Health

The 29th annual Christmas Fantasy, sponsored each year by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation, will hold a Silent Auction event only this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic.  The “Big C” Silent Auction will offer nearly 70 items within local businesses in Waukon to promote ‘shopping locally’ this holiday season. These auction items will not only offer a variety of Christmas gifts for sale locally, but encourage shoppers to do more local holiday shopping in safe settings, hopefully decreasing the amount of out-of-town shopping and creating more local store traffic, helping the local businesses.

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care Public Health Office has reported inquiries from many businesses who are concerned about having enough staff to keep their offices open to the public with the two weeks of mandated quarantine time for all exposures to COVID-19.

Lisa Moose, Director of Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care, is advising businesses and schools to follow the Iowa Department of Public Health guidelines and wear a mask to avoid being quarantined.

by Angie Mettille, RN/CDE, Diabetes Educator, Veterans Memorial Hospital

Coronavirus cases are surging at an alarming rate in our area. When we turn on the news, we see that people with “underlying health conditions” are at a higher risk of becoming severely ill if contracting COVID-19.

In general, people of any age with types 1 or 2 diabetes, as well as gestational diabetes, are at increased risk of becoming severely ill with COVID-19. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people with diabetes whose blood sugars are uncontrolled, specifically running higher than target, are more likely to develop additional health problems, such as heart disease and kidney disease. These health concerns, in addition to diabetes, can negatively impact the outcome of a COVID-19 infection for some individuals.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Lorraine Adam by Chuck and Lois Votsmier, Sandra Bresnahan, Dave and Laurie Martin, Mary Ann Hager, Wayne and Nona Sawyer, Larry and Mary Moore, Beth Ann Shafer, Nancy Schoh, Jane Dietrich, Maurice Mooney, Diane Regan, Jeff and Amy Sommer, Ambrose and Phyllis Welch and family and friends of Lorraine Adam.

Memorials were received in memory of Maggie DeWalle by Mary Ann Hager, Dave and Laurie Martin, Maurice Mooney, and Fred and Geralyn Smith.

In addition, memorials were received by Marvin and Marjorie Strike, Ken and Gloria Krambeer, and Kay Carter in memory of Dorothy Wandling, and by Lois Evans, Mary Jackson, Betty Decker, Richard and Annabelle Marti, Theresa and Ronald Snitker, Donnalee and Ernie Osland, Brian and Denise Wullner, and David and Mary Ann Pladsen in memory of Joana Pladsen.

Like most events held in 2020, the 29th annual Christmas Fantasy will also change considerably this year due to COVID-19.   The sponsor of this annual event, the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation, reports this was not an easy decision since the annual Christmas Fantasy is always such a popular event, and they look forward to holding the extensive event again next year.

For 2020, the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation will still have a Christmas Fantasy presence through a “Big C” Silent Auction.  They will be promoting “shopping locally” by offering silent auction items within area Waukon businesses.  These auction items will not only offer a variety of Christmas gifts for sale locally, but encourage shoppers to do more local holiday shopping in safe settings, hopefully decreasing the amount of out-of-town shopping and creating more local store traffic, helping the local businesses.

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon has announced that Tuesday, November 3 the hospital Board of Trustees approved the plans to proceed with establishing a family medical clinic in Waukon. The former Mayo Clinic building, which is adjoined to and is now owned by Veterans Memorial Hospital, will be the site for this clinic.

“The Gundersen Waukon Clinic has done an amazing job trying to pick up as many patients as they possibly can following the closing of the Mayo Clinic last fall, but the truth is, there is just such a great demand for local primary care, they just can’t do it all,” states Michael Coyle, Chief Executive Officer of Veterans Memorial Hospital. “We see so many patients every day in our Urgent Care who just need to see a primary care provider for non-emergent care that could have been handled in a clinic setting. But because there is no other option, they come to urgent care, which does not make for good continuity of care.”

For those who are living with diabetes, taking insulin, and have Medicare, participating in the Medicare Open Enrollment Period is important every year. It is especially important this year as you prepare for 2021, as there have been some positive changes made within Medicare that could impact how much you pay for your insulin, without necessarily increasing the monthly premium you currently pay.

Open enrollment is the annual period when enrollees can make changes to their health insurance and medication part D plans. To make changes to your 2021 plan, you must do so during a specific timeframe. This is taking place now until December 7, 2020.

Medicare health and drug plan costs and covered benefits can change from year to year, so people with Medicare should look at their coverage choices and decide on the options that best meet their health needs.

The Caregiver Support Group meetings that were held monthly at Veterans Memorial Hospital continue to be held through conference calls during COVID-19.  Northeast Iowa Agency on Aging is offering weekly Caregiver Support Group conference calls every Monday from 10-11 a.m.

To join a call, just dial 1-800-264-8432 and then enter the participant code 961847# to be connected to the support group conference call, joining other caregivers.

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care is still offering flu shots on an appointment-only basis. The Hi Dose flu vaccine is also still available.  Appointments can be made by calling 563-568-5660.   When the appointment is made, instructions are given for the private location the immunizations will be administered.

Those with an appointment to receive their flu shot should remain in their vehicle until the nurse comes to get them and should bring along their insurance or Medicare card.

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. Most deaths caused by influenza occur in the elderly, the very young or people who have a compromised immune system.

Memorials were received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of  Leon Schoh by Jan Brandsmeier, Dennis and Sandy Deal, Chuck and Lois Votsmier, Dave and Laurie Martin, Ernie and Donnalee Osland, Ralph and Marie Plein, Kay Zimmerman, Marlys Leiran, Carol Paus, Jane Deitrich, Wendy and Paul Ebner, James Moritz,  Donald and Joyce Bakke, Ken and Rose Beardmore, Jerry and Linda Siegrist and Brad and Judy Herman.

Memorials were also received in memory of Marjean Fahey by Mary Ann Hager, Patricia Pettingill, Marv and Marjorie Strike, Dave and Laurie Martin, Dave and Sandy Lyons, Chuck and Lois Votsmier, Steve and Sheryl Evanson, Elaine Knuppe, Dacia Johnson, James and Jill Kiesau, Brad and Judy Herman, Kathy Tobin, David and Dawn Clark, Nancy Schoh, Cheryl Bollman, Ken and Rose Beardmore, Bev Larson-Needham, Mary Fink, Jane Dietrich, Sheila Snitker, Charles and Marcella Fritz, Debra Heldt and Becky Hoffman.