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Employee Appreciation Day was earlier this month, and there’s no way we can resist shouting out our wonderful employees in our newsletter! In particular, we want to recognize the contributions of social workers, who are also recognized in March through the celebration of Social Work Month.

Social workers uplift their communities and defend the vulnerable, working in many fields such as schools, government, and health care. They attempt to help people work through the issues of everyday life, such as mental health, addiction, employment and housing. Many social workers work long hours to protect members of our society who are vulnerable or marginalized.

The profession continues to draw more selfless individuals, with more than 810,000 social workers currently improving their communities today. Please join us in thanking any social workers in your life for the selfless work they do and join the National Association of Social Workers in spreading the word about Social Workers Month!

It’s finally time! Daylight savings time started on Sunday, March 8th, and we now have an extra hour of daylight. We’re excited for the warm weather so we can enjoy later sunsets and more time outdoors! Before we get into that, though, it is important to mention how important sleep is for your health, and how you and your loved ones can avoid daylight savings time getting the jump on you.

Losing even an hour of sleep can affect your body, increasing stress hormones and putting additional strain on your heart. In the first week of daylight saving, many experts recommend getting to bed a half-hour earlier than normal and avoiding alcohol to help your body while it adjusts to the new rhythm.

Now that we’ve cleared that, we can get into the fun part—enjoying that extra hour of sunshine! There are more ways to have fun in the sun than there are hours in the day, but we’ll give you some examples below to get your brain going!

1. Birdwatching
   Birdwatching is a favorite pastime for people no matter what time of year it is, but it’s hard to argue that it isn’t more fun when the sun’s out! It gets you out in nature, brings you together with other enthusiasts, and a new study even suggests that practicing the skills used for birdwatching can improve your brain health!
2. Gardening
   Gardening is a natural and rewarding way to improve your balance and flexibility; what’s more, if all goes well, you can even get some tasty veggies out of it! Whether you want to create a beautiful flower garden or your own grocery, gardening is a great way to stay attentive, productive, and active.
3. Spending Time in a Park
   For an activity that doesn’t require any special gear or preparation, consider going to a park with your loved one! March 30th is Take a Walk in the Park Day, and who are we to argue with tradition? You can get some light exercise walking the paths or just sit on a bench and read a book. You could even bring a picnic basket with you for an idyllic brunch!

We hope this blog has given you some ideas for how to spend that extra hour of sunshine! Enjoy the warmer weather, make sure you keep up with your sleep, and stay safe out there!

March is Women’s History Month, a time to recognize the contributions of women worldwide to history and progress. In the field of healthcare, there is perhaps no woman more famous for her influence than Florence Nightingale, often known as “The Lady with the Lamp.” Florence Nightingale organized and advanced care and nursing science, bringing the knowledge she learned as a nurse during the Crimean War back to London.

Working as a nurse in Turkey in 1854, Nightingale was confronted with medicine shortages, mass infections, and an absence of good hygiene practices. For every one soldier killed in combat, ten would die from illnesses and infections, many of them preventable.

Nightingale implemented improvements in hygiene practices (such as handwashing!) in the hospitals where she worked, with some claiming she turned a death rate of 42% to only 2%. She also petitioned publications in Britain to pressure the government for better conditions, to which the government responded with shipments of food, medicine, and an entire prefabricated hospital designed to be assembled upon delivery. Her presence caring for the wounded in this hospital even into the night earned her the nickname, “The Lady with the Lamp.”

After the war, with the attention she’d gained from her success in improving healthcare conditions abroad, Nightingale was able to establish the Nightingale Fund and set up the first nursing school, called the Nightingale Training School, which is training nurses to this day. She released books on nursing written in plain English, introducing the public to methods of care and hygiene and making nursing much more accessible; because of these accomplishments, Nightingale is considered the founder of modern nursing.

This Women’s History Month, let’s remember Florence Nightingale, the nurses who served with her, and every woman in healthcare, including many of our own Caregivers, that have worked to save and improve the lives of those in need.

My name is Maytal Allen, and I am a Home Care Specialist with Capital City Nurses in Howard County, Maryland.

What does a day in my life look like? Sounds like a simple question, but the truth is, no two days are ever the same — and that’s one of the things I love most about what I do. Every day brings new conversations, new relationships, and new opportunities to show up for someone who needs support.

If you had told me ten years ago that this is where I would be, I probably wouldn’t have believed you. I’m an Occupational Therapist by training, and I started my career in hospital settings — acute and subacute care. I worked with patients navigating complex diagnoses and major life changes. What mattered most to me then, and still matters now, was helping people regain their independence and improve their quality of life.

Independence is deeply personal to me. I live with a disability, and from a young age, I made a promise to myself that it would not define or limit my life. But over time, I’ve learned something even more important: independence doesn’t mean doing everything alone. Sometimes it means accepting help. Sometimes it means allowing support so you can live safely and fully. That perspective has shaped not only my career, but the way I connect with families.

After COVID, I felt a shift. I had seen too many patients return to the hospital simply because they didn’t have the right support at home. When I found Capital City Nurses, something clicked. Supporting people in their homes — helping them remain safe, comfortable, and independent — felt aligned with everything I believe in.

My mornings start with my most important role: being a mom to my energetic two-year-old son. Mornings are full of playtime, getting ready for the day, and breakfast with my husband before we both head into our day. Then I transition into work — checking emails, calling families, reviewing my schedule. From there, I’m on the road visiting clients, meeting families, connecting with hospital teams, rehab centers, senior living communities — building relationships and being a resource.

My days are busy, sometimes unpredictable, and rarely “perfect.” I’ve learned to be flexible and to problem-solve quickly. But what stays consistent are the people. I love speaking with families who feel overwhelmed and being able to offer reassurance. I love hearing the relief in someone’s voice when they know their loved one is safe at home. And I truly love meeting our Caregivers — seeing their compassion and dedication reminds me every day why this work matters.

At the end of the day, I come home and step back into my favorite title — Mom.

Looking back, this path makes so much sense to me now. It blends my professional training, my personal experiences, and my heart for helping others. I’m incredibly grateful to be where I am. I love what I do, and I’m proud to stand behind work that helps people live fuller, safer, and more independent lives.

Through our relationship with the American Heart Association (AHA), Care Advantage, Inc. has been able to contribute to the causes of fighting heart disease and researching heart health, donating more than $30K just last year. This year, our Executive Vice President, Olivia Jones, has been nominated as a “Woman of Impact.” Every year, the American Heart Association nominates changemakers to raise awareness and funds for women’s heart health research, with the person making the greatest local impact being named Woman of Impact in her city.

Olivia is one of those changemakers, and she has a personal relationship with heart health. “My journey with the American Heart Association began long before my nomination; it began in a hospital room when my son was born with a congenital heart defect,” Olivia says. “Experiencing the fear, faith, and fight that come with an unexpected diagnosis changed me forever. It opened my eyes not only to how fragile life is, but also to the power of awareness, advocacy, and early intervention. Being a Woman of Impact means standing together for the women we love, the families we serve, and the hearts that still need healing, including my own family’s.”

Fundraising for the Woman of Impact competition began on February 6^th, which was marked by AHA’s Wear Red Day. Employees and people across the region wore the bright color in support of women’s cardiovascular health. Although Wear Red Day has passed, you can still support the efforts of the American Heart Association in a variety of meaningful ways. Follow this link to learn more about the Woman of Impact campaign: https://www2.heart.org/site/TR/?fr_id=12854&pg=entry. If you’d like to support Olivia’s efforts, click here.