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.
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 Ushers Ferry Historic Village in Hiawatha, IA 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 Hiawatha, IA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 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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“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.”
“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!”
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.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
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.
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.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home 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:
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:
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 Guthridge Park in Hiawatha, IA with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
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 Oscar's Restaurant or visit Brucemore, 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.
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:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
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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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.
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 Hiawatha, 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.
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:
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 Hiawatha, 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.
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.
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:
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:
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.
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
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
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 Hiawatha, 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.
Developers, business leaders and area elected officials will gather this week for the groundbreaking of Hiawatha’s newest mixed-use project.The groundbreaking for Phase 1 of “The Core of Hiawatha” project is set for noon Wednesday at the intersection of Robins Road and Faye Street. Plans for the site call for the construction of a four-story building with lower-level commercial units and upper-level apartments.The $13 million project comes from Merit Development, a Manchester-based development company that has...
Developers, business leaders and area elected officials will gather this week for the groundbreaking of Hiawatha’s newest mixed-use project.
The groundbreaking for Phase 1 of “The Core of Hiawatha” project is set for noon Wednesday at the intersection of Robins Road and Faye Street. Plans for the site call for the construction of a four-story building with lower-level commercial units and upper-level apartments.
The $13 million project comes from Merit Development, a Manchester-based development company that has completed similar mixed-use projects in other Eastern Iowa communities. Once complete, it will have six commercial units and 39 residential apartments.
The city sold the vacant site to Merit Development in June for $1, a common economic tool to incentivize development.
Merit Development staff will be present at Wednesday’s groundbreaking, alongside members of the Hiawatha City Council and representatives from the Hiawatha Economic Development Corp. The public is welcome to attend.
After unanimously voting against an agreement to temporarily contract for a human resources director, the Iowa City school board agreed the district should post an opening for an interim director.
The school board earlier this month directed school leaders to bring to them a contract agreement for a human resource director to replace Nick Proud, who left the district to become a principal in the Davenport Community School District.
They were presented Tuesday with an agreement from McDermott + Bull Interim Leaders for $185 an hour for three months. The board unanimously rejected the agreement, voicing concern about costs.
But some school board members stressed the need for strong leadership in human resources.
School board member Mitch Lingo said the district’s fiscal year 2024 audit — presented last month past the state deadline — found that some employees were working without legal contracts.
“There were no formal reconciliations between human resources records and payroll systems. Employee information was being housed in three separate systems with a fourth for payroll. Overtime calculation errors, misaligned timekeeping and early retirement benefits exceeding board policy, reliance on manual processes … these were all in our audit,” Lingo said.
“Auditors are telling us that we have human resource issues, and that is a component of where we are at financially, and they are the impartial auditors that we hire to come in to perform the audit,” Lingo said.
The school board has been navigating financial constraints since January when it retroactively approved a $10 million interfund loan made in August 2025 to pay staff salaries.
“Nine percent is what our payroll exceeded for August, September, October, November, December and January. It wasn’t until six months into this that someone was able to figure out our payroll had overshot by 9%,” Lingo said.
Interim Superintendent Amy Kortemeyer said the role of human resources was “critical” and “vital.” That person supports “all of our employees, who are our number one asset,” she said.
“I can tell you being down a person in the HR department, there’s a lot of us that are picking up those pieces to answer questions that typically the chief would have been answering,” Kortemeyer said.
The Iowa City school board in March cut $7.5 million in spending for the 2026-27 school year. This included reducing 23 teaching positions through attrition, reassigning district office staff to school-based roles, pausing curriculum purchases, reducing software expenses, eliminating consulting contracts and reducing transportation for student events.
More cuts are expected this coming school year.
The school board also has requested a proposal to study the district’s administrative structure and contracts.
Kortemeyer said a vendor should be presented to the school board next month.
The city of Cedar Rapids is partnering with Chain Reaction Bike Hub to provide commuter-ready bikes to participants in the city’s family self-sufficiency program.
The initiative — dubbed CR Momentum — is meant to reduce transportation barriers that can limit residents’ access to employment, education and other essential services, according to a city news release.
Volunteers with Chain Reaction Bike Hub will assemble and safety-check bicycles using discounted parts sourced from participating local bike shops. Participants also will receive training on safe riding practices and basic maintenance.
The program is meant to build on the success of the city’s family self-sufficiency program, which aims to reduce the dependence of Section 8 housing tenants on public assistance. Participants will be referred to CR Momentum via case management staff at City Hall.
“Reliable transportation is foundational to economic opportunity,” said Evan Schmidtke, executive director of Chain Reaction Bike Hub. “By bringing together the city, local bike shops and our incredible volunteers, we’re creating a solution that benefits both individuals and our community as a whole.”
The Palo City Council will not meet this evening following a string of marathon meetings.
The council typically meets at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Mondays of each month, but city officials last week announced that the first of the two August meetings would be canceled. The second meeting, set for Aug. 17, will continue as planned.
Recent council meetings have drawn large crowds to Palo City Hall, 2800 Hollenbeck Road, in large part because of resident interest in the city’s efforts to create a data center-specific zoning code. Those regulations — which would apply to all data centers within Palo’s city limits — were finalized last month on a 4-1 vote.
Three metered parking lots in Iowa City will be converted to a mobile payment system the week of Aug. 10.
The lots are the Schumann lot, on the north side of Market Street between Clinton and Dubuque streets; Market Street lot, on the north side of Market between Gilbert and Linn streets; and the Maiden Lane lot west of Gilbert Street, south of Court Street and north of Prentiss Street.
The conversion will include the removal of meters and the installation of updated signage to inform users of the change. Drivers can use the ParkMobile app or visit the ParkMobile Iowa City website to pay for parking in the lots. Anyone with questions about the app can call the city’s Parking Office at 319-356-5151 or visit the office at 335 Iowa Ave. between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
The Iowa City Repair Cafe, a volunteer-operated group, is partnering with the city of Iowa City and Iowa City ReStore to hold a repair event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, at the Eastside Recycling Center’s Environmental Education Center, 2401 Scott Blvd. SE. Additional parking will be available at Systems Unlimited, 2533 Scott Blvd. SE.
Anyone can bring in a broken item for repair. Volunteers will assess items and teach guests how to make their own repairs, provided the needed materials are on hand.
Repair stations will be provided for sewing and mending, furniture, computer and smartphone troubleshooting, electrical items such as lamps, and small engines like lawn mowers.
Because of the high demand for repair services, attendees with multiple items to repair are asked to return to the end of the line after repairing one item to ensure that everyone has a turn.
Recycling of electronic cords, cellphones and batteries will be available at this event at no cost for residents of Johnson County, or residents within the city limits of Kalona and Riverside.
Government Notes is published Mondays and contains updates from area governmental bodies. The Gazette’s Grace Nieland and Grace King contributed.
Purchasing a home is one of the most important investments there is. More than a place to live, homeownership is an asset with the potential to tremendously rise in value. But with home prices reaching record heights, affordability plays a huge role for buyers.The typical home value in the United States was $371,757 in July, 1.1% higher than the year before.High mortgage rates are also making monthly payments more expensive; as of August 13, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate sits at 6.67%.Although home prices have inflated...
Purchasing a home is one of the most important investments there is. More than a place to live, homeownership is an asset with the potential to tremendously rise in value. But with home prices reaching record heights, affordability plays a huge role for buyers.
The typical home value in the United States was $371,757 in July, 1.1% higher than the year before.
High mortgage rates are also making monthly payments more expensive; as of August 13, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate sits at 6.67%.
Although home prices have inflated all across the U.S., there are some cities that command a higher price tag than others. Location, size, age, and condition are all contributing factors to home value.
Stacker compiled a list of cities with the most expensive homes in the Cedar Rapids metro area using data from Zillow. Charts show the monthly typical home value since January 2018. Data was available for 46 cities and towns.
- Typical home value: $254,805- 1-year price change: +7.2%- 5-year price change: +32.6%
- Typical home value: $264,918- 1-year price change: +5.3%- 5-year price change: +27.5%
- Typical home value: $266,161- 1-year price change: +8.3%- 5-year price change: +34.8%
- Typical home value: $270,245- 1-year price change: +10.9%- 5-year price change: +35.7%
- Typical home value: $277,427- 1-year price change: +5.5%- 5-year price change: +36.2%
- Typical home value: $281,229- 1-year price change: +3.8%- 5-year price change: +23.3%
- Typical home value: $284,361- 1-year price change: +12.6%- 5-year price change: +29.4%
- Typical home value: $291,541- 1-year price change: +5.6%- 5-year price change: +31.4%
- Typical home value: $292,438- 1-year price change: +13.7%- 5-year price change: +39.6%
- Typical home value: $295,848- 1-year price change: +8.3%- 5-year price change: +37.0%
- Typical home value: $297,002- 1-year price change: +8.0%- 5-year price change: +35.7%
- Typical home value: $299,204- 1-year price change: +6.3%- 5-year price change: +34.4%
- Typical home value: $305,074- 1-year price change: +10.3%- 5-year price change: +36.9%
- Typical home value: $309,986- 1-year price change: +6.0%- 5-year price change: +29.7%
- Typical home value: $311,508- 1-year price change: +3.9%- 5-year price change: +21.6%
- Typical home value: $313,119- 1-year price change: +4.1%- 5-year price change: +28.3%
- Typical home value: $315,432- 1-year price change: +8.7%- 5-year price change: +37.5%
- Typical home value: $320,016- 1-year price change: +10.6%- 5-year price change: +43.0%
- Typical home value: $327,578- 1-year price change: +5.5%- 5-year price change: +27.2%
- Typical home value: $335,297- 1-year price change: +10.3%- 5-year price change: +38.7%
- Typical home value: $340,091- 1-year price change: +10.3%- 5-year price change: +42.6%
- Typical home value: $344,817- 1-year price change: +4.5%- 5-year price change: +24.1%
- Typical home value: $353,093- 1-year price change: +6.1%- 5-year price change: +30.1%
- Typical home value: $354,312- 1-year price change: +4.4%- 5-year price change: +27.5%
- Typical home value: $369,696- 1-year price change: +4.9%- 5-year price change: +31.9%
- Typical home value: $373,887- 1-year price change: +3.7%- 5-year price change: +28.4%
- Typical home value: $374,315- 1-year price change: +9.4%- 5-year price change: +36.7%
- Typical home value: $412,915- 1-year price change: +4.1%- 5-year price change: +20.7%
- Typical home value: $425,828- 1-year price change: +16.7%- 5-year price change: +51.6%
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