Health

The flu has hit Iowa, but there is still time for immunization. Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care continues to offer flu shots every Wednesday afternoon during their regular immunization clinics. The next flu shot clinics will be held Wednesday, February 24 from 1-4 p.m. and then again Wednesday, March 2 from 1-6 p.m. and each Wednesday afternoon thereafter. The Community and Home Care Immunization Clinic is located on the upper level of Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon.
Immunization clinics are held from 1-6 p.m. the first and third Wednesdays of the month, and from 1-4 p.m. all other Wednesdays. Flu vaccine, pneumonia vaccine, and a combination of flu and pneumonia vaccine will all be available. Tetanus shots are always offered as well.

The recent Zika Virus outbreak remains a threat to the United States. The local Public Health Office at Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care is staying up to date with the progression of the virus and offers the following advice to anyone traveling to a warmer climate.
“While we may not be at high risk right now in northeast Iowa with our cold climate, many people escape to a warm weather getaway to destinations such as the Caribbean where this disease is becoming more prevalent,” states Sheryl Darling-Mooney, RN and Public Health Supervisor at Veterans Memorial Hospital. “Being knowledgeable about your destination will help you be better prepared to enjoy your trip safely. Utilize reputable websites such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Iowa Department of Public Health, as well as your healthcare provider in providing information to remain safe.”

by Diane Butikofer, RN, ER Supervisor at Veterans Memorial Hospital

The influenza season is in full swing in Iowa, with cases now confirmed in Allamakee County. It’s not too late to get a flu shot. Vaccination now can still provide protection for the remainder of the flu season, which can last as late as May. In addition, simple steps like frequent hand washing and not coughing or sneezing on people can help prevent the spread of influenza. Most importantly, those who are ill should stay home from work or school.
Flu vaccines are developed each year to protect against the three most common flu viruses expected during the influenza season. No vaccine covers all strains or is guaranteed to match 100 percent of the viruses.

February is Heart Month.  Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon is encouraging the public to learn the American Heart Association’s “Hands-Only CPR.” This simple way of performing CPR has proven to be 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.  An average of 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.

Do you know why school kids get sick so often? In the early school years, your child’s immune system is put to the test. Young children in large groups tend to easily spread organisms that cause illness.
“Many childhood illnesses are caused by viruses,” says Elizabeth Leschensky, family nurse practitioner at Mayo Clinic Health System - Franciscan Healthcare in Waukon. “All it takes is a single child to bring a virus to school for the spread to begin.”
What’s the best way to keep your child healthy in school? Frequent hand washing is the simplest and most effective way to stay healthy. Remind your child to wash his or her hands before eating and after going to the bathroom, blowing his or her nose, or playing outside. Kids should soap up for as long as it takes to sing the “Happy Birthday” song twice.
Leschensky suggests these other tips for keeping kids healthy in school:

submitted by the Physical Therapy Department at
Veterans Memorial Hospital

Over 950,000 Americans die each year from cardiovascular disease. Since February is National Heart Month, Veterans Memorial Hospital provides the following facts and tips on heart health:
• 250,000 people die within one hour of onset of a heart attack.
• 60-70% of those individuals are male.
• Heart disease is the #1 killer of American women and men.
• 75-80% of arrests happen in the home.
• Bystander CPR does improve the outcome once someone has arrested.
• Traditional CPR courses are not reaching those who live with high-risk populations.
• Rapid defibrillation is the most important treatment for victims.
• For every minute delay in defibrillation there is a 10% loss for chance of survival.
• In the case of heart attack, “Time is Muscle.”
• In the case of stroke, “Time is Brain Tissue.”

Veterans Memorial Hospital is encouraging individuals in the area communities to sign up to participate in Live Healthy Iowa for the next 10 weeks. The Live Healthy Iowa web-based program offers many advantages over the In-Step program, including personal on-line fitness tracking, weekly motivational emails and unlimited access to recipes, workouts and other health information, all easily accessible on the Live Healthy Iowa website.
Registration for Live Healthy Iowa is going on now. The cost to participate in Live Healthy Iowa is $20 per person. For that fee each team member will receive a Live Healthy Iowa t-shirt and a free magazine subscription to one of many popular magazines. To get your team signed up, go to www.livehealthyiowa.org and click the sign up button.

The statistics are alarming:
• One in three women and one in four men die of heart disease.
• Heart disease takes the lives of about 375,000 Americans each year - more lives than all forms of cancer combined.
There is some good news. Deaths from heart disease fell by nearly 40 percent from 2001 to 2011 according to the American Heart Association. “We are better at recognizing symptoms and risk factors. In addition, there are things you can do to lower your risk for heart disease,” reports Jenny Stegen, PA-C, physician assistant and the Gundersen Waukon Clinic.