Health

Congratulations to the numerous students who completed the recent Veterans Memorial Hospital Babysitting class. The class, which was held Saturday, March 25, consisted of teaching the qualities of being a good babysitter including basic child care, accident prevention and first aid. These new babysitters learned CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) and the Heimlach Maneuver, to be used in the case of a choking infant or child, and also learned about fire safety thanks to assistance from Troy Gress and the Waukon Fire Department.

By Jill Fleming, Registered Dietician at VMH

We just celebrated National Nutrition Month in March, but here’s another great article I would like to share. If you are looking for another way to use your ripe bananas, instead of just making banana bread again, you are going to love this suggestion. Turn your frozen bananas into ice cream by simply blending them either in a blender or food processor. It is that easy.

If you are following a diabetic, vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free or sugar-free style of eating, this healthy treat will fit into all of your nutrition plans. When you freeze a banana until it is solid, then whiz it up in a blender or food processor, it gets creamy and a little gooey, just like custard ice cream.

It’s an easy way to stay cool and use up overripe bananas at the same time. In case you’re new to this delicious treat, here are step-by-step instructions to make Healthy Banana Ice Cream

The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital will be holding its monthly Euchre Marathon for all individuals of the community interested Thursday, April 20. Men and women are welcome to attend, even if not an Auxiliary member. The Euchre marathons are held the third Thursday of each month at the Senior Citizens Room at the Waukon Wellness Center.

The Auxiliary’s Euchre Marathons begin at 11:30 a.m. with dinner if desired. Call Northland Agency on Aging at 877-838-8077 if opting 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. The cost is $3 per person with all proceeds going 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 table of four players, however.

Memorials were received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Helen Evanson by Dave and Laurie Martin, Steve and Maureen Thode, Orrin and Nan Grangaard, Brian and Denise Wullner, Bob and Joyce Schorg, Mary Ann Hager, Lillian Larson, Gladwin and Darlene Anderson and Pam Herman.

Memorials were also received in memory of Barb Homewood by Patsy Kerndt, Jim and Shirley Winke and Larry and Carolyn Homewood.

In addition, memorials were received in memory of Alice Huffman by John and Sheryl Prestemon, Yvonne Brandt, Carol Moe, Mae Jean Bakke, Marian Smedsrud, Lois Evans, Florence Schlake, Scott and Cheryl Livingston and Bob and Kristi Campbell.

Veterans Memorial Hospital’s Diabetes Self-Management Education Program will again be offering another free, educational program on “Diabetes Prevention” at Veterans Memorial Hospital. This event will be held Monday, April 24 in the ICN Conference Room, located on the lower level of  Veterans Memorial Hospital. Teresa Myers, RN, Certified Diabetes Educator, and Angie Mettille, RN will be teaching all those attending how to reduce the risk of getting Type 2 diabetes.

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.

The local Grief Support Group will hold its monthly meeting at Veterans Memorial Hospital Wednesday, April 12 at 2 p.m.

This informal meeting is open to anyone suffering from any type of loss whether it be death, divorce, illness or some other grief.

Feel free to attend and bring a friend. This grief support group meets the second Wednesday of each month at Veterans Memorial Hospital.
 

Nearly 200 graduating seniors from Postville, Kee, MFL/MarMac and Waukon schools attended “Reality 101” at the Waukon High School Wednesday, March 22. Over 80 individuals and businesses volunteered their time to create a real life financial scenario for these students preparing for graduation.

Each student chose a career and researched monthly income based on average northeast Iowa wages in the classroom setting prior to the activity. The day of Reality 101, the students were provided with a life scenario which may include a spouse, children and possibly even child support situations, including the information they provided on their chosen career and college plans. The students were then required to visit each of the 30 stations to open a bank account, pay their taxes, purchase an automobile and insurance, pay for daycare, groceries, household supplies, vet expenses, health and life insurance, etc.

By Jill Fleming, Registered Dietician at VMH

Homemade granola can be a healthy and delicious treat, but most store-bought granola is high in sugar, contains unhealthy fats and is packed full of fillers and unnecessary ingredients. Making your own granola at home is easy and allows you to control the amount of sweetness and quality of ingredients.

Whole oats are full of good-for-you soluble fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals (folate, iron and magnesium). You can find your 100% rolled oats in the cereal aisle of your local grocery store. Be sure you are buying 100% whole rolled oats, not “instant” or “quick cooking.”

Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon, in cooperation with the American Heart Association, is offering a course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation for lay people (those not working in healthcare), which includes child care providers, Monday, April 10 from 5:30-8:30 p.m.

The CPR class, which will cover adult, child and infant CPR, 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. The card received with the course does certify attendants in CPR for two years.

CPR is administered when someone’s breathing, pulse, or both, stop. Some five million individuals each year receive CPR training by instructors certified by the American Heart Association. The timely application of CPR has been credited with saving thousands of lives each year in the United States.

Memorials were recently received by the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation in memory of Robert Axmear by Dave and Rita Newton, Dave and Laurie Martin, JC and Natalie Kelly, Carolyn Heying, Jeff and Amy Sommer, Darrel and Rosanne Wicks, Marilyn and Lyle Larson, Mavis Berns, Craig and Barb Lensing, Chuck and Lois Votsmier, Kenny and Shirley O’Hara, Fred and Geralyn Smith, Rick and Cathy Larson, Jeff Mitchell, Brad and Becky Benzing, Bob and Joyce Schorg, Orrin and Nan Grangaard, Bernard and Eileen Berns, Dan and Mary Anne Otting, Scott and Cheryl Livingston, Jerry and Linda Siegrist and Brad and Erin Berns.

Memorials are greatly 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 Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation, 40 First Street SE, Waukon, IA  52172.