Health

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon will again be holding its regular Weekend Clinic over the Fourth of July holiday. A special Weekend Clinic will be held Monday, July 4 from 1 to 5 p.m. for all non-emergencies.

Weekend Clinics are held every Saturday and Sunday at Veterans Memorial Hospital, all year-round, from 1-5 p.m. each day for non-emergencies. Non-emergencies are considered ailments that could be seen by a physician in a clinic and do not require an emergency room visit, such as minor injuries, sore throats and/or earaches that cannot wait until regular clinic business hours. These Weekend Clinics save families the cost of regular emergency room fees on the weekends when the other local clinics are closed.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Beth Otting by Tom and Sandy Fink, Marv and Marge Strike, and Dan and Mary Ann Otting; in memory of Rose Irlbeck by Dave and Laurie Martin; and in memory of Helen Plein by Fred and Geralyn Smith, Craig and Barb Lensing and Lois Evans.

Memorials were also received in memory of Troy Thompson by Dave and Laurie Martin, Chuck and Lois Votsmier, Bill and Libby Withers, Larry and Nancy Klocke, John and Sheryl Prestemon, Dean “Beanzy” Shellhammer, Barry and Lisa Fruechte, Curtis and Betty Gilbertson, Ken and Gloria Krambeer, Lois Evans, George and Jean Huffey, Bob and Jeanine Mathis, Gladwin and Darlene Anderson, Jerry and Linda Siegrist, Orrin and Nan Grangaard, Jane Dietrich, JC and Natalie Kelly, Rudolph and Marian Hesla, Norb and Nola Palmer, and family and friends of Troy Thompson.

Let’s face it. Medicare is confusing. It’s even more confusing when changes in the law occur. Sometimes those changes are easy to understand. Other times laws are so hard to interpret that everyday Iowans throw their hands up in disgust without getting the answers they need.

Luckily, the Iowa Insurance Division’s Senior Health Insurance Information Program, better known as SHIIP, is available to provide free, unbiased information about how changes may affect people on Medicare.  Recently, SHIIP counselors have been getting many calls regarding a change in Medicare law that will take place in 2020 regarding Medicare Supplement plans C and F.

Medicare Supplement plans are sold by private insurance companies to fill the gaps in traditional Medicare plans (Parts A and B).  Medicare plans help pay for things like coinsurance, co-payments or deductibles on Medicare-covered services.

Memorials were received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Verdine Berns by Dave and Rita Newton, Marie Loven, Charlene Loven, Dave and Sandy Lyons, Evelyn Burke, Angie Schulte, Arden and Lois Shindoll, Bart and Marilyn Hamm, Bernard Welsh, Bob Nargang, Brian and Denise Wullner, Carol Miene, Dan and Linda Ryan, Darlene Kaeser, Dave and Brenda Dougherty, Dennis and Sandy Deal, Derrick and Kari Gibbs, Kyle and Erin Iverson, Fred and Geralyn Smith, Gene and Betty May,  Jerry and Machelle Bulman, Jeff and Amy Sommer, John and Lorna Kerndt, Judy Ferguson, Mae Jean Bakke, Meg Schaller, Nicholas and Shannen Mezera, Oliver Roderick, Pat and Karran Ryan, Patti Wild, Randy and Lori Hesse, Ray and Lorraine Mitchell, Robert and Peggy Woodbeck, Russ and Mary Jo Meyer, Sheryl Bieber, Steve and Paula Enyart, Teresa Schaefers, Tom and Lynn Thomson, Gladwin and Darlene Anderson, Kent and Donna Schultz, Ernie and Donnalee Osland, Ray and Mary Ann Burke, Dave and Karla Hammel

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.