Health

The Veterans Memorial Hospital Diabetes Management Program began offering the Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) system to their patients with diabetes in 2008. Since its inception, the results have been extremely useful to the physicians as well as the patients, giving them optimal control of their diabetes and their life.

What is Continuous Glucose Monitoring?
Continuous glucose monitoring is used to determine what blood glucose levels are continuously, 24 hours a day, and not just after a meal when a person regularly tests their own blood sugar level. Up until this point, the only way to obtain all of this information would be for a person with diabetes to take their own blood sugar test by pricking their finger about 288 times a day.

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care will be continuing its community flu clinics this month during regular immunization clinic hours on the following dates: November 16 from 1-6 p.m., November 23 from 1-4 p.m., and November 30 from 1-4 p.m.

The Community and Home Care Immunization Clinic is located on the upper level of Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon. Flu vaccine, pneumonia vaccine, and a combination of flu and pneumonia vaccine will all be available. Tetanus shots will be offered as well.

Medicare does cover these costs. Billing for Medicare will be completed by the Community and Home Care staff, but participants will need to bring their physician’s name and their Medicare number with them.

Influenza, also called the flu, can cause fever, chills, headache, cough, sore throat, and muscle aches to people of any age, and can lead to pneumonia and even death. But most deaths caused by influenza are in elderly people.

by Teresa Myers, RN, CDE Diabetes Educator, Veterans Memorial Hospital

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Are you aware that the rate of diabetes has nearly doubled in the past ten years; that type 2 diabetes has even started showing up in teenagers; that 40% of those aged 40 to 70 have pre-diabetes; and most importantly, that diabetes and its complications can be almost totally avoidable?

A study released in September 2008 by the Center For Disease Control and the American Diabetes Association show that about 90% of the newly diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes are related to life style and eating habits.

“Weight is the strongest risk factor by far for diabetes,” says Walter Willett of the Harvard School of Public Health. “Given that most people are not going to get down to an optimal weight, diet quality is almost as important as weight control. Exercise plays a major role in reducing these risks even further.”

Don’t miss the Medicare annual open enrollment period for Part D drug plans which runs through December 7. Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon has SHIIP counselors Russ Hagen and Stan and Mary Straate available to discuss Medicare Part D plans available for 2017 and Medicare Advantage. Appointments are required.

Call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411 to schedule an appointment. Those with appointments will need to bring their Medicare card, current Part D plan card and a list of medications from their pharmacy which includes drug name, quantity and dosage.

These SHIIP volunteers are available throughout the year at Veterans Memorial Hospital. To make an appointment with a SHIIP volunteer, call the hospital at 563-568-3411.

The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital will be holding its monthly Euchre Marathon for all individuals of the community interested Thursday, November 17. 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. Those choosing to eat dinner should call Northland Agency on Aging at 877-838-8077. 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 table of four players, however.

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s Christmas Fantasy 2016 will be held Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, November 11, 12, 13 and 14 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. The theme will be “25 Years of Caring and Sharing” in honor of the 25th anniversary of the event.

In addition to the nearly 60 decorated Christmas trees on display, this year’s event will again offer many, many shopping opportunities on the silent auction.
Reservations are now being taken for the popular Saturday evening Wine, Cheese and Dessert Event, and the Noon luncheons. 

The Veterans Memorial Hospital Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, November 10 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 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 Teresa Myers, RN, C.D.E., Diabetes Educator, or Angie Mettille, RN, at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon at 563-568-3411.

The local Grief Support Group will hold its monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon Wednesday, November 9 at 2 p.m. in the Medication Room of the hospital, which is located on the main level. 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 meets the second Wednesday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.

Reservations are being taken now for the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s 25th  Annual Christmas Fantasy held Friday through Monday, November 11-14 at the Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. The theme will be “25 Years of Caring and Sharing” in honor of the 25th anniversary of this community-wide event.

Reservations are now being taken for the Saturday and Monday Noon luncheons and the Saturday evening Wine, Cheese and Dessert Event. The luncheons are sponsored by the Allamakee County Cattlemen’s Association, and will be held Saturday, November 12 at Noon and again Monday, November 14 at Noon. A full meal will be served plus entertainment will be provided at both events. All guests will have ample time to view all of the displays. Reservations can be made by calling 563-568-6262.

Veterans Memorial Hospital, in cooperation with Northeast Iowa Community College Business and Community Solutions, will be offering an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) course in Waukon through video conferencing being broadcast from Calmar. This 138-hour course will begin Monday, January 9, 2017, at the NICC Waukon Center.

Areas of study include an introduction to emergency medical services systems, roles and responsibilities of EMTs, anatomy and physiology, medical emergencies, trauma, special considerations for working in the pre-hospital setting, and providing patient transportation.