Health

The 2015 Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s Christmas Fantasy held last weekend, November 13-16 at the Allamakee County Fairgrounds Pavilion, was a huge success due to overwhelming community involvement.
“From the decorators, to the entertainers, to the treat makers, to the auction donors and buyers, I am once again overwhelmed by the community participation, and also the community support by the large numbers of people who attended the events,” said Mike Myers, Hospital administrator. “Our Foundation members should be proud of themselves for putting on such a spectacular community event.”
A near record number of auction items were donated to this year’s Fantasy by area businesses and individuals. The 99 auction items were displayed and auctioned on a silent auction bid to the highest bidder Monday night, November 16.

By Teresa Myers RN/CDE, with Jill Fleming MS/RD/LD

Grocery shopping is typically not at the top of most people’s list of fun activities. For people with diabetes it can seem overwhelming and challenging - making healthy choices, reading labels, knowing what carbohydrates, sugars and fats to watch out for, etc. With a little planning, grocery shopping can be an effective tool in meeting goals, such as managing blood sugar or losing weight.
Successful grocery shopping is about focusing on what’s healthy, nutritious and tasty, so that you actually enjoy eating. Diabetes Educators can help people with diabetes make informed choices. Here are some recommended tips.

Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care is offering flu shots every Wednesday afternoon during their regular immunization clinics. The next flu shot clinics will be held  Wednesday, November 18, from 1 to 6 p.m. and again  Wednesday, November 25, from 1 to 4 p.m. The Community and Home Care Immunization Clinic is located on the upper level of Veterans Memorial Hospital.
Immunization clinics are held from 1 to 6 p.m. the first and third Wednesdays of the month, and from 1 to 4 p.m. all other Wednesdays. Flu vaccine, pneumonia vaccine, and a combination of flu and pneumonia vaccine will all be available. Tetanus shots will be offered as well.
The cost for a flu shot is $25. Medicare does cover the 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. Pneumonia and Tdap shots are also available.

by Teresa Myers RN/Certified Diabetes Educator Veterans Memorial Hospital

November is National Diabetes Awareness Month.  In honor of this, Veterans Memorial Hospital Diabetes Educator, Teresa Myers, RN, CDE, will be visiting the Waukon Wellness Center to offer free diabetes, or blood sugar screenings. These free blood sugar screenings will be available at the Waukon Wellness Center from 6 to 9 a.m. Tuesday, November 17.
Myers will also be offering a special Pre-Diabetes Prevention Program at the Waukon Senior Center located in the Waukon Wellness Center, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, November 19.
Pre-Diabetes is a condition that comes before Type 2 diabetes when the blood glucose (sugar) levels are higher than normal, but aren’t high enough to be called diabetes.  It is a silent disease, meaning someone can have it without even knowing it. Cutting back on calories and fat, being physically active and losing weight can reverse pre-diabetes and therefore delay or prevent Type 2 diabetes.

A typical holiday meal can pack a whopping number of calories, many from fat, causing the average American to gain weight between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve. But by making simple changes, holiday meals can be made healthier.
“Most holiday meals are not bad for you if they are prepared properly,” says Benjamin Nesseim, family physician at Mayo Clinic Health System in Waukon. “The trouble arises when fat and sugar are added.”
For example, including large amounts of sugar, butter and cream in recipes negates many of the benefits of healthy foods like squash, potatoes, and meat. It also makes it more difficult to enjoy these foods’ natural flavors.
 Dr. Nesseim recommends the following tips for healthy holiday eating:

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s 2015 Christmas Fantasy will be held Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, November 13-16 at the Fairgrounds Pavilion in Waukon. The theme will be “Ring In the Holidays.”  In addition to the nearly 70 decorated Christmas trees on display, this years’ event will again offer many, shopping opportunities.
Reservations are now being taken for the popular Saturday evening Wine, Cheese and Dessert Event, and the moon luncheons.  

October is National Physical Therapy Month. The Rehabilitation staff at Veterans Memorial Hospital works with people of all ages, helping them to reduce pain and regain strength, independence and health. The Healthy Lifestyles Rehabilitation Center at Veterans Memorial Hospital is fully equipped for all rehabilitation patients with 17 weight machine stations, tread mills, exercise bikes, NuStep and elliptical machines. The five private treatment rooms allow one-on-one evaluation and treatment with the therapists.

Reservations are being taken now for the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s 24th Annual Christmas Fantasy to be held Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, November 13, 14, 15 and 16 at the Allamakee Fairgrounds Pavilion. The theme will be “Ring In the Holidays.”
Reservations are now being taken for the popular 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 14 at 12 noon, and again Monday, November 16 at 12 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.

It can cost you money not to review your Medicare Part D coverage. In one hour, a SHIIP counselor can complete a review, let you know if you can save money and make sure you have access to the drugs you need in 2016.  SHIIP counselors in Iowa have been saving people money for 25 years. In fact, last year they helped Iowans on Medicare save close to $15 million on Part D drug costs.
Every year Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage plans announce their changes for the next year and Iowans on Medicare can decide if they want to change plans from October 15 to December 7. Kris Gross from the state of Iowa’s Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP), said, “We’re asking everyone to remind family, friends and neighbors about these important dates. We don’t want anyone to miss the opportunity to make their choice of plans for 2016.”  Plans can change their coverage and costs from year to year, so comparing plans during the open enrollment is critical.