Health

by Sheryl Darling-Mooney, RN, Public Health Supervisor, Veterans Memorial Hospital Community and Home Care
 
One of the tasks each year parents experience is getting their children’s immunizations up to date. Common questions include: What is my child’s immunization status? Are they caught up? What do they need? What is that one for?

Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Senior Life Solutions (SLS) is spreading awareness of the challenges of receiving mental health access in rural areas. While mental illnesses have a similar prevalence in both rural and urban environments, the circumstances and access to treatment look different. The National Rural Health Association (NRHA) tells us that rural residents face more obstacles in obtaining behavioral health services. As a result, distinct mental health differences are seen rurally compared to urban residents. 

Studies have also shown that the risk of suicide is higher in rural areas, making it that much more vital that individuals seek out and have access to help. The Rural Health Information Hub states, “The suicide rate is near twice as great in the most rural areas of the U.S. compared to the most urban areas.”

The next LifeServe Blood Center blood drive will be held Monday, August 3, from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in south Waukon. Fewer than 4-percent of eligible blood donors actually take the time to donate blood.

The LifeServe Blood Center supplies Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) with blood and blood products.

by Beth Shafer, Growth and Development Coordinator, Veterans Memorial Hospital

This summer, our country is celebrating a special milestone - America’s 250th birthday. It’s a time to enjoy everything that makes northeast Iowa special while also reflecting on the values that have helped shape our nation for generations: freedom, service, generosity and neighbors helping neighbors.

Summer has always been a season that brings our communities together. Whether you’re watching a patriotic boat parade, cheering on runners at the Harpers Ferry Firecracker 5K, attending a local ballgame, enjoying a community meal or simply spending time with family and friends, these hometown traditions remind us what makes rural communities so special.

They also remind us that strong communities aren’t built only during celebrations. They’re built every day by people who look out for one another.

Dementia Friends is a global movement that is changing the way people think, act, and talk about dementia. Developed and proven to be successful by the Alzheimer’s Society in the United Kingdom, the Dementia Friends initiative is now underway in Iowa and across the United States.

Increase your knowledge about dementia, learn what it’s like to live with the disease and helpful tips for communicating with someone who has dementia. This free Dementia Friends session will be held Monday, July 27, from 2-3 p.m. at the New Albin Public Library.

Registration is not required. Contact Bethany Schulte at 319-239-2902 or bschulte@nei3a.org with questions. Everyone who attends will leave with a new understanding of dementia that they can put into a practical action that can help someone living in their community. After attending, all participants will be considered a “Dementia Friend.”

The Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Ambulance Service was recently able to purchase a Binder Lift thanks to the funds that had been collected through memorial donations to the hospital’s Foundation. This Binder Lift will greatly assist the emergency medical team with lifting patients off the ground. It has over 24 different handles to grab to help responders lift patients out of restricted, cramped areas, such as around the toilet, and can be used on patients weighing from 80 to 800 pounds.

Waukon Golf and Country Club held a 4 gal best shot invitational golf tournament Monday, June 29.  The committee chose a “Pink Out” theme to raise funds for breast cancer awareness and prevention. A $500 donation was presented to the Veterans Memorial Health Care Foundation for the Radiology Department Mammography fund. The winning team of the Championship flight with a score of 62 was the four generation Peake family team pictured above, left to right, including Brenna Bodensteiner, her mother Amy Bodensteiner, her grandmother Cathy Peake Angel, and her great-grandmother, 94-year-old JoAnn Peake. Submitted photo.
 

Visitors to the Veterans Memorial Hospital (VMH) Fair Booth this year will be invited to play hospital trivia. Prizes will be awarded along with support information and other giveaways. They will also be offering free blood pressure checks, blood sugar tests and hemoglobin testing each day at the Allamakee County Fair with educational materials provided for each.

Thousands of people in the United States have diabetes and are unaware they do. Random testing such as this opportunity at the county fair helps to find the individuals who have high, undiagnosed diabetes and direct them to the professionals who can help them successfully manage the disease.  For more information on diabetes and diabetes management, feel free to call Angie Mettille, BSN/RN/CDCES, Diabetes Educator, at Veterans Memorial Hospital at 563-568-3411.

Thursday, July 16, at 3:30 pm staff from both Veterans Memorial Hospital and Clinic and Regional Health Services of Howard County area hospitals will present “Mental Health and Aging.” The program will take place in Decorah Public Library’s lower level meeting room.  

Our physical health is often the first thing we think of as we age, but mental and emotional health play critical roles in our wellbeing. Join Mackenzie Adams, Kayla Baxter, and Katie Osmonson to learn from trained providers about what mental health means as we age. Attendees will learn to recognize common challenges in older adulthood, learn to recognize signs of some mental health issues, and learn about local and national resources that can help them. 

Free Sport Physicals will be offered one more time, Wednesday, July 22, from 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. at the Veterans Memorial Hospital Clinic-Waukon for all junior high and high school students who need the physical for participating in the 2026-2027 school sporting events.   

This clinic 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, call the clinic at 563-568-5530 to schedule an appointment.

Students in area schools were emailed a google doc (2026 Athletic Physicals) to sign-up for a time slot for this free clinic. Parent emails will not work for sign-up so students will need to sign-up for a time slot that works best for them or the family.

For more information, contact your middle school or high school secretaries for assistance.