Health

Veterans Memorial Hospital’s new 2017 Health & Happiness Weight Loss Accountability Calendar and Class is still available to anyone in the area communities that is interested in participating. This is a 12-month long program designed to help one feel happier and more confident, and it also serves as a daily accountability partner to help reach weight loss goals. The Health & Happiness Accountability Calendars are available for purchase from the front desk at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon.

Veterans Memorial Hospital is encouraging individuals in the area communities to sign up to participate in Live Healthy Iowa for the next ten weeks, beginning January 23. Live Healthy Iowa offers many wellness advantages for its members including a 10-week long program, a flexible team size, an online option with good technical support, plus professional support and encouragement including weekly wellness tips, exercise videos and a wide array of nutritious recipes.

Registration for Live Healthy Iowa is going on now. Teams can be anywhere from two to ten members per team. The program is web-based with a personal tracking page that allows everyone to keep their own results right in front of them at all times. The Live Healthy Iowa website also offers unlimited access to recipes, workouts and other health information at any time.

Veterans Memorial Hospital is encouraging individuals in the area communities to sign up to participate in the Live Healthy Iowa wellness challenge this winter. The length of the Live Healthy Iowa program is ten weeks, allowing those involved a good duration to truly make these wellness changes a habit. Teams can be anywhere from two to ten members per team allowing for greater flexibility for each team.

The program is web-based with a personal tracking page that allows everyone to keep their own results right in front of them at all times.  And the professional support offered by Live Healthy Iowa offers weekly motivational emails and unlimited access to recipes, workouts and other health information, all easily accessible on the Live Healthy Iowa website.

Veterans Memorial Hospital has announced they are offering a new 2017 Health & Happiness Weight Loss Accountability Calendar as part of their new one-year weight loss program. This is a 12-month long program designed to help one feel happier and more confident, and serves as a daily accountability partner to help reach weight loss goals. The Health & Happiness Accountability Calendar can be purchased from the front desk at Veterans Memorial Hospital.

Upper Explorerland Reginal Planning Commission, in partnership with the Winneshiek County Conservation Board and the Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative, is again hosting the “Beat the Blues Winter Marathon Challenge” throughout the northeast Iowa region this winter. Participants of all ages are challenged to complete a full marathon - 26 miles, or more, in a variety of ways between December 10 and February 12.

Participants can run, walk, ski, snowshoe or bike 26 miles outdoors at their own pace, when it works for them, or they can play outside for 30 minutes to equal one mile. A fun “Final Mile Party” is planned for the end of the challenge and those completing one or more marathons will have a chance to win some great prizes donated by area businesses. To get started, visit http://www.winneshiekwild.com/.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, January 19 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 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, January 19. 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 desired. Call Northland Agency on Aging at 877-838-8077 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.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Kenny Fahey by Mae Jean Bakke, Ray and Mary Ann Burke, Bernard Welsh, Robert and Kristi Campbell, and family and friends of Kenny Fahey.

Memorials were also received in memory of Jim Walsh by Kay Carter, Patsy Kerndt and Dan and Sue Schlitter and in memory of Ed Knuppe by Carol Moe, Jeff Moe, Brian and Denise Wullner, and family and friends of Ed Knuppe.

In addition, memorials were received in memory of Gordon Marti by Carl and Joyce Thornton, Chester and Lorna Thune, Mae Jean Bakke and Dave and Laurie Martin.

Memorials are 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 Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation, 40 First Street SE, Waukon, IA  52172.
 

Gundersen Health System and Gundersen Partners, the Health System Auxiliary, are beginning to wind down their annual blanket drive, “Wrapping the Community in Warmth.” The blanket drive is scheduled to run through January 13 and helps local organizations during the winter season, including the Allamakee County Relief Office, to provide necessary assistance to individuals most in need.

Donations can be made by dropping off new or gently used blankets at Gundersen Clinics in Waukon and Lansing. Gundersen’s goal is to collect 1,000 blankets in its entire service area.
 

The staff of Veterans Memorial Hospital pledged over $13,000 this last year to the VMH Health Care Foundation’s annual appeal campaign. The total raised in personal staff contributions was used to purchase equipment and furnishings identified by the staff that is needed in the hospital to better serve the community.

“I am impressed and pleased by the staff’s generosity and participation again this last year,” states Mike Myers, hospital administrator. “Our Culture Committee took a leadership role in identifying hospital-wide needs, setting a financial goal, and organizing this employee campaign which was extremely successful. This process is an indication of the great dedication the hospital staff has to the service of our patients.”

This fund drive is held each fall for all staff at Veterans Memorial Hospital and consistently raises over $13,000 each year for upgrades in equipment and furnishings recommended by the staff.