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It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always

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Home Care In Brandon, IA

Home Care Brandon, IA

They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.

However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Brandon Historical Society gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.

Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Brandon, IA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.

In-Home Care Brandon, IA

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The Always Best Care Difference

Since 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.

Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.

The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.

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Elderly Care for James T.
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“Always best care provided excellent caregivers to us. I am really happy with the care”

Always best care provided excellent caregivers to us. I am really happy with the care and support they provided to my father. Highly recommended to all!
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In-home Care for Michael H.
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“On behalf of my family, I would like to thank Always Best care for all”

On behalf of my family, I would like to thank Always Best care for all the support your caregivers have provided to my mother. She was very pleased with the care she received. I confidently recommend Always Best Care to all.
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Senior Care for Melanie S.
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“Always Best Care in Cedar Valley IA realy helps me a lot. They have Reliable”

Always Best Care in Cedar Valley IA realy helps me a lot. They have Reliable Caregivers who helped me to take care of my loved one for several years. They are highly trained and managed well the daily routines and activities like bathing and dressing. Caregivers of always best care is dependable and passionate to their work. I am satisfied and so glad that I chose their service. Highly recommend whoever needs their caregiving service!
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TESTIMONIALS

“Always best care provided excellent caregivers to us. I am really happy with the care and support they provided to my father. Highly recommended to all!”

James T.
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TESTIMONIALS

“On behalf of my family, I would like to thank Always Best care for all the support your caregivers have provided to my mother. She was very pleased with the care she received. I confidently recommend Always Best Care to all.”

Michael H.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Always Best Care in Cedar Valley IA realy helps me a lot. They have Reliable Caregivers who helped me to take care of my loved one for several years. They are highly trained and managed well the daily routines and activities like bathing and dressing. Caregivers of always best care is dependable and passionate to their work. I am satisfied and so glad that I chose their service. Highly recommend whoever needs their caregiving service!”

Melanie S.

What is Non-Medical Senior Care in Brandon, IA?

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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.

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When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.

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The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.

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At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.

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Senior Care Brandon, IA

Types of Elderly Care in Brandon, IA

To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:

Personal Care

Personal Care Services

If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.

Common personal care services include assistance with:

  • Eating
  • Mobility Issues
  • Incontinence
  • Bathing
  • Dressing
  • Grooming
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Respite Care Brandon, IA
Home Helper

Home Helper Services

Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.

Common home helper care services include assistance with:

  • Medication Reminders
  • Meal Preparation
  • Pet Care
  • Prescription Refills
  • Morning Wake-Up
  • Walking
  • Reading
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Caregivers Brandon, IA
Companionship Services

Companionship Services

Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Paul Sanders Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.

Common companionship services include:

  • Grocery Shopping
  • Transportation to Appointments
  • Nutritional Assistance
  • Conversation
  • Planning Outings
  • Completing Errands
  • Transportation to Community
  • Events and Social Outings
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Home Care Brandon, IA
Respite Care

Respite Care Services

According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Allegria Italiana, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.

At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.

If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.

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In-Home Care Brandon, IA

Benefits of Home Care in Brandon, IA

Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:

Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.

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Aging in Place: The Preferred Choice for Most Seniors

While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.

In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.

Here are just a few of the reasons why older men and women prefer to age at home:

How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?

A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.

With the help of elderly care in Brandon, IA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.

Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.

Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.

For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.

More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.

In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.

With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.

Elderly Care Brandon, IA

Affordable Care

In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.

Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.

At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.

In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:

If your loved one qualifies, Medicaid may help reduce in-home care costs. Review your IA's Medicaid program laws and benefits, and make sure your senior's financial and medical needs meet Medicaid eligibility requirements.
Attendance and aid benefits through military service can cover a portion of the costs associated with in-home care for veterans and their spouses.
Many senior care services like in-home care are included in long-term care insurance options. Research different long-term care solutions to find a plan that provides coverage for senior care.
Home care can be included as part of a senior's private insurance plan. Read over your loved one's insurance policy carefully or speak with their insurance provider to determine if in-home care is covered.
Depending on the life insurance plan, you may be able to apply your policy toward long-term care. You may be able to use long-term-care coverage to help pay for in-home elderly care.
Senior Care Brandon, IA

Compassionate Care. Trusted Caregivers.

When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.

Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.

At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Brandon, IA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.

Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.

Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.

Assisted Living Referral Services

While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.

Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.

Respite Care Brandon, IA

At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.

Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:

  • Housekeeping
  • Laundry
  • Recreational Activities
  • Social Outings
  • Emergency Medical Response
  • Medication Monitoring
  • Family Visitation
  • Personal Care
Caregivers Brandon, IA

At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.

Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.

Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:

  • Hawthorne Inn of Brandon (Assisted Living and Memory Care)
  • Savannah Court of Brandon
  • Rosecastle at Delaney Creek
  • Tessera of Brandon
  • Superior Residences of Brandon
  • Park View Estate of Brandon
Home Care Brandon, IA

For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.

In-Home Care Brandon, IA

Taking the First Step with Always Best Care

The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:

A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way

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A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive

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Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider

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Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.

If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.

At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Brandon, IA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.

When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.

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Elderly Care Brandon, IA

Latest News in Brandon, IA

Iowa father charged with kidnapping after abduction that triggered Amber Alert

JEFFERSON, Iowa —An Iowa man who allegedly abducted his 7-year-old son Tuesday afternoon in Greene County has been taken into custody after a standoff two hours away in northwest Iowa.Brandon Duong, 34, of Jefferson does not have legal custody of his biological son, who he allegedly removed from Greene County Elementary in Jefferson Tuesday afternoon. An Amber Alert was issued for the boy around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, listing Duong as the abductor.Authorities caught up to Duong just before 5 p.m. in no...

JEFFERSON, Iowa —

An Iowa man who allegedly abducted his 7-year-old son Tuesday afternoon in Greene County has been taken into custody after a standoff two hours away in northwest Iowa.

Brandon Duong, 34, of Jefferson does not have legal custody of his biological son, who he allegedly removed from Greene County Elementary in Jefferson Tuesday afternoon. An Amber Alert was issued for the boy around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, listing Duong as the abductor.

Authorities caught up to Duong just before 5 p.m. in northwest Iowa where, after a high-speed pursuit, the father – armed with a rifle – attempted to flee on foot with the boy.

A standoff lasted close to 3 hours before he surrendered. The boy is safely in the care of the Department of Human Services, according to a news release.

Duong has been charged with one count of first-degree kidnapping and will be transported back to Greene County Jail.

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Child was improperly taken from school grounds

According to a Facebook post by the Greene County Community School District, the boy was improperly taken from school grounds in Jefferson. Read the full post:

Today from 12:45pm to 1:20pm, our elementary and middle school were placed in a Secure the Perimeter after a student left the elementary playground and entered their parent’s vehicle and left school grounds. The proper procedure for removal of a student off the school grounds was not followed and law enforcement was immediately notified.

All other students were brought inside from recess and resumed normal activities in the school for the remainder of the day.

When is an Amber Alert activated?

The goal of the Amber Plan is for the safe recovery of missing children that a law enforcement agency believes have been abducted and are in danger of serious bodily harm or death, according to amberalert.iowa.gov. The Amber Alert activation is not to be used for runaway cases or parental abduction cases, unless the life of the child is in grave danger.

Yes, Aquaman and Superman played high school soccer together in Iowa

Who needs a Justice League when Iowa has the Norwalk Warriors?The Norwalk varsity soccer team hosted a pair of would-be superheroes in the mid-1990s, with “Aquaman” star Jason Momoa and “Superman Returns” actor Brandon Routh scoring screamers together years before becoming Hollywood stars.So, yes — as one meme suggests — Superman and Aquaman played high school soc...

Who needs a Justice League when Iowa has the Norwalk Warriors?

The Norwalk varsity soccer team hosted a pair of would-be superheroes in the mid-1990s, with “Aquaman” star Jason Momoa and “Superman Returns” actor Brandon Routh scoring screamers together years before becoming Hollywood stars.

So, yes — as one meme suggests — Superman and Aquaman played high school soccer together in small-town Iowa, 10 miles south of Des Moines.

Norwalk High School launched a soccer program in 1994, with Momoa playing from '94-1997. Routh joined the team from '95-1998. It wasn't a hero's ending for the future stars, though. State archives show the Warriors did not appear in a spring state tournament until 2004.

Routh reprised the role of Clark Kent for the 2006 film, directed by Bryan Singer. Momoa appears Friday as Arthur Curry in “Aquaman,” the season’s most anticipated superhero flick.

“I've known Jason forever and now he is Aquaman and I was Superman,” Routh told the Register in 2015. “We played soccer together in high school and youth soccer. I see him around every once in a while.”

From 2015: June 12 declared Brandon Routh Day

“Aquaman,” the latest film in the DC Extended Universe (the home of Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman; not to be confused with the Marvel Cinematic Universe, home of the Avengers), enters wide release Friday. The film promises to serve audiences a coming-to-power story for the underwater hero DC first put to page in 1941.

In interviews earlier this year, Momoa noted the influence his Warren County upbringing had on playing Aquaman. He told A-List in the United Kingdom that “being born in Hawaii and raised in Iowa, (there were) two very different worlds much like Atlantis and the surface world.”

More:Jason Momoa does the Haka with his kids at 'Aquaman' premiere

More:Iowa-raised Jason Momoa gets musical and muscular on his 'Saturday Night Live' debut

Speaking with Men’s Journal, the “Game of Thrones” star and recent “SNL" host compared Curry’s fictional background to his own.

“It’s probably the character I’ve played that’s most like me. Like him, I grew up a huge outsider. I was just with my mother; he was just with his father — and I know what that’s like, not having a parent around.”

Who knows? The next Wonder Woman could be shooting hoops in Polk City right now.

Iowa football: Safety Brandon Snyder leaving Hawkeye program

Brandon Snyder’s Iowa football career has come to an abrupt end.The free safety who started all 13 games in Iowa's 2016 season but then sustained two serious knee injuries and ran into legal trouble told the Des Moines Register via text message Tuesday morning that he would be leaving the Hawkeye program to complete his final year of eligibility at South Dakota State.The University of Iowa released a statement later Tuesday morning to announce Snyder's departure. The decision was mutual.Snyder will be immediately e...

Brandon Snyder’s Iowa football career has come to an abrupt end.

The free safety who started all 13 games in Iowa's 2016 season but then sustained two serious knee injuries and ran into legal trouble told the Des Moines Register via text message Tuesday morning that he would be leaving the Hawkeye program to complete his final year of eligibility at South Dakota State.

The University of Iowa released a statement later Tuesday morning to announce Snyder's departure. The decision was mutual.

Snyder will be immediately eligible at SDSU as a graduate transfer. He completed his final undergraduate class at Iowa on Monday.

CHAD LEISTIKOW:Snyder needs support after facing dark battles

BRANDON SNYDER: Former Iowa safety issues emotional Hawkeyes farewell

In conjunction with his departure, Snyder, a former walk-on from West Lyon High School in northwest Iowa, texted an emotional statement to the Register. In the 260-word message, he thanked Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz and his staff for the opportunity, praised the kids at the UI Children's Hospital and said he was "deeply saddened" that he couldn't finish his college career as a Hawkeye.

"I have given Iowa everything I have inside of me, but at this time I believe God is leading me elsewhere," Snyder said. "I am submitting to His will and accepting that I am meant to be somewhere else."

In saying he would head to SDSU, an FCS power which happens to open the season at Iowa State, Snyder said he was looking forward to joining the Jackrabbits' "family culture."

In the Iowa release, Ferentz pointed to increased competition at Snyder's position leaving him a less-than-clear path to the field.

"We appreciate Brandon’s goal to play his full senior year," Ferentz said. "We wish him the very best and thank him for his grit on the field."

Snyder seemed to be on track to be one of the Hawkeye program's top comeback stories of 2018. After twice tearing his ACL in 2017 and an OWI arrest in December, Snyder was diligently rehabbing his left knee and his reputation to get ready for the season.

In a June interview with the Register, Snyder described the mundane and difficult road back to regaining his football health. He discussed how his weight-room numbers were as good as they’ve ever been.

But he also said working to win back the locker room was an ongoing challenge after his OWI arrest, in which his blood-alcohol level was .163 percent, more than twice the legal maximum to drive.

“You’ve got to earn the respect of your teammates back and the respect of your coaches,” Snyder said then. “That doesn’t happen overnight. It’s one of those things, you put your head down and show you’re still working hard. And eventually, you earn that trust back again.”

From the outside, it seemed everything was on track. At last week's Big Ten Media Days, the Hawkeye depth chart revealed Snyder as a co-starter with Jake Gervase at free safety.

Then Tuesday's news hit.

Even without Snyder, the Hawkeyes remain deep at the safety position. Gervase, a former walk-on, developed into a solid performer as the 2017 went on and finished with 58 tackles and three interceptions for the season. He and Amani Hooker will likely be the starting safety tandem (both were elected to the team's 12-player leadership group), with sophomore Geno Stone as the top backup.

Snyder's younger brother, Jaden, was planning to remain a Hawkeye as a freshman walk-on but hasn't yet joined the team.

Former Iowa wrestler Brandon Sorensen diagnosed with cancer

IOWA CITY, Ia. — Brandon Sorensen recorded 127 career victories and was a four-time All-American for the Iowa wrestling program from 2014-18. But the biggest bout of his life began Tuesday.The program announced that Sorensen has been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow that affects white blood cells...

IOWA CITY, Ia. — Brandon Sorensen recorded 127 career victories and was a four-time All-American for the Iowa wrestling program from 2014-18. But the biggest bout of his life began Tuesday.

The program announced that Sorensen has been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow that affects white blood cells. He started treatment Tuesday and is being treated at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics.

"I am prepared to beat this disease, and there is no wait," Sorensen said in a statement. "The challenge is right in front of me, and I am all-in. I know I am not alone in this fight.

"I have the very best doctors, resources and family you could possibly hope for, and I know that we will beat this cancer together. There is no choice. We will move forward with success."

A native of Cedar Falls and a product of Denver High School, Sorensen was a four-time Iowa state champion before joining the Hawkeyes. He posted a career high-school record of 208-3. He's one of just 27 four-timers in state history, and one of just 20 wrestlers to win 200-plus matches.

Sorensen wrestled his entire Iowa career at 149 pounds. He placed fourth at the NCAA Championships in 2015, reached the finals in 2016, took third in 2017 and fifth in 2018. He is one of just 20 four-time All-Americans in program history.

"The character of our team is rallying behind Sorensen," Iowa wrestling coach Tom Brands said Tuesday. "The Sorensen family is seeing that and feeling it. Sometimes, you get dealt bad hands.

"Brandon Sorensen has been a top-rated soldier for this program. He always marched the right way. That's what we love the most about him, and still love. He's still part of our program.

"In five years of coaching him, I had zero drama, zero trouble, zero discipline issues."

Since graduating, Sorensen has been a member of the Hawkeye Wrestling Club. A GoFundMe page has been created in Brandon's name to provide financial support to cover his medical expenses.

? Click here to go to the GoFundMe page

"Sorensen is a private guy," Brands continued. "This is a big deal for him, and I won't speak for him too much, but the one thing I will say is he enjoys people fighting for him, but he also enjoys his privacy. To him, it's almost like, 'Hey, I appreciate everything, but don't trouble yourselves.'

"Well, we're going to trouble ourselves. We're going to go out of our way in any way we can … bad things happen to good people all the time. This is a real-life example of that."

The news of Sorensen's diagnosis was felt across the entire wrestling community, both in Iowa and beyond.

"On behalf of the Iowa State wrestling team and staff, our thoughts and prayers go out to Brandon Sorensen and the news we just heard from Iowa City," Iowa State coach Kevin Dresser said Tuesday in Ames. "Sounds like he's got a tough fight on his hands.

"But the one thing I'll always remember about Brandon Sorensen, just from sitting in the opposite corner, is what a tough kid he is, and what a great kid he is. In wrestling, we're getting to go compete in a national-level event. We all want to fight, but he's got a fight on his hands.

"We just wanted to say, from Ames to Iowa City, that we're thinking about him. We know he's got a good support network, and we wish him the best. He'll win. He always figured out how to win."

Cody Goodwin covers wrestling and high school sports for the Des Moines Register. Follow him on Twitter at @codygoodwin.

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Leistikow: Brandon Snyder needs support, fresh start after facing dark battles

It was just seven weeks ago when Brandon Snyder greeted me with a big smile as he walked off the 18th green at the Wakonda Club in Des Moines.There as an Iowa football representative at a Polk County I-Club fundraiser, Snyder was upbeat, positive and excited as we began to talk. He invited me to hop on his golf cart and talk some more as he continued his round.He and I had a good working relationship; we had first chatted two years earlier at this same event, mostly about his rocket-launch golf shots. That was be...

It was just seven weeks ago when Brandon Snyder greeted me with a big smile as he walked off the 18th green at the Wakonda Club in Des Moines.

There as an Iowa football representative at a Polk County I-Club fundraiser, Snyder was upbeat, positive and excited as we began to talk. He invited me to hop on his golf cart and talk some more as he continued his round.

He and I had a good working relationship; we had first chatted two years earlier at this same event, mostly about his rocket-launch golf shots. That was before he broke onto the scene as a walk-on sophomore, in which he started all 13 games at free safety for the Hawkeyes, delivered several key turnovers and earned a scholarship at his dream school.

Snyder also remembered me from the story I had reported, through his family, about how he amazingly got back on the field within 5½ months of his first ACL surgery in April 2017.

This is all to say, there was a previous reporter-player relationship of openness and trust. So, he freely offered some of the demons he had been facing; a night that he'd been brought to tears; how he’d been trying to lean on his Christian faith to navigate through it. And I wrote about it.

He detailed the loneliness of monotonous, grueling rehab workouts he was enduring to bounce back from his second ACL surgery in November. He talked about the self-inflicted, tough road to regain good standing with the Hawkeye football program following his December OWI arrest.

But on this June day, he seemed to be around a corner, past the worst of his roughest times.

His knee was doing great; his weight-room numbers were stellar. He was finally working out with teammates again. Fall camp, often the most rugged portion of a college football player’s calendar, suddenly became Snyder’s Promised Land after playing just one game in 20 months.

“I’ve never been as excited for camp as I am now,” he said at the time, “which is kind of funny, how perspective changes.

“You just want to put the Hawkeye uniform on again, put shoulder pads and a helmet on again.”

Something changed again, though, in the past seven weeks. Snyder’s positive road to recovery at Iowa took a sharp detour. The listed co-starter at free safety is, suddenly, no longer a Hawkeye.

MORE:'There is none better:' Read Brandon Snyder's farewell statements

He will play at an FCS school, South Dakota State, to complete his final year of eligibility as a graduate transfer.

Snyder doesn't have a Twitter account, so he reached out to me to distribute the news. We chatted for a little bit again Tuesday morning. I wished him well. I expect we'll stay in touch. He's a good-hearted person who has made some poor choices since the second surgery to dig himself a hole within the Hawkeye program.

But those details aren't worth dwelling on.

What's important is that Snyder the person is getting a fresh start.

He needs a fresh start.

Buried underneath the headline of Snyder's departure is that there are more important things than football that he needs to take care of.

At Iowa, he publicly got caught up in alcohol use. There's no getting around the fact that Iowa City's bar culture provides a lot of temptations that can get college students, even those who mean well, into trouble.

On one of his dark nights in April, he was bawling as he called home to his parents, Tim and Sheri, who were 6 hours away.

After going through some really dark stuff, Snyder hopes moving back closer to home — SDSU's campus in Brookings is an easy 1-hour, 10-minute drive from his native Larchwood, Iowa — will provide him the support system he desires.

In a statement announcing his new school, these words stuck out: "I am excited to join a program with an excellent tradition of winning, and more importantly, a tradition of family culture. I truly believe this is where God is calling me to be, and I am grateful to the SDSU players and coaches for taking me in with open arms."

Snyder professes to be a Christian. One of the calls of that faith walk is changing the world in a positive way; but sometimes, the world instead changes you.

And sometimes, a fresh start is the best thing to turn a person's life into a positive direction.

"I’m deeply saddened I won’t be finishing my career as a Hawk," Snyder said in the statement he sent my way. "But I am excited for the many opportunities ahead. Time and time again, God has proven himself to know what’s best for me, and I’ll continue to believe that as I move on."

So, Snyder is getting a fresh start. So are the Hawkeyes.

The decision to part ways was mutual.

If you're reading this in Brookings you're getting a hungry, outstanding football player.

But more importantly, you're getting a young man who has been broken down, who is seeking personal redemption ... and who, more than anything, could use your love and support.

Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow has covered sports for 23 years with The Des Moines Register, USA TODAY and Iowa City Press-Citizen. Follow @ChadLeistikow on Twitter.

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