Health

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Gary Soper by Pat and Kathy McMillan, Carl and Betty Christianson, Jim and Sallie Driscoll, Elsa Hager, Carol Paus, Charlotte Reeder, Marlys Leiran, Mae Jean Bakke, Patsy Kerndt, Jim and Helen Johnson, Gladwin and Darlene Anderson, Dave and Laurie Martin, Jerry and Linda Siegrist, Matt Null, Dave and Barb Hanson, Rick and Cathy Larson and Pat Pettingill.

Memorials were also received in memory of Robert “Bud” Nenovich by the Gordon Gilbertson Family.

Memorials and donations 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 40 First Street SE, Waukon, IA  52172.
 

Did you know one in seven people entering the hospital will need blood?

Attend the next LifeServe Blood Center Blood Drive to be held Thursday, March 7 from 12-5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. Blood drives are held once per month in Waukon.  The LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital with its blood and blood products.

The LifeServe Blood Center is seeking donors to ensure a safe and plentiful blood supply in Iowa. Because there is no substitute for human blood, the need for donors is continuous.

Over half of the United States population is eligible to donate blood, yet less than four percent donate on a regular basis. A single donation of blood can be used to save up to three lives and help in treatment of cancer patients, accident victims, hemophiliacs and surgery patients.  The LifeServe Blood Center is committed to serving the needs of Iowans by saving lives through volunteer blood donation.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, February 21 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 in Waukon.

This diabetes class is open to anyone who has diabetes or has a friend/loved one with diabetes. For more information on the Diabetes Support Group, call Angie Mettille, RN at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
 

Veterans Memorial Hospital began nuclear cardiac stress testing within its Cardiac Rehab unit over 10 years ago, in 2008. The convenience of having these nuclear tests offered on a local level has been well received by many in the community since it began.

Nuclear Cardiac Stress Testing offers two different methods, both highly effective in detecting heart disease. These two forms of nuclear stress testing are called the Exercise Nuclear Stress Test and Lexiscan Nuclear Imaging. Both methods can increase the likelihood of finding heart disease by 20% when compared to traditional treadmill stress tests.

The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital will be holding its monthly Euchre Marathon for all individuals of the community interested Thursday, February 21. Men and women are welcome to attend, even if not an Auxiliary member. The Euchre marathons are held the third Thursday of each month in the Senior Citizens Room at the Waukon Wellness Center.

The Auxiliary’s Euchre Marathons begin at 11:30 a.m. with dinner, if chosen.  Call Northland Agency on Aging at 877-838-8077 if choosing 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. All proceeds go 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 own table of four players, however.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, February 21 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 Angie Mettille, RN at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
 

Veterans Memorial Hospital will be offering the next course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for health care providers (those working in health related fields such as physicians, nurses, EMTs, etc.) Wednesday, February 20, beginning at 5 p.m. This “Health Care Professional” CPR class will be held in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of the hospital.

The cost of the class, for certification or recertification, is the same and all registrants should bring along their own pocket mask. The online certificate received with the course does certify attendants in CPR for two years.

Pre-registration plus a minimum of three participants is required. For more information and to register for the course, call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.

The local Caregiver Support Group meets monthly at Veterans Memorial Hospital.  The meetings take place the third Monday of each month at 1:30 p.m. The next meeting will be held Monday, February 18 from 1:30-2:30 p.m. in the ICN Conference Room, located on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital.

This informal meeting is open to anyone who provides care and support for a family member or friend. Feel free to attend and bring a friend.  This new Caregiver Support Group meets the third Monday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon.
 

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Marsha Bieber by Dave and Laurie Martin, Randy and Karen Loeb, Joan Bieber, Gayle Larkin, Jim and Jill Kiesau, Sigurd and Barb Ness, George Pickett, Carol Krumme, Jerry and Linda Siegrist, Les and Ada Marie Kerndt and family and friends of Marsha Bieber.

Memorials were also received in memory of Wayne Jahnke by Gayle Larkin, in memory of Murvel Barness by Cindy Barness and Kris Barness and in memory of Dick Schilling by Dave and Laurie Martin, Jerry and Linda Siegrist and Brad and Erin Berns.

In addition, the Foundation also received donations from Jeff and Martha Byrnes and Leslie Ness for the Ness Pumping Breast Cancer Awareness and Treatment fund for breast cancer prevention and detection.

February is Heart Month.  Veterans Memorial Hospital is encouraging the public to learn the American Heart Association’s “Hands Only CPR.” This simple way of performing CPR is very easy to do and effective for the victim.

According to the American Heart Association, sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death with nearly 400,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occurring annually in the United States.  89% of people who suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest die because they don’t receive immediate CPR from someone on the scene.

The American Heart Association has found Hands Only CPR to be as effective as conventional CPR for sudden cardiac arrest at home, at work, or in the public - doubling or even tripling a victim’s chance of survival.

Since 80% of cardiac arrests happen in private or residential settings, learn these simple steps for performing Hands Only CPR to help save the life of someone you love: