Health

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Monday, July 6, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon.  Fewer than 4% of eligible blood donors actually take the time to donate blood. The LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital with blood and blood products.  

Numerous memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Stan Straate by Matt Armentrout, Dr. Wilfred H.

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s 33rd Annual Benefit Golf Tournament will be held Monday, June 22, at the Waukon Golf and Country Club beginning with a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m.

Teams of three will play 18 holes of golf. Breakfast rolls, lunch, dinner and prizes for everyone will all be provided for the donation of $100 per person or $300 per team. Only a few spots remain for teams to sign-up.

from Allamakee Public Health and the Public Health Collaborative

As temperatures increase this summer, stay informed and prepared for extreme heat conditions. Heat-related illnesses occur when a person’s body temperature rises faster than it can cool itself down. Many factors can increase body temperature including dehydration, living and working in spaces without air conditioning and intense physical activity.  Knowing what actions to take if experiencing heat-related illness is essential during extreme heat. 

The following outlines those who are most affected by heat-related illness:
• People who work outside, athletes and children.
• Infants, young kids and pets.
• Adults ages 60 and older.
• People without air-conditioned houses, cars and work places.
• People with chronic health conditions.
• People with reduced mobility and limited access to transportation.
• Pregnant, expectant mothers.

from Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Senior Life Solutions (SLS)

As the year reaches its midpoint, it’s a good time to check in with yourself. How are you really feeling? A mid-year mental health check-in can help older adults pause, reflect, and take steps toward emotional well-being.

Veterans Memorial Hospital’s Senior Life Solutions Program provides support for older adults facing depression, anxiety, grief, and life transitions. If someone you know is struggling, reaching out can make a difference.

Veterans Memorial Hospital’s Senior Life Solutions Program offers compassionate, outpatient group therapy designed to help older adults feel understood, supported, and connected. Anyone age 65 and older and needs support is encouraged to reach out by calling 563-568-5560 or visit www.veteransmemorialhospital.com.

Free sports physicals will be offered at the Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH)Clinic-Waukon in July for all junior high and high school students who need the physical for participating in school sporting events. These will be held at the Veterans Memorial Hospital Waukon Clinic on the following dates and times:

• Wednesday, July 8 5:30-8:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 22 5:30-8:30 p.m.
 
These clinics will include all necessary documentation, including a concussion screening, for participation in all school activities.  Physicals are scheduled in 1-hour segments. The clinic staff will not be administering vaccines during this time. If those are needed for students, feel free to call the clinic at 563-568-5530 to schedule an appointment.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Diabetes Support Group will not hold a regular meeting in June this month. They will meet again July 16.

For more information on the Diabetes Support Group, call Angie Mettille, RN, Certified Diabetes Educator at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.

The Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation’s 33rd annual Three Person Best-Shot Golf Tournament will be held Monday, June 22. The tournament will be held at the Waukon Golf and Country Club beginning with a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m.

Thanks to Wade Bucknell, Andy Moore and Caitlin Mahoney, agents of Farm Bureau Financial Services, Waukon, the first person hitting a hole in one during the first round at the tournament will be awarded a new Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Also, thanks to Waukon Implement, anyone hitting a hole in one during the second round at the tournament will be awarded a new John Deere riding lawn mower.  As always, many other gifts and prizes will be awarded to all the golfers participating.

Free sports physicals will be offered at the Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH)Clinic-Waukon in July for all junior high and high school students who need the physical for participating in school sporting events.  These will be held at the Veterans Memorial Hospital Waukon Clinic on the following dates and times:

• Wednesday, July 8 5:30-8:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 22 5:30-8:30 p.m.
 
These clinics will include all necessary documentation, including a concussion screening, for participation in all school activities.  Physicals are scheduled in 1-hour segments. The clinic staff will not be administering vaccines during this time.  If those are needed for students, feel free to call the clinic at 563-568-5530 to schedule an appointment.

by Beth Shafer, Growth and Development Coordinator, Veterans Memorial Hospital
 
There are many ways to make a difference in local healthcare—and some of the most meaningful gifts are those planned with the future in mind. Through planned and legacy giving, community members are helping strengthen the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation for years to come in thoughtful and lasting ways.           

Planned giving and legacy giving are often used interchangeably to describe charitable donations that are not an immediate, one-time cash gift, but instead, are part of a donor’s financial or estate plan. Planned giving is the broader umbrella. It refers to any charitable gift that is arranged in advance. These gifts can take place during a donor’s lifetime or after death.