basic child care, accident prevention and first aid. These new baby-sitters learned CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and the Heimlach Maneuver, to be used in the case of a choking child, and also learned about personal safety thanks to assistance from the Waukon Police Department.

Memorials were received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Ruby Klocke by Kent and Donna Schultz, Dave and Laurie Martin, Patsy Kerndt, Gayle Larkin, Gladwin and Darlene Anderson, Cyril and Shirley Larkin, Bob and Marilyn Bulman, Charles and Kim Deering, Marlys Leiran, Russ and Mary Jo Meyer, Jerry and Linda Siegrist, Orrin and Nan Grangaard as well as an anonymous donation.

Donations were also received in memory or Rose Irlbeck by Rick and Cathy Larson, Lawrence and Marsha Benda, Jim and Linda Ryan, Dan and JoEllen Anderson and Donnie and Diane Haler; and in memory of Eleanor Ryan by Carol Krumme, Gary and Toni Kolsrud, Mike and Julie Snitker, Dan and Traci Byrnes, Dave and Rita Newton, Brian and Denise Wullner, Dave and Laurie Martin, and family and friends of Eleanor Ryan.  In addition, the Eleanor Ryan family also made a donation to the Veterans Memorial Hospital ambulance fund in her memory.

May was Older Americans month.  Veterans Memorial Hospital’s Community and Home Care and Rehabilitation departments work closely together helping many older Americans live life to their fullest potential.

Belva Becker of New Albin is a former patient who utilized home health services in conjunction with in-home rehabilitation twice in the past year.  She states, “Having home health care and therapy come right to my home has been very helpful for me.  I enjoyed the fact that they would come to me so I could stay home because it is hard for me to drive to Waukon.”

The purpose of home care is to keep people in their homes, near their families and in their communities for as long as possible. Home health care can provide a range of services including wound care, therapy, rehabilitative services following surgery and home infusion of drugs.

The local Grief Support Group will hold its monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital on Wednesday, June 8, at 2 p.m. in the ICN Conference Room of the hospital, which is located on the lower level.

This informal meeting is open to anyone suffering from any type of loss whether it be death, divorce, illness or some other grief.

Please feel free to attend and bring a friend.  This grief support group meets the second Wednesday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.

by Jen Palmer
Certified Dietary Manager/Certified Food Protection Professional at
Veterans Memorial Hospital
(Question submitted by Waukon resident)

Bisphenol-A, or BPA, is a synthetic estrogen used in making many plastic products.  It is also part of the epoxy resin that lines many metal cans, like those used for canned soups, vegetables, fruits and meats.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Rodney “Occo” Fink by Brad and Becky Benzing, Kent and Donna Schultz, Borton Construction, Mason and Kathy Tieskoetter, John and Shelly Elliott, Jeff and Krista Holland, Steve and Kristi Fink, Pat and Geralyn Welsh, Ben and Melissa Seibert, Jay and Sharon Martin, Sharon and Kenneth Larson, Dave and Karen Mathis, William and Sherri Holland, John and Barb Lacewell, Dennis and Karrie Peterson, Dana and Marcia Fink, Russell and Sharen Roth, Larry and Nancy Klocke, Brian and Denise Wullner, Chuck and Lois Votsmier, Bob and Karen Fossum, Nyles and Ruby Herman, Joyce Kuhse, Bernard Welsh, Jane Dietrich, Dave and Dawn Clark, Dennis and Nancy Turner, Marlys Leiran, Russ Kroner, Brad and Erin Berns, Farmers and Merchants Savings Bank and Waukon State Bank.

Each year, Veterans Memorial Hospital hosts the area Kindergarten classes for a field trip to the hospital.  Pictured are the Kindergarten classes from St. Patrick School in Waukon enjoying their visit in early May. Ms. Egan’s class is pictured in the back of the ambulance with Paramedic Cheryl Livingston, EMT-P at left and Karen Burke, RN, School Nurse, at right.  Corinne Cook, RN at Veterans Memorial, escorted all the local classes in their tour of the hospital.  During these tours, the students become familiar with many hospital services. The tours included the Emergency Rooms, viewing films in the X-ray rooms, viewing the newborn babies in the Maternity Services Nursery, visiting the Rehabilitation Department and taking a short ride in the ambulance, all to help them feel comfortable with these services. Submitted photo.
 

by Karen Collins, MS, RDN, CDN, FAND

Q: I keep hearing about “planks” as an exercise for waist and abs. What’s a plank?

A:  Planks are a great muscle strengthening exercise. They’ve become popular because they need no special equipment and strengthen abdominal muscles – along with others – without the back strain that sit-ups can cause.

The basic plank starts in a position like the “up” position of a push-up, except rather than moving up and down, plank exercises strengthen muscles by holding a position. You can start with the form where you rest on forearms and knees, instead of hands and toes. There are a variety of plank exercises, each targeting a slightly different part of the “core.”

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Lois Pickett by Randy and Lori Hesse, Marcella Selberg, Tom and Sandy Fink, Marv and Marge Strike and George Pickett; in memory of Milbourn Johnson by Irene Allison and Oliver Roderick; and in memory of Peggy Baxter Knight by Randy and Diane Wagner, Mark and Lisa Vanderkolk and Monte and Mollie Marti.

The 19th annual “Family Wellness Fair” was held Wednesday, May 11 at Veterans Memorial Hospital.  Over 350 individuals attended the wellness fair despite the rainy weather and enjoyed all the information and activities provided by over 45 agencies and businesses that serve Allamakee and northern Clayton counties. 

Veterans Memorial Hospital sponsored a health fair at the event and offered many free health tests, assessments and information throughout the evening.  Both the Mayo Waukon Clinic and Gundersen Waukon Clinic were in attendance as well.  Nutritious snacks were offered compliments of the hospital’s Nutrition Services department.