Health

Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Community and Home Care/Allamakee Public Health staff continue to travel around Allamakee County during October to offer flu shot clinics in each community. The communities remaining yet this month include the following:
• Harpers Ferry - Community Center - Walk-in Clinic from 9-11 a.m. Tuesday, October 14.
• Postville - Northeast Iowa Wellness Center - Walk in Clinic from 4-6 p.m. Tuesday, October 14.
• New Albin - Town House - Walk-in Clinic from 3-5 p.m. Friday, October 17.

 The walk-in schedule for flu shots at the Veterans Memorial Hospital main entrance will continue all remaining Wednesdays this month including October 15, 22, and 29. Walk-in clinics are held from 9-11:30 a.m. plus appointments can be made any Wednesday afternoon by calling 563-568-5660.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, October 16 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 month’s meeting will introduce some of the new medical providers that VMH has welcomed recently.  Hannah (Gesing) Kelly is a Nurse Practitioner at the Waukon and Postville VMH Clinics, and Janet Hunter is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

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

from Iowa Insurance Division

Every fall, Medicare beneficiaries have an opportunity to review and change their Prescription Drug Plan or Medicare Advantage Plan during the Open Enrollment Period (OEP) from October 15 to December 7.

Medicare Prescription Drug Plan and Medicare Advantage Plan costs, benefits, drug formularies and provider networks can change each year. Comparing and evaluating options can help individuals find better coverage and even save money - but navigating options can feel overwhelming and stressful. With so many Medicare beneficiaries under pressure to make choices about their 2026 enrollment in a short period of time, scammers are ready to take advantage of their uncertainty.

from the American Institute of Cancer Research and Veterans Memorial Hospital

Early detection can prove to be lifesaving when it comes to detecting and fighting breast cancer. There are four important ways to play a crucial part in finding breast cancer early on, which could significantly increase one’s chances of recovery should one be diagnosed with the disease.

Perform a monthly breast self-exam (BSE.) Because 65 to 70 percent of all breast cancers are found by women themselves, there’s no substitute for doing a BSE. Examine the breasts the week following a menstrual period for anyone age 20 and over. For women who are no longer menstruating, they should perform a BSE the first day of every month.

Open enrollment begins October 15 for Medicare prescription drug plans and locally there are now three volunteers from the Iowa Insurance Division’s Senior Health Insurance Information Program (SHIIP) available to offer free, unbiased and confidential assistance to Iowans.

Vicky Bloxham has now joined Nancy Schoh and Jim Johnson in providing this one-on-one confidential assistance to anyone needing advice in northeast Iowa.  These three SHIIP volunteers each have office time ready to meet with those who want to sit down and compare plans, and offer free, unbiased advice.

Appointments are required.  Call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 568-3411 to schedule an appointment. Participants will need to bring their Medicare card, current Part D plan card and a list of medications from their pharmacy.

One more public informational meeting remains for anyone to attend to learn more about the Veterans Memorial Hospital and Clinics renovation of the new Postville Medical Clinic. The meeting will be held Thursday, October 9 at 5:30 p.m. at the Northeast Iowa Wellness and Recreation Center in Postville. 

The current Postville Medical Clinic is located at 124 W. Greene Street. The proposed new location is right next door, to the west, at the former Upper Explorerland Building. The new project will have an additional three exam rooms for a total of five, plus a new procedure room and lab area. There will also be a new behavioral health clinic area for private consultations in a more comfortable, confidential atmosphere.

Janet Hunter, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, joined the Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) and Clinics health care team last week, expanding mental services locally. Hunter will be seeing patients in the Waukon Clinic four days a week, in addition to Tara Fink, who began these local services three years ago. Because of the overwhelming need for mental health care, Hunter has joined the team, with one more Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Angela Taylor, also joining the team at the end of this month.

Hunter grew up in the small town of Malcom, Iowa where she developed a strong sense of community and connection that continues to shape her work today. 

The Auxiliary of Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) will be holding a Pillow Perk Monday, October 13, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Lower Level of Veterans Memorial Hospital. Kraft Pillow Service will be on site to make old pillows look like new.

Everyone is encouraged to bring in their feather pillows to the Pillow Perk to be cleaned, sanitized and given new ticking. Foam and Dacron pillows may also be renovated by this process. Feather beds may also be brought in to have them made into new pillows.

All items can be dropped off at the hospital’s loading dock entrance, located on the east side of the hospital, along the golf course.  All items will be completed and ready for pick-up the same day.

For more information, call Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.

The Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Diabetes Support Group will hold its next meeting Thursday, October 16, 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, Certified Diabetes Educator at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.
 

Flu shots continue to be offered throughout the county by Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Community and Home Care/Allamakee Public Health.  The walk-in schedule for flu shots at Veterans Memorial Hospital in Waukon will continue all Wednesdays including October 8, 15, 22, and 29. Walk-in clinics are held from 9-11:30 a.m., plus appointments can be made any Wednesday afternoons by calling 563-568-5660.

The cost for a flu shot is covered by Medicare. Billing for vaccinations will be completed by the Community and Home Care staff, but participants will need to bring their Medicare number or private insurance card with them.  If insurance does not cover these immunizations, they can be purchased instead.