Maryland is one of ten states in which Lyme Disease is endemic. Howard County is the second hardest hit county in the State amongst those with cases reported. (Studies in Connecticut and Maryland estimated seven to 12 unreported cases for each reported case).

Lyme Disease is a bacterial disease usually transmitted by a deer tick. Within about a week of being infected, people may have a “bull’s-eye” rash with fever, headache and muscle or joint pain. Further, the bacteria may spread throughout the body causing symptoms such as joint pain and inflammation of the heart or nerves. If the disease is not treated, additional symptoms as serious as mental change may occur.

The Health Department recommends the following:

Personal Protection:

• When participating in outdoor activities: use insecticide, wear light colored clothing and close-toed shoes, and tuck pants into socks.
• Check the body for ticks after returning from outside. Removal of a tick within 36 hours reduces the risk of Lyme disease infection.
• Remove a tick with tweezers, grasping the tick close to the skin and pulling gently. After removal, wash the affected area with soap and water, and mark the date on your calendar, which will be useful to your doctor in the event medical attention is needed.
• Be able to identify the primary symptom of Lyme disease, the “bulls-eye” rash (erythema migrans). Seek medical attention if the rash is found or suspected.

Property Protection:

Because ticks need moisture to survive, the following are steps to reduce tick habitat on your lawn:

• Keep grass short
• Remove leaf litter
• Create wood chip/rock wall barriers between lawn and forest edge
• Allow sunlight on lawn
• Apply pesticides to lawns once or twice per year in consultation with a certified pest control professional

(post via: Howard Country Health Department)

Hospice Cup is a charity sailing regatta that raises funds for hospice programs throughout Maryland, Washington DC and Northern Virginia. Participating hospices use funds raised through Hospice Cup to continue to offer quality, end-of-life care to patients, their families and friends. Warman Home Care was proud to support the cause this year and several members of our team watched the race from one of the large spectator boats and enjoyed the shore party afterwards.

We had a gorgeous day out on the Bay. This is truly a unique event that began in Annapolis 29 years ago. Today there are similar “Hospice Cup” regattas around the world. It’s a great venue for sponsors and hospice supporters to come together in a fun way. Participating hospices enjoy it because it’s so different from the usual fundraising options. The sailors even help raise money and allow caregivers to ride on the racing boats, so there’s something in this event for everyone. There is an awards presentation at the shore party afterwards, lots of great food and beverages overlooking the Bay at Manresa on the Severn River.

Still, no one loses sight of the real reason they came together – to help fund the great work that hospice provides – giving people in our community the ability to die pain-free and with dignity, and giving our loved ones the necessary support to allow us to do so.

There’s a need for our experienced caregivers to provide home care services, but there’s also lots of room for anyone who is motivated to volunteer a few hours a week to help seniors through their local senior center.  If you’ve ever thought about giving back, about doing something good for your community, the immediate gratification of seeing someone smile who benefits from your help and support – that’s truly rewarding. We got the idea to highlight this opportunity from talking to our local Senior Connection here in Montgomery County, they provide great services with a dedicated team of volunteers and paid staff.

Most every community has a similar group of unsung heroes that many many seniors depend on daily for shopping, errands, personal visits, even just a phone call to brighten their day.  Find the office of aging in your area – we have all the counties listed in greater Washington DC and the Philadelphia area – everywhere Warman Home Care operates.

Just thought we’d take a minute to profile an outstanding facility in Montgomery County, Maryland. We partner with a lot of great nursing homes, assisted living and adult apartment communities, so we don’t mean to play favorites. But, Collingswood deserves a little attention; they’re hosting our latest CareShare event for healthcare and related professionals in June, and they are welcoming the promotion of Kathy Catucci, RN, LNHA as Collingswood’s Adminstrator.

The Center offers private rooms, up-scale amenities, long-term nursing care, full time registered dieticians, dialysis treatment on-site in a new dialysis center, a certified wound care specialist, and superior rehabilitation services.  Find out more about Collingswood.

If you live in Montgomery County, Maryland, Money Magazine states you have a good chance to live a long life.  Montgomery County ranked first on a list of longest life expectancy in the U.S. at 81.31 years. Staying healthy, active and involved are the keys to aging success.

Warman Home Care is proud to participate in The City of Gaithersburg Active Aging Expo. The City has partnered with the Montgomery Village Foundation, Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission and Asbury Methodist Village. This will be a day filled with energy, educational talks, interactive demonstrations, and preventive screenings, as well as facials, massages and the opportunity to explore the benefits reflexology.  Learn about such topics as brain health, stress reduction, safety improvements for the home, help with “right” sizing and the power of laughter.  In addition, David Pearce Snyder, Consulting Futurist, will share what he feels the future may hold in the next 10 years.

All this and more will be available at the free Active Aging Expo on Monday, May 3 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Activity Center at Bohrer Park, 506 South Frederick Avenue next to Gaithersburg High School. Not-for-profit organizations with information on health and wellness as well as businesses that specialize in serving older adults will be on hand.

No registration is necessary.  Just show up and be prepared to change your life.  For more information call 301-258-6380. For directions, click to Activity Center at Bohrer Park . The address is 506 S. Frederick Ave., Gaithersburg, MD  20877. Download a flyer with lots of details on participants and activities: Active Aging Expo Flyer.

This is one of the most frequently asked questions we get from family members who call Warman Homecare. Most often people contact us for home care services in response to their loved ones suffering a fall or other injury in the home.  However, the best time to begin providing home care for your loved one is BEFORE an incident occurs. This will give you time to clearly research your options and make decisions in a less stressful environment.  Warman Home Care suggests that you look for the following signs with your loved ones:

• Forgetting important information like phone numbers or what day it is
• Forgetting to turn off appliances that could lead to a dangerous situation
• Having a hard time keeping up with laundry and dishes that can lead to unsanitary conditions
• Difficulty with grooming
• Not getting proper meals/nutrition requirements
• Getting confused as to when to take their medication

These are all signs that your loved ones could use help in their home to protect them from a more dangerous fall or accident.  They may only need a few hours in the morning to help them prepare meals for the day and do light housekeeping.  In the future,  services could include help with dressing and errands.  You choose the services you need for your unique situation.  The goal is to be proactive to help your loved ones be comfortable in their own home and give you the peace of mind that they are safe.  You can never be too careful.  If you are at all concerned that a loved one is struggling with certain activities,  don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and call one of our Care Coordinators that will talk through your concerns and help you learn more about your options so you can decide if home care is right for your family.

If you have loved ones in the Philadelphia, Baltimore or Washington D.C. area, you should feel comfortable knowing you can rely on Warman Home Care’s superior home care providers. We believe that each senior is unique, and so is his or her situation. That’s why we strive to meet the individualized needs of every senior we work with in Maryland, Pennsylvania and D.C.

Warman home care providers are skilled and experienced. While this is important, we believe that senior care providers should also have a great personality. We work hard to match our home care providers’ personalities with the personality of the senior they will be working with. Seniors and their families will have the opportunity to meet selected care-giving candidates and select a caregiver who is the best fit.

Warman Home Care caters to diverse personalities and situations. No matter what the circumstances your loved one is encountering, Warman can be the home care solution for him or her. We offer light in-home elder care such as assistance with chores or companionship, to more intensive home care that requires more attention and special needs support or 24-hour live-in care.

Based in Gaithersburg, MD and Jenkintown, PA, Warman Home Care is close in proximity to metropolitan areas D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia. We currently provide senior care to individuals in Maryland, D.C., Northern Virginia, and Philadelphia and surrounding counties.

With Warman Home Care, it’s all about meeting your loved one’s needs. Call us today for information about personalized senior home care in Maryland, D.C. and Pennsylvania.