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 West Des Moines, 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.
“Tracey Gray helped me in the biggest way today! She saved my day and I”
“Always best care provided excellent caregivers to us. I am really happy with the care”
“On behalf of my family, I would like to thank Always Best care for all”
“Always Best Care in Cedar Valley IA realy helps me a lot. They have Reliable”
“Tracey Gray helped me in the biggest way today! She saved my day and I am so thankful for her choice to help me! Thank you! #CertPrint #AlwaysBestCare”
“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!”
“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.
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.
Request More Information
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 West Des Moines, 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 West Des Moines, 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 West Des Moines, 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.
Truman Davis survives life-threatening ruptured spleen thanks to quick action from team at MercyOneDES MOINES, Iowa —What started as an ordinary day quickly turned into a life-threatening emergency for 17-year-old Truman Davis.His parents, Heather and Ben Davis, described the terrifying moment he collapsed in their bathroom, struggling to stay conscious. “He said, ‘I think you need to call,’” Heather recalled. “He was extremely hot and sweaty. We called 911 ri...
Truman Davis survives life-threatening ruptured spleen thanks to quick action from team at MercyOne
DES MOINES, Iowa —
What started as an ordinary day quickly turned into a life-threatening emergency for 17-year-old Truman Davis.
His parents, Heather and Ben Davis, described the terrifying moment he collapsed in their bathroom, struggling to stay conscious. “He said, ‘I think you need to call,’” Heather recalled. “He was extremely hot and sweaty. We called 911 right away.”
Emergency Medical Services responded immediately, performing CPR and stabilizing Truman before rushing him to MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center. When he arrived, doctors discovered that Truman’s organs were beginning to shut down due to a ruptured spleen, which was caused by complications from mononucleosis - a rare but serious development.
MercyOne's emergency team quickly took action. They determined Truman needed an emergency splenectomy to save his life. He also required massive blood transfusions as his body battled to recover.
“It was very frightening at that point,” Ben said. “But they got him in the ambulance and took care of him from there. We felt really comforted along the way.”
Watching their son fight for his life left the Davis family overwhelmed with gratitude. “It really does take a team, a village to make these miracles happen,” Heather said. “We feel really blessed.”
“We’ve really seen miracles, and we feel very fortunate for the outcome,” Heather added.
According to MercyOne, Truman is recovering well and is expected to be discharged this Thursday.
Doctors describe Truman as a “miracle patient,” praising his determination and the quick actions of both EMS and hospital staff that saved his life.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rescinded its previous decision to add seven segments to Iowa’s list of impaired waters due to their high nitrate concentrations.In November the agency decided the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ list of impaired waters only “partially” met the requirements of the Clean Water Act to identify waterways with identified po...
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rescinded its previous decision to add seven segments to Iowa’s list of impaired waters due to their high nitrate concentrations.
In November the agency decided the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ list of impaired waters only “partially” met the requirements of the Clean Water Act to identify waterways with identified pollutants in excess of water quality standards.
The EPA review of the list identified seven additional segments with high levels of nitrate and nitrate plus nitrite. Despite pushback from the DNR, and comments that the EPA had a “patchwork approach” to regulating nitrate across the country, the federal agency finalized the decision in January.
According to reporting from the Des Moines Register on Tuesday, the EPA office informed the DNR in July it had rescinded its decision. A spokesperson for the DNR confirmed the action in an email with the Iowa Capital Dispatch.
The original decision highlighted segments of rivers connected to municipal drinking water sources, including segments in the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers which supply water to the Des Moines metro, the Cedar River upstream of Cedar Rapids, the Iowa River near Iowa City and the South Skunk River.
EPA said in its November 2024 decision the nitrate concentrations in these segments exceeded safe drinking water standards.
The DNR’s director, Kayla Lyon, pushed back against the decision saying the cities that source water from these rivers are all able to supply drinking water within the safe drinking water standards. Lyon also said the agency was “holding Iowa to a very high standard that it does not enforce elsewhere.”
Nitrate concentrations have been a topic of interest for many in central Iowa this summer. In June, Central Iowa Water Works issued its first ever lawn watering ban to account for high nitrate concentrations in source waters, the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers, and to continue to meet demand.
The regional water authority kept nitrate concentrations in finished water below the EPA’s drinking water standards thanks to the ban, which was lifted Aug. 7, and to nitrate removal systems at several facilities.
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement Board president Jenny Turner said the EPA’s decision to rescind the segments from the list was “an affront to the health and well-being of Iowans.”
“Issuing this reversal on the heels of Central Iowa Water Works first ever lawn watering ban and consistently high nitrate levels in these very same water segments is tone deaf, appalling, and dangerous,” Turner said in a statement.
The release of Polk County’s two-year water quality study has also brought the issue to the forefront for many Iowans. A widely attended presentation on the report has been viewed more than 2,000 times online, and at the event, researchers called for regulation on the agriculture industry for its links to nitrate pollution, which the study highlighted.
Tarah Heinzen, the legal director with the environmental group Food & Water Watch said the “water crisis” in Iowa should be a “call to action.”
“Instead, Trump’s EPA is callously turning its back,” Heinzen said in a statement. “The data is clearer than ever that central Iowa is facing persistent, toxic nitrate contamination endangering thousands — and industrial agriculture is responsible.”
...
City and school elections are in full swing, with candidates gearing up to officially file their paperwork.
Several seats are up in the metro, including city council, mayor and school board.
The election is Nov. 4 but most candidates must declare by mid-September. Here's a look at what seats are open and when and how candidates can file to run.
Three at-large seats.
Three at-large seats — one of which will only have a two-year term — and mayor.
Three at-large seats.
Two at-large seats and mayor.
Two at-large seats.
Three at-large seats — one of which will only have a two-year term — and mayor.
Three seats — one representing District 1, one representing District 2 and one at-large.
Three seats — one representing the Ward 1, one representing the Ward 3 and one at-large.
Four seats — one representing District 2, one representing District 4 and two at-large.
Four at-large seats and mayor.
Two at-large seats and mayor.
Three at-large seats.
Three at-large seats.
Two at-large seats and mayor.
Two at-large seats.
Two at-large seats and mayor.
Two at-large seats and mayor.
Three at-large seats.
Three at-large seats.
Two at-large seats and mayor.
Three at-large seats.
Three at-large seats.
Four at-large seats.
Three seats — one representing the Ward 1, one representing the Ward 3 and one at-large — and mayor.
Three at-large seats.
Three at-large seats and mayor.
Candidate can file to run in the Nov. 4 election from Aug. 25 to 5 p.m. Sept. 18, according to the Iowa Secretary of State's Office.
If a city — including Ankeny, Bondurant and Johnston — has provisions for an Oct. 7 primary election, candidate filing is Aug. 11-28. This does not apply to school board elections, which follow the Aug. 25 to Sept. 18 filing timeline.
If not enough candidates file to trigger a primary election, the city will instead only have the regular election in November, according to Polk County Auditor Jamie Fitzgerald.
Candidates must be eligible electors in the city, city ward or school district they seek to represent. To be eligible, a candidate must also be a U.S. citizen, a resident of Iowa and be at least 18 years old, and cannot be a convicted felon without restored voting rights, judged by a court to be incompetent to vote or claim a right to vote anywhere else.
Candidates must also submit nomination papers and affidavits of their candidacy. The forms are available at the offices of city clerks, school secretaries and county auditors, or online through the Secretary of State.
School board candidacy forms must be filed with school secretaries. More information on requirements for candidates filing in school elections is available at sos.iowa.gov/school-elections.
City candidates should check with their county auditor to determine whether to file their paperwork with the auditor or city clerk. More information on requirements for candidates filing in city elections is available at sos.iowa.gov/city-elections.
The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot by mail is Sept. 22 for the primary election and Oct. 20 for the regular election. A completed request must be physically received in the county auditor’s office by 5 p.m. on those days, not just postmarked, according to Fitzgerald.
Absentee voting in-person at a county auditor's office must be done by the end of the day before the election.
If a city with primary provisions does not have a primary, voters who wish to receive an absentee ballot for the November regular election will need to resubmit their request, said Fitzgerald.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on election day.
Some cities including Clive and West Des Moines may also have run-off elections Dec. 2 if no one among more than two candidates for a position wins a majority in November.
Register reporters Virginia Barreda and Samantha Hernandez contributed to this story.
Phillip Sitter covers the suburbs for the Des Moines Register. Phillip can be reached via email at [email protected]. Find outmore about him online in the Register's staff directory.
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa —It's no secret that Iowa has a Radon problem.70% of homes in our state test for levels above federal safety standards. The gas can have deadly consequences as it's the second leading cause of lung cancer, which is the deadliest form of the disease in Iowa.Mitigating the naturally occurring gas can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.But a city in central Iowa is picking up the tab for dozens of its residents.Marty Ingersoll's family has owned their West ...
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa —
It's no secret that Iowa has a Radon problem.
70% of homes in our state test for levels above federal safety standards. The gas can have deadly consequences as it's the second leading cause of lung cancer, which is the deadliest form of the disease in Iowa.
Mitigating the naturally occurring gas can cost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.
But a city in central Iowa is picking up the tab for dozens of its residents.
Marty Ingersoll's family has owned their West Des Moines home since 1972. But just recently, Marty and his wife Ruthie eliminated a danger that has been lurking in the basement the entire time.
"I had no clue," Ruthie Ingersoll tells KCCI.
But now, the Ingersolls can eliminate the threat of radon in their home, thanks to a brand-new mitigation system that cost them nothing to install.
"Came across the page that said West Des Moines Housing Radon Mitigation Program, and said I better check into this," Marty recalls.
The city covers 100% of the homeowners' cost to test for and mitigate Radon up to $5,000.
"It was like one of those too good to be true things," Marty says with a chuckle.
But West Des Moines' housing and community development manager says it's the real deal.
"We offer it as a grant, because we want to help people and help their homes and make them safer," Christine Gordon says.
Gordon says federal funds from the Community Development Block Grant allows them to put nearly $200,000 towards this specific program, which the city itself created.
"I have not known of another community that's doing that. I hope more communities do it, but I just thought that there was a need. And so, let's look at doing something and be very specific to Radon, address it," Gordon tells KCCI.
Gordon says two of the biggest factors to qualify: You must live in West Des Moines city limits. And you can't make more than 80% of the area median income adjusted for household size.
J.B. Shearer, also known as the Radon Man, is one of a handful of certified mitigation specialists the city provided the Ingersolls to choose from after they were approved for the program to test and then mitigate if the levels were higher than the EPA's limit of 4 picocuries per liter.
"This one is a little harder than average," Shearer tells KCCI, because of the 20-foot crawl space they had to run piping through.
The system he installed has the Ingersolls' home testing at 2.2 pCi/L, down from the seven it was before
"Every house is fixable," Shearer says.
Providing priceless peace of mind, for a price the Ingersolls couldn't beat.
The city of West Des Moines tells KCCI there are still plenty of funds left in the program. Click on this link to find out more, including how to apply.
If you want to know what resources exist in the city or county you live in to help test and mitigate for radon in your home, click here for information from the Iowa Cancer Consortium.
877-292-2126
