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.
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 University Park, 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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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.
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. 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 University Park, 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 University Park, 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.
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 University Park, 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.
IOWA CITY — University of Iowa Health Care is upping parking permit prices for many of its nearly 20,000 employees in the coming months, affecting morale and compelling thousands to sign an online petition urging management to reduce rates.“It is unfair and unsustainable for hospital employees to bear such high out-of-pocket expenses just to park their vehicles while they contribute to the welfare of the community,” according to a change.org petition with more than 4,000 signatures. “A change of this magnitude ...
IOWA CITY — University of Iowa Health Care is upping parking permit prices for many of its nearly 20,000 employees in the coming months, affecting morale and compelling thousands to sign an online petition urging management to reduce rates.
“It is unfair and unsustainable for hospital employees to bear such high out-of-pocket expenses just to park their vehicles while they contribute to the welfare of the community,” according to a change.org petition with more than 4,000 signatures. “A change of this magnitude places an additional financial burden on UIHC employees without a corresponding wage increase or additional benefits to offset the cost.
“In some lots, the increase in price is greater than 240 percent.”
UIHC did not provide The Gazette with exact rate increases in response to its request for details.
But officials did confirm that beginning Nov. 1, some UIHC location rates will “be changed to align with the broader University of Iowa parking permit system.” Specific parking permit changes will vary by locations, according to UIHC spokeswoman Brandee Saunders.
“This alignment will support the long?term maintenance and general construction needs of parking facilities that serve both patients and staff,” she said. “All parking permit revenue is reinvested directly into parking.”
As part of the changes, Saunders said parking reciprocity will expand — making it easier for employees who work across various UIHC locations to park when traveling between sites.
“We are in the process of implementing additional transportation and parking options to help with the increases,” she said. “We plan to communicate those changes with employees this fall.”
No parking rate changes are planned for patients and visitors, according to UIHC — which cited its evolution and expansion in needing to update parking permit types and rates “across several locations to align with the standard structure used across the broader University of Iowa campus.”
“Over time, parking costs and convenience have varied widely across our locations,” Saunders said. “As UI Health Care evolves as a unified system, we have searched for opportunities to standardize processes and experiences for employees.”
UI Health Care in the last two years added two new off-site hospitals to its main hospital campus adjacent to Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City. Following Mercy Iowa City’s bankruptcy in 2023, UIHC bought the community hospital for $37.4 million and reopened it as UIHC Medical Center Downtown in 2024.
It also opened a new $525.6 million, 469,060-square-foot orthopedic hospital in North Liberty in April 2025 — in addition to UIHC’s various clinic locations, including in Coralville’s Iowa River Landing District.
Extensive staff and patient parking is required for each UIHC campus — including four-plus lots near the main campus, several lots and ramp parking near the downtown campus, four permitted lots and two patient lots at the North Liberty site, and a ramp adjacent to Iowa River Landing.
The university is building a new $70.8 million, 1,200-space Arena Parking Ramp near the main hospital campus — in support of a new inpatient tower in the works — and the Board of Regents earlier this summer approved construction of a new $40 million parking ramp adjacent to UI Health Care Medical Center Downtown.
Before the new November rate hikes were unveiled — which some employees have told The Gazette will affect the North Liberty hospital staff especially hard — the Board of Regents approved July 1 parking permit rate increases for ramps and lots across the UI campus, including a 6.4 percent bump for “physicians permits,” bringing the cost from $2,820 a year to $3,000 a year.
A reserved UI surface lot spot went up 9 percent from $804 to $876, according to board documents — projecting UI parking system revenue to climb from $31.7 million in the 2026 budget year to $33.2 million in 2027.
“With the understanding that operational costs and policies do change, an increase in the cost of employee parking has a meaningful impact on take-home pay,” according to the petition. “It is crucial to acknowledge that employees are integral to the hospital's success, and hiking parking fees is counterproductive.
“The institution should focus on retaining talent and ensuring staff morale remains high.”
In the petition, workers noted “driving to work is not a choice but a necessity, especially when public transportation is not a feasible option due to shift timings or the distance from home.
“Parking should not add to the financial strain we already face, particularly during a time when the cost of living is rising across all sectors.”
In signing the petition, dozens posted comments, including one employee who said UIHC charged $15 a month when he started and now is charging $73 — a 387 percent increase.
“Our paychecks have not increased even a tenth of that percentage!” he wrote. “And they even make employees pay taxes on this money! In my 42 years in the workforce, UIHC is the ONLY employer I have ever known to charge its employees to park on the employer's own property to perform work for the employer.”
Another person wrote, “Charging employees to be at work is not cool,” and one employee said that with the parking hike and health, dental and life insurance increases, “I will be taking home less than last year. How sad is that?”
When asked about the parking rate increases, Hannah Bott — lead organizer with the Iowa division of SEIU Health Care Minnesota & Iowa, a union representing more than 4,000 UIHC nurses and staff — said “no worker should have to pay their employer in order to park to go to their job.”
“As for the most recent changes, we understand that the increases are to support the parking infrastructure at the university as a whole and not targeted at employees specifically, but they are who will bear the brunt of the changes,” Bott said. “While some of the changes are positive, with the cost to park in some lots decreasing, there are many who will face increased prices or even face being charged to park for the first time in their employment.”
UIHC management, she said, has acknowledged “these changes are mostly unpopular and that they know that parking is a major dissatisfier.”
“Now is a great time for Iowa Health Care to step up and do the right thing by covering parking fees for all staff.”
IOWA CITY — Parking permit rate hikes taking effect in November for University of Iowa Health Care workers will hit employees of the new North Liberty hospital and Iowa River Landing clinic especially hard, according to documents and data obtained by The Gazette.UIHC’s 700-some North Liberty employees will see their monthly rate to park in the hospital-adjacent lot increase from $20 in fiscal 2026 to $29 on Nov. 1, then to $53 on July 1, 2027, and again to $73 in July 2028 — amounting to a 265 percent increase over t...
IOWA CITY — Parking permit rate hikes taking effect in November for University of Iowa Health Care workers will hit employees of the new North Liberty hospital and Iowa River Landing clinic especially hard, according to documents and data obtained by The Gazette.
UIHC’s 700-some North Liberty employees will see their monthly rate to park in the hospital-adjacent lot increase from $20 in fiscal 2026 to $29 on Nov. 1, then to $53 on July 1, 2027, and again to $73 in July 2028 — amounting to a 265 percent increase over two years.
“These adjustments will occur over three years to give you time to plan and prepare,” UIHC CEO Brad Haws and Debby Zumbach, UI Parking and Transportation director, said in a July message to employees — referencing the three rate increases in 2026, 2027, and 2028.
The hundreds of UIHC employees who work at the university’s Iowa River Landing clinic in Coralville will either see their monthly parking rate climb from $50 to $117 by 2028 or $28 to $73 — depending on where they park at the clinic. And similar increases are proposed for employees of UI Health Care’s support services building and its sports medicine clinic off Mormon Trek Boulevard and Melrose Avenue.
“The majority of employees will see rate changes reflected in their paycheck beginning Dec. 1, 2026,” according to an FAQ on the rate changes, provided to The Gazette following a public records request. “Employees with biweekly appointments will begin seeing the changes reflected in their Nov. 17, 2026, paycheck.”
The increases compelled employees to launch an online petition calling on UIHC to reduce employee parking rates, arguing, “Parking should not add to the financial strain we already face, particularly during a time when the cost of living is rising across all sectors.”
With more than 4,500 signatures as of Thursday, some employees are crying foul for asking hospital workers to pay for parking at all.
“The employer should pay their own business expenses, not force employees to pay them,” one signor wrote. “This is an unethical mechanism for the employer to claw back a portion of employees' compensation.”
In response to the petition, UIHC officials told The Gazette, “As UI Health Care evolves as a unified system, we have searched for opportunities to standardize processes and experiences for employees.
“Part of that includes updating parking permit types and rates across several locations to align with the standard structure used across the broader University of Iowa campus.”
The only group of UIHC employees who will see a rate decrease — of just $2 through 2028, from $20 to $18 a month — are those who park in the Hawkeye Commuter lot off Hawkeye Park Road, which sits 2½ miles away from the main UIHC campus. Employees who park there can either ride the Cambus or walk to the hospital.
“We recognize that parking at this location is less convenient and requires additional travel time,” according to a July message from Haws and Zumbach. “Your flexibility in using this location plays an important role in helping support parking access for patients and visitors at our university campus.”
The “pricing approach” of keeping the commuter lot low while upping rates in other lots “is intended to ensure that this parking lot remains the most affordable option, while also supporting the long-term needs of our parking system.”
In justifying the increases as part of an alignment with “practices across the UI campus,” UIHC promised more parking reciprocity — allowing permits to extend to one other lot — and to reinvest all parking revenue into maintenance and construction of facilities.
“This includes investments in key infrastructure like the Hawkeye and Arenda ramps, expanded and reconfigured surface parking on the west side of campus, and the shuttle service to the North Liberty campus,” according to Haws and Zumbach.
The entire UI campus in the 2026 budget year generated $29.7 million in parking revenue — including $10.2 million from faculty and staff permits and $8.7 million from hourly hospital ramp fees, according to data provided to The Gazette.
“Parking & Transportation does not have records readily available for just UI Health Care or by specific lot or ramp,” a UI Public Records official said.
Its revenue increased 8 percent over the 2025 budget year, bolstered by a 6 percent increase in faculty and staff permit income and a 20 percent spike in hospital parking ramp hourly-fee revenue. And the university projects another 12 percent increase in total parking system revenue in the 2027 budget year, according to Board of Regents documents.
Regents in April approved slight UI parking system increases to take effect July 1 — including for faculty, staff, and student ramp and lot permits. Those approvals, for example, upped the North Liberty hospital permit $1 from $20 a month to $21 and the IRL permit prices from $28 a month to $29, according to board documents.
But the board was not presented the larger November increases or the plan to hike rates exponentially over the next two years.
In response to The Gazette’s questions of whether the board needs to approve rate increases like those UIHC announced after the regents’ FY26 parking system approvals in April — or whether the board office did approve the increases at some point — board spokesman Josh Lehman on Thursday said his office is looking into it.
In an FAQ provided to employees on the parking changes, UIHC officials said the increases “look so large” because “aligning prices with campuswide university standards results in higher increases for lots and ramps that were previously discounted for UI Health Care permits.”
In explaining expanded parking reciprocity, UIHC said permit holders now will be allowed to park in one other lot — although it must be the one they’ve been assigned. For example, North Liberty and IRL permit holders also will be permitted to park in the Hawkeye commuter lot. By 2028, that reciprocity will move closer to the hospital into the lot by Kinnick Stadium.
To the question of whether employees can opt out of the new pricing plan if they only need to park in one location, UIHC officials said, “No.”
“While expanded reciprocity is an important benefit of the new approach, the changes are part of a broader effort to create a more consistent and equitable parking system across UI Health Care and the University of Iowa campus.”
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