Over the past three months, we have been hosting our “Warman Fuzzy” Grandparents Day Contest. We received some great entries: cute ones, funny ones, and even some sentimental ones. Well, the official results are finally in! Check them out below.

Photo Winner

This photo won our “Warman Fuzzy” photo portion of our Grandparents Day contest. It is a simple, yet meaningful “Warman Fuzzy” moment.

Video Winner

This is the winning “Warman Fuzzy” video. It really shows off a “Warman Fuzzy” moment had between a grandson and his grandfather.

Other Entries

To see all of the photo entries, click here. To see all of the video entries, click here.

A few weeks ago, we posted about a flu shot clinic, hosted by Warman Home Care and Iona Senior Services. If you came, thanks for coming out! We hope everyone is healthy and flu-free. Here are a few pictures we snapped at the event.

After over 50 entries, we are finally wrapping up our second “Warman Fuzzy” Contest. But we need your help choosing the finalists! Soon, we will be announcing ten photo finalists and three video finalists, but can’t decide on our own. We have asked our participants to spread the word and vote, and now we are asking you.

To see our photo entries, click here. To see our video entries, click here.

To vote, make the entry a “favorite” or leave a comment below it. “Favorites” will be counted first, followed by the number of comments, to determine the finalists. Voting ends next Wednesday, November 18, so vote while you can! Winners will be announced the week of November 23. Check back to see them!

With flu season officially here, how are you guarding yourself against disease? Sure, washing your hands and getting plenty of rest helps, but you can do more. Getting a flu shot can protect you from getting sick.

Tuesday, November 17, from 10 am to 2 pm, Warman Home Care and Iona Senior Services will be distributing flu shots. Massage chairs, provided by Washington Chiropractic, will be there to help you relax. To get your flu shot, head Iona Senior Services, 4125 Albermarle Street, NW, Washington DC, 20016.

Keep in mind that this flu shot will not help guard you from the H1N1 disease, but it will help guard you from the flu. Take all the precautions you can. Hope to see you there!

We know that many of our society’s social events revolve around food. We also know that it is hard to maintain a healthy diet, especially at an elderly age when cooking full meals may not always be an option. Well, food doesn’t have to be bad for you; healthy snacking is a good way to start. These are some of our favorite snacks that we wanted to share with you. They are both delicious and nutritious.

String Cheese Sticks

Low-fat mozzarella is great and easy to take with you. Plus, they are fun to eat!

Trail Mix

Trail mix is sweet and crunchy, a great mix of flavor.  Try to go with a low sugar or sugar-free version.

Granola Bars

Try for a natural granola bar. They tend to have a balance of healthy carbs, protein, and more. Plus, they are pre-packaged so they are easy to take with you when on the go.

Natural Pumpkin Seeds

Raw seeds like this are high in vitamins and minerals. These are great for this time of year, and you can bake them yourself.

Hummus

This is a delicious Mediterranean chickpea dip that is often overlooked. Once again, a natural kind is best. You can either use carrot sticks or celery to dip or spread some over pita bread.

Cherry Tomatoes

Simple, easy, and tasty, cherry tomatoes are high in antioxidants. No cutting needed here, just pop in your mouth and enjoy.

To see a full list of nutritious snacks, click here.

According to the National Family Caregiver’s Association, more than 50 million people provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member or friend during any given year. The NFCA estimates that the value of the services that family caregivers provide for “free” is about double what is actually spent on home care and nursing home services – more than $300 billion annually.

The NFCA describes the typical caregiver as a 46-year-old woman caring for her widowed mother who does not live with her. She is married and employed. Approximately 60% of family caregivers are women. But caregivers can be anyone – family, friends, neighbors, partners. The NFCA web site quotes Rosalyn Carter: “There are only four kinds of people in the world – those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers and those who will need caregivers”.

At Warman Home Care, we salute family caregivers. It can be an extremely difficult responsibility for an adult child, who has a full time job and children of their own, to also care for their mother or father at the same time. In fact, many times Warman is called upon to offer “respite care”, to give family members a break, even for just a few hours a week. Of course, there is no substitute for the care of a loving family member, but on the other hand, everyone needs time to rest, recharge, and to focus on other family members.

There are also times when a loved one will benefit from the support of a professional caregiver. A home care service like Warman will send out a registered nurse who is a home care expert to make sure the home environment is safe and help craft a support plan that is ideal for Mom or Dad. The watchful eye of an experienced caregiver can be especially important if a loved one has dementia, alzheimer’s or another chronic illness. Especially this month, we should give every family caregiver we know an extra hug.They do an incredible job that is often taken for granted. But we can also tell them that it is okay to ask for help when either they, or their loved one, has extra needs.