Health

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Thursday, May 5 from 12-5:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church located in south Waukon. Blood drives are held the first Thursday of every other month in Waukon, falling on the odd months, to allow for more donors to give. The LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital with its blood and blood products.

Blood centers across the United States see a decrease in blood donations during the busy summer months.  During the summer, people become more active, have busier schedules, spend more time outdoors and take vacations. While donations decline, hospitals see an increase in the need for blood.  More driving can mean more automobile accidents. A person who has suffered severe injuries from an automobile accident can need up to 50 units of blood.

by Tami Gebel,
Occupational Therapist
 
April is National Occupational Therapy Month. Occupational therapists work in outpatient clinics to assist people in recovery from work-related injuries. Many times careless mistakes lead to injuries, other times injuries occur due to an obscure accident.

When an injury occurs, it often leads to pain, inability to complete all activities (even non-work related activities), time off from work or change in work duties.  Employers do not like work-related injuries because they cause a loss in wages, production and manpower.

It is the right of the patient to choose the medical care they wish in any situation, even when the patient is too sick or hurt to tell their family members or their physician. The way to ensure the correct healthcare wishes are carried out is to complete an Advance Directive. Advance Directives include: Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare and/or a Living will.

1. In order to have an Advance Directive the patient will need to discuss their wishes with their family and physician. An Advance Directive should be done by discussing your wishes with your family and physician and then complete our Power of Attorney for Healthcare form.  

by Karen Collins, MS, RDN, CDN, FAND

Q: Does a lactose-free diet play a role in reducing cancer risk?

by Jill Fleming, MS, RD/LD, Veterans Memorial Hospital

by Karen Collins, MS, RDN, CDN, FAND

Q: I’m well over 65, do I need to be doing strength-type training exercises?

Colorectal cancer can be easily detected, yet it remains the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society Fact and Figures, 2014-2016, one in 20 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in their lifetime. In 2010, only 5.9% of people age 50 or older underwent screening for colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer screening tests identify suspicious or pre-cancerous polyps, which can be removed before they develop into a serious health problem.
There are different options available for detecting colorectal cancer: stool testing, such as fecal occult blood tests or stool DNA testing, flexible sigmoidoscopy, barium enema and colonoscopy. Colonoscopies are performed routinely in the Veterans Memorial Hospital surgical suite, and typically take approximately three hours from start to finish.

“Welcome to Medicare” is a free, two-hour seminar offered by the Veterans Memorial Hospital Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) counselors. This program will be held Tuesday, April 12 from 5-7 p.m. in the Large Conference Room located on the lower level of Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon.
“We’re excited to offer this free seminar to the community,” says Russ Hagen, SHIIP volunteer. “Medicare is such an important program, and understanding what it offers helps assure that anyone eligible gets the health benefits they deserve.”
“Welcome to Medicare” will cover Medicare Part A and Part B benefits, the prescription drug benefit (Part D), Medicare Advantage plans and Medicare supplement insurance.

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon has announced it has expanded its massage therapy services with an additional therapist, allowing services to be more readily available.
Shannen Mezera, Licensed Massage Therapist, has joined the Rehabilitation team at the hospital, working with Edna Wyninger, Licensed Massage Therapist and Reflexologist, who began offering these services at Veterans Memorial Hospital over 15 years ago.  Now massage therapy and reflexology services are available five days a week at the hospital, including evening hours.
The benefits of massage therapy include decreasing anxiety, enhancing sleep, increasing energy, improving circulation, improving concentration and reducing fatigue.

by Jill Fleming, MS, RD/LD, Veterans Memorial Hospital