Health

The local Grief Support Group will hold its monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital Thursday, May 11 at 2 p.m. 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. This grief support group usually meets the second Wednesday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital, but has been moved to Thursday, May 11 due to the hospital’s wellness fair scheduled for May 10.
 

The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital will be holding its monthly Euchre Marathon for all individuals of the community interested Thursday, May 18. 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 located at the Waukon Wellness Center.

The Auxiliary’s Euchre Marathons begin at 11:30 a.m. with dinner, if desired. 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 from card playing going towards the Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital. Prizes will be awarded.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Ruth Nolting by Les and Ada Marie Kerndt, Robert and Irene Stock, Marian Smedsrud, Bob and Marilyn Bulman, Alice Schlake, Mae Jean Bakke, Patsy Kerndt,  Ken and Gloria Krambeer, and family and friends of Ruth Nolting.

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

The annual “Family Wellness Fair” will be held Wednesday, May 10, from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Free health testing, exhibits and healthy snacks will all be providing a complete evening of entertainment and education for families of all ages. This is the 20th annual event sponsored by Veterans Memorial Hospital and will include some special added attractions to celebrate this milestone. Everyone in the area communities is welcome to attend this free event.

by Tami Gebel,
Occupational Therapist
Veterans Memorial Hospital

Veterans Memorial Hospital will be offering a course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for health care providers (those working in health related fields such as physicians, nurses, EMTs, etc.) Monday, May 8, beginning at 5:30 p.m. This “Health Care Professional” CPR class will be held in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of the hospital.

The cost of the class, for certification or recertification, is the same and all registrants should bring along their own pocket mask. The card received with the course does certify attendants in CPR for two years.

Pre-registration plus a minimum of three participants is required. For more information and to register for the “Health Care Provider” CPR Course, call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
 

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Thursday, May 4, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., at the First Baptist Church located in south Waukon. Blood drives are held once a month in Waukon, to allow for more donors to give. The LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon with its blood and blood products.

Blood centers across the United States see a decrease in blood donations during the busy summer months.  During the summer, people become more active, have busier schedules, spend more time outdoors and take vacations. While donations decline, hospitals see an increase in the need for blood. More driving can mean more automobile accidents. A person who has suffered severe injuries from an automobile accident can need up to 50 units of blood.

Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging (NEI3A) is a non-profit organization that serves 18 counties in northeast Iowa. The mission of NEI3A is to create and provide services for older individuals, caregivers and persons with disabilities to empower them to maintain their independence.

NEI3A is currently seeking new board members to help fulfill its mission. Potential board members must be a resident of NEI3A’s 18-county service area. The NEI3A Board meets six times each year at various locations throughout the service area.

Those who are interested in becoming a part of NEI3A’s board are asked to visit http://www.nei3a.org/join-us/volunteer/default.aspx to fill out an application. Anyone with further questions about the board may contact Janna Diehl at 319-874-6843.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Ruth Nolting by Les and Ada Marie Kerndt, Robert and Irene Stock, Marian Smedsrud, Bob and Marilyn Bulman, Alice Schlake, Mae Jean Bakke, Patsy Kerndt,  Ken and Gloria Krambeer, and family and friends of Ruth Nolting.

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

by Tami Gebel,
Occupational Therapist
Veterans Memorial Hospital

Have you ever sprained your ankle, hurt your back, bumped your elbow, and months later you think, “why does that still hurt?” Over 130 million Americans report chronic pain, which means that chronic pain is more prevalent than cancer, heart disease and diabetes.