abc-logo
Taking care of your Loved One Is What We Do BEST!

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

phone-number877-292-2126 lm-right-arrow

Please submit form to schedule a

Personal Care Consultation

Local Magic Personal Care Consultation

Please submit this form below and we will chat shortly!

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
SUBMIT REQUEST

Home Care In Blairstown, IA

Home Care Blairstown, IA

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

However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Blairstown Historic Preservation Committee 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 Blairstown, IA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.

In-Home Care Blairstown, IA

care-serviceHome Care Services

location Service Areas

Read More
Elderly Care Blairstown, IA Request More Information vector

The Always Best Care Difference

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

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

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

Hear from Our Clients
Elderly Care for DouglasJJIWF
451
Caring

“Always Best is OK but doesn’t seem to make up hours very well. When the”

Always Best is OK but doesn’t seem to make up hours very well. When the caregiver is sick, nobody comes. I would think that they need a little more back up than they have right now. They give me a schedule, and billing is paid by Medicaid.
Read full testimonial
Hear from Our Clients
In-home Care for Carol64210350
551
Caring

“I knew a lady who works for Always Best Health Care that's why I chose”

I knew a lady who works for Always Best Health Care that's why I chose it. The caregiver is very good with a very good attitude. They were able to provide the caregiver for myself immediately. She accompanies me to shopping.
Read full testimonial
×
TESTIMONIALS

“Always Best is OK but doesn’t seem to make up hours very well. When the caregiver is sick, nobody comes. I would think that they need a little more back up than they have right now. They give me a schedule, and billing is paid by Medicaid.”

DouglasJJIWF
×
TESTIMONIALS

“I knew a lady who works for Always Best Health Care that's why I chose it. The caregiver is very good with a very good attitude. They were able to provide the caregiver for myself immediately. She accompanies me to shopping.”

Carol64210350

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

lm-check

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.

lm-check

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

lm-check

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.

lm-check

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.

Request More Information
Senior Care Blairstown, IA

Types of Elderly Care in Blairstown, IA

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

Personal Care

Personal Care Services

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

Common personal care services include assistance with:

  • Eating
  • Mobility Issues
  • Incontinence
  • Bathing
  • Dressing
  • Grooming
Request More Information
Respite Care Blairstown, IA
Home Helper

Home Helper Services

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

Common home helper care services include assistance with:

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

Companionship Services

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

Common companionship services include:

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

Respite Care Services

According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Gourmet Gallery or visit Ramsaysburg Historic Homestead, 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.

Request More Information
In-Home Care Blairstown, IA

Benefits of Home Care in Blairstown, IA

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

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

Request More Information vector

Aging in Place: The Preferred Choice for Most Seniors

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Elderly Care Blairstown, IA

Affordable Care

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

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

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

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

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

Compassionate Care. Trusted Caregivers.

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

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

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

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

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

Assisted Living Referral Services

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

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

Respite Care Blairstown, IA

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Forest Manor Health Care Center
  • Spring Village At Pocono - Personal Care & Memory Care
  • Clover Rest Home
  • Colonial Manor At Panther Valley
  • Riverwalk Village at The House of The Good Shepherd
  • The Chelsea at Brookfield
Home Care Blairstown, IA

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

In-Home Care Blairstown, IA

Taking the First Step with Always Best Care

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

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

lm-right-arrow
01

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

lm-right-arrow
02

Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider

lm-right-arrow
03

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 Blairstown, 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.

Request More Information vector
Elderly Care Blairstown, IA

Latest News in Blairstown, IA

Wake up and smell the ethanol, Iowa

The proposed carbon-capture pipelines may finally have awakened the state to the straw-house industry that is ethanol.Rep. Ashley Hinson had to field questions during a February town hall from farmers about the pending pipelines. Constituents pointed to dangerous carbon pipeline leaks as a risk they don’t want to accept. Rep. Hinson appropriately pointed out that a carbon-capture pipeline is a result of our ethanol dependence and “like it or not (Iowans are) heavily reliant” on ethanol production. A carbon capture pi...

The proposed carbon-capture pipelines may finally have awakened the state to the straw-house industry that is ethanol.

Rep. Ashley Hinson had to field questions during a February town hall from farmers about the pending pipelines. Constituents pointed to dangerous carbon pipeline leaks as a risk they don’t want to accept. Rep. Hinson appropriately pointed out that a carbon-capture pipeline is a result of our ethanol dependence and “like it or not (Iowans are) heavily reliant” on ethanol production. A carbon capture pipeline is just the price we have to pay for mass farming ethanol corn.

The planned Summit pipeline will run across the state, capturing carbon from ethanol plants and industrial animal farms. The carbon will then be deposited deep in the ground at a site in North Dakota. Unlike the Dakota Access Pipeline, which would have produced energy for millions, genuinely improving the lives of people, this pipeline will not have any proactive energy payoff. It will simply be reducing the emissions from industrial facilities, many of which would not have been built if not for the market demand created by the federal government. Demand which will only decrease as we make the eventual transition to electric vehicles and reduce gasoline consumption.

Farmers have been manipulated for decades by government subsidies for ethanol corn. This is not their fault. A farm is a business, it only makes sense that they grow the highest value crop in response to market prices. After all, the government wouldn’t ask them to do something that would harm our country in the long run, right? Wrong. Since the Renewable Fuel Standard took effect corn grown for fuel use increased by 4.1 billion bushels between 2004 and 2016. One researcher points out that, “In 2007, townships comprising 10 million of Iowa’s thirty-six million acres eroded faster than the government-defined sustainable rate, and 6 million acres eroded at double that rate. Despite having some of the most productive cropland in the country, Iowa has lost half of its topsoil over the last 150 years.” Although research on long term topsoil erosion still is developing, any increase in fertilizers is undoubtedly an added cost to farmers and to the environment.

Ethanol is a good and useful product. It bolsters fuel octane and has genuinely improved car emissions. Without government incentives, there would still be a need for ethanol corn. But, ethanol sales would drop significantly, solving many of the issues associated with current production levels.

Farmers are not interested in mistreating their land, often land that has been in their family for several generations. But, they still have to make choices that make economic sense and balance short term vs. long term payoffs. The high payoffs from above market price ethanol corn have disrupted the natural order of the market, and our land is suffering.

Gov. Kim Reynolds has made tough decisions during the COVID pandemic to go against the advice and pressure of the Biden Administration and keep our state open and economy running. She also has joined five states in a lawsuit challenging Biden’s authority to cancel student loan debt. The next federal dragon she should face down is federal manipulation of our agricultural market.

Climbing out of the cash-lined grave we are digging will be difficult and require courage and leadership. So far, no one has had the gumption to correct the situation. We need hope and courage for our farmers so that our future farm production-potential remains abundant.

Patricia Patnode is a Waterloo native, Loras College graduate and can be found on Twitter at @IdealPatricia

Newsletter Signup

Delivered to your inbox daily

Opinion content represents the viewpoint of the author or The Gazette editorial board. You can join the conversation by submitting a letter to the editor or guest column or by suggesting a topic for an editorial to [email protected]

Fiberight still working at MSW plant in Iowa

...

The National Carbon Capture Conference & Expo is a two-day event designed specifically for companies and organizations advancing technologies and policy that support the removal of carbon dioxide (CO2) from all sources, including fossil fuel-based power plants, ethanol production plants and industrial processes, as well as directly from the atmosphere. The program will focus on research, data, trends and information on all aspects of CCUS with the goal to help companies build knowledge, connect with others, and better understand the market and carbon utilization.View More

2024 International Biomass Conference & Expo

Organized by BBI International and produced by Biomass Magazine, this event brings current and future producers of bioenergy and biobased products together with waste generators, energy crop growers, municipal leaders, utility executives, technology providers, equipment manufacturers, project developers, investors and policy makers. It’s a true one-stop shop – the world’s premier educational and networking junction for all biomass industries.View More

2024 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo

Now in its 40th year, the FEW provides the ethanol industry with cutting-edge content and unparalleled networking opportunities in a dynamic business-to-business environment. As the largest, longest running ethanol conference in the world, the FEW is renowned for its superb programming—powered by Ethanol Producer Magazine —that maintains a strong focus on commercial-scale ethanol production, new technology, and near-term research and development. The event draws more than 2,000 people from over 31 countries and from nearly every ethanol plant in the United States and Canada.View More

Biodiesel Summit: Sustainable Aviation Fuel & Renewable Diesel

The Biodiesel Summit: Sustainable Aviation Fuel & Renewable Diesel is a forum designed for biodiesel and renewable diesel producers to learn about cutting-edge process technologies, new techniques and equipment to optimize existing production, and efficiencies to save money while increasing throughput and fuel quality. View More

Carbon Capture & Storage Summit

Capturing and storing carbon dioxide in underground wells has the potential to become the most consequential technological deployment in the history of the broader biofuels industry. Deploying effective carbon capture and storage at biofuels plants will cement ethanol and biodiesel as the lowest carbon liquid fuels commercially available in the marketplace. The Carbon Capture & Storage Summit will offer attendees a comprehensive look at the economics of carbon capture and storage, the infrastructure required to make it possible and the financial and marketplace impacts to participating producers.View More

Sleeping boy and his heifer draw much Internet love

Des Moines RegisterDES MOINES. IA - A 15-year-old boy and his heifer have spent nearly every day together for the last two months. They've developed an unspoken connection during that short period of time.So when a photo of the pair nestled close to each other sound asleep at the Iowa State Fair made its way to social media, it was evident to witness their special bond."She likes to lay down quite a bit," said Mitchell Miner on Monday. "I don't really understand the bond with my animal eithe...

Des Moines Register

DES MOINES. IA - A 15-year-old boy and his heifer have spent nearly every day together for the last two months. They've developed an unspoken connection during that short period of time.

So when a photo of the pair nestled close to each other sound asleep at the Iowa State Fair made its way to social media, it was evident to witness their special bond.

"She likes to lay down quite a bit," said Mitchell Miner on Monday. "I don't really understand the bond with my animal either. She just enjoys my company."

Mitchell, of Williamsburg, IA, and his heifer, Audri, have been preparing for the Iowa State Fair's youth dairy cattle show. He has led her, clipped her, walked her and bathed her nonstop up to last Saturday.

On show day, Mitchell and Audri woke up at 3 a.m. — his third straight early-morning rise — putting the final touches on Audri.

She ended up placing fifth out of the seven contestants, Mitchell said. But needless to say, the two were exhausted. So they took a nap after their showing together.

Mitchell's father, Jeremy, saw his son and Audri. He snapped a few photos and posted one on Facebook the next day.

By Aug. 16, the photo had more than 17,000 interactions, 1,800 shares and 500 comments.

"I was asleep. I think she was, too," Mitchell said.

Many of the responses have been from others sharing similar memories, as well as the typical and deserving "adorable" and "precious" comments.

Mitchell's mother, Laura, said people enjoy seeing that type of relationship with a kid and their animal.

"I think it's just when you spend that much time with them, they get really comfortable with you," she said.

Laura Miner added that the family borrows these animals for the summer. Audri will head back to a dairy farm in Blairstown, IA, later this fall — after the family's final showing in September.

Jeremy Miner said both he and his wife grew up on farms but are the first generation to be removed from living on one today.

"We learned a lot from the farm," he said. "We have those values instilled in us and we are trying to do what we can to preserve that."

Hannen Lake Park to utilize derecho debris as mulch, but residents are concerned

BENTON COUNTY, Iowa (Iowa's News Now) — Benton County conservation is utilizing mulch from derecho debris at a Hannen Lake Park, but this project does come with serious public concern.The mulch is to be laid on seven acres in six foot piles. In just about a year, these piles will only be three feet high. Within ten years, those piles will decompose into healthy soil and eventually become a prairie."More than anything we wanted to identify properties that would have minimal impact for public use as well as an effect o...

BENTON COUNTY, Iowa (Iowa's News Now) — Benton County conservation is utilizing mulch from derecho debris at a Hannen Lake Park, but this project does come with serious public concern.

The mulch is to be laid on seven acres in six foot piles. In just about a year, these piles will only be three feet high. Within ten years, those piles will decompose into healthy soil and eventually become a prairie.

"More than anything we wanted to identify properties that would have minimal impact for public use as well as an effect on the environment," says Randy Scheel, Board Member for Benton County Conservation.

Although the conservation board says they have taken extensive measure with regards to safety and impact on the environment, this project has received a fair amount of public complaint. Robin Brecht is a resident of southern Benton County and lives about a half mile away from Hannen Lake Park. She says residents did not receive any prior warning that this project would be taking place.

"Myself and surrounding neighbors were very disappointed that there was no communication to us and what was going on," says Brecht. The main concerns amongst the public are the fire hazard within the mulch, the litter within the mulch, and the damage the trucks are taking to those rural, residential roads. "It's not a road that is heavily traveled and it's not in good repair to begin with and now we're looking at 800 loads going to this spot by Hannen Lake," says Brecht.

Shelby Williams is the Conservation Director for Benton County. She explains that many of these concerns were brought to light at a recent supervisors board meeting and are being addressed. Mulch piles will not be higher than six feet to reduce fire threat and the roads will be repaired once the project is completed. "Environmentally, we do not want to have an impact that goes poorly. We're in conservation so we have checked into all of those things," says Williams.

Williams explains that the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has approved the project to make sure there would be no environmental impact on the area. The project will not hurt any desirable species as most of the area is filled with invasive species that are typically removed.

The biggest motivation Benton County had to complete this project is funding, which is much needed coming off a year impacted by the pandemic. The county will ultimately raise $150,000 that will go towards paying down debt on another property in northern Benton County. In addition, the company that is hauling the mulch, Boomerang, is donating money for every cubic yard to three local environmental chapters in Benton County. This money will be put towards replanting trees in Hannen Lake Park that were lost during the derecho. "This gave us a chance for a pretty significant piece of revenue that would really help our conservation department, so that was the primary motivation for us," says Scheel.

Brecht says that although the project is almost completed, she hopes that the county will not only repair the roads, but consider donating more funding to southern Benton County. "We're also upset that none of the funds from any of this will be spent at Hannen Lake," says Brecht.

There has been some positive feedback with this project as well. Although Benton County Conservation does not plan to expand this project on other parks, but says there has been public interest in doing so on private properties.

"There's been a number of landowners who once they heard about this, who were initially somewhat critical of it, have actually jumped on board to try to get the woodchips store on their property as well," says Scheel.

The next Benton County Conservation Board meeting will be held on April 12th. The meeting is open to the public and any concerns can be addressed at that time.

Making Cellulosic Ethanol a Reality

Whether preparing to break ground, actively constructing a new facility or already producing cellulosic ethanol, these companies are making progress toward the same ultimate goal—commercialization.Poet LLC has focused much attention on feedstock handling and logistics research and has begun stockpiling bales of corn stover in the feedstock yard at Emmetsburg, Iowa. Construction has started at the 20 MMgy Poet-DSM Advanced Biofuels LLC, with the foundation and ring walls being installed in the fermentation area a...

Whether preparing to break ground, actively constructing a new facility or already producing cellulosic ethanol, these companies are making progress toward the same ultimate goal—commercialization.

Poet LLC has focused much attention on feedstock handling and logistics research and has begun stockpiling bales of corn stover in the feedstock yard at Emmetsburg, Iowa. Construction has started at the 20 MMgy Poet-DSM Advanced Biofuels LLC, with the foundation and ring walls being installed in the fermentation area and work on the biomass building about to begin in September.

ZeaChem Inc. has used a phased approach to the construction of its planned 25 MMgy plant at Boardman, Ore. Its demonstration plant came online in January, with the core facility fermenting sugars into acetic acid and ethyl acetate. Jim Imbler, president and CEO, reports construction of the ethanol conversion unit is nearly complete. “ZeaChem is on schedule to begin cellulosic ethanol production at the demonstration plant by the end of the year.” A further expansion will enable conversion to biobased jet and diesel fuels. GreenWood Resources received a Biomass Crop Assistance Program award to establish 7,000 acres of intercropped poplars on their existing plantation to supply ZeaChem’s commercial biorefinery.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Enerkem Inc. began ethanol production from municipal solid waste (MSW) at its 1.3 MMgy demonstration facility in Westbury, Quebec, in June. “We’re very happy with the results we’re getting from our different test campaigns to confirm our process design before we actually deploy the full design in our full scale plants,” says Marie-Helene Labrie, vice president government affairs and communications. Construction continues on its first commercial-scale 10 MMgy plant in Edmonton, Alberta. The feedstock receiving buildings are completed and conveyers installed. Cement has been poured and key process equipment was being delivered in September. The company’s pilot plant has been operating since 2003, producing syngas and converting to methanol and ethanol. “The key in our process is to achieve the quality and stability of syngas—chemical grade syngas—from mixed materials,” she adds.

Another project planning to use MSW is Fiberight LLC, which received a key approval from the U.S. EPA this summer for its MSW handling process, and is now completing a $20 million expansion of its demonstration facility in Lawrenceville, Va., to 1 MMgy. Fiberight began exploring the feasibility of biochemical conversion of MSW to fermentable sugar with Novozymes in 2009, and developed a formal partnership in 2010. “Since work began, Novozymes enzyme technology has enabled Fiberight to reduce enzyme dosing by 80 percent and increase glucose conversion by 50 percent,” CEO Craig Stuart-Paul says. In the post-Solyndra era, the USDA is requiring more proof of process, he explains. Once its process has been successfully demonstrated, the company expects to receive a USDA loan guarantee and begin work on retrofitting its corn ethanol plant in Blairstown, Iowa, to produce 6 MMgy.

Fulcrum BioEnergy Inc. received a $105 million conditional loan guarantee from the USDA, putting its planned 10 MMgy Sierra BioFuels Plant closer to groundbreaking near Reno, Nev. “It will be early next year before we break ground, and 18 months after that before we’re ready to commercially produce ethanol,” says Rick Barraza, vice president of administration. The property has been acquired, the necessary permits are in place, and Fluor Corp., the EPC contractor, has completed the engineering plan. Fulcrum advanced to the final application stage for the USDA loan guarantee in November, 2010, about a year after it announced the successful demonstration of the conversion of post-sorted MSW to syngas and the catalytic conversion to ethanol.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Mascoma Corp. is still in a quiet period as they seek new investors but provided a statement regarding the status of its planned 20 MMgy Frontier Renewable Resources Inc. hardwood-to-ethanol plant. The company’s consolidated bioprocessing process utilizes engineered microorganisms that produce enzymes and convert biomass sugars to ethanol in a single reactor. “Contractor bids for the Kinross, Mich., facility have been received and Mascoma is currently reviewing these bids and conducting final engineering design work,” the company said. “Mascoma plans to initiate construction activities by year-end 2012, shortly after the engineering design work is completed, the bids are awarded and the financing finalized.”

American Process Inc. brought Alpena Biorefinery online this summer, co-located with the Decorative Panels International Inc.’s hardboard manufacturing facility in Alpena, Mich. The company is utilizing a waste stream of wood hydrolyzate, a woody biomass extract from the mixed northern hardwood used by DPI. The Alpena plant produces 800,000 gallons of cellulosic ethanol, using fermentation and distillation, and a similar amount of potassium acetate, handled in a second process flow from the evaporator into a reactor followed by reverse osmosis, according to descriptions of the process on the company website. American Process is an engineering company serving the pulp and paper industry. The Alpena Biorefinery demonstrates its business model of adding cellulosic ethanol production to wood processing facilities, biopower plants and pulp mills.

The main story, Milestones Reached, includes more information about cellulosic ethanol projects.

—Sue Retka Schill

2024 International Biomass Conference & Expo

Organized by BBI International and produced by Biomass Magazine, this event brings current and future producers of bioenergy and biobased products together with waste generators, energy crop growers, municipal leaders, utility executives, technology providers, equipment manufacturers, project developers, investors and policy makers. It’s a true one-stop shop – the world’s premier educational and networking junction for all biomass industries.View More

2024 International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo

Now in its 40th year, the FEW provides the ethanol industry with cutting-edge content and unparalleled networking opportunities in a dynamic business-to-business environment. As the largest, longest running ethanol conference in the world, the FEW is renowned for its superb programming—powered by Ethanol Producer Magazine —that maintains a strong focus on commercial-scale ethanol production, new technology, and near-term research and development. The event draws more than 2,000 people from over 31 countries and from nearly every ethanol plant in the United States and Canada.View More

Biodiesel Summit: Sustainable Aviation Fuel & Renewable Diesel

The Biodiesel Summit: Sustainable Aviation Fuel & Renewable Diesel is a forum designed for biodiesel and renewable diesel producers to learn about cutting-edge process technologies, new techniques and equipment to optimize existing production, and efficiencies to save money while increasing throughput and fuel quality. View More

Carbon Capture & Storage Summit

Capturing and storing carbon dioxide in underground wells has the potential to become the most consequential technological deployment in the history of the broader biofuels industry. Deploying effective carbon capture and storage at biofuels plants will cement ethanol and biodiesel as the lowest carbon liquid fuels commercially available in the marketplace. The Carbon Capture & Storage Summit will offer attendees a comprehensive look at the economics of carbon capture and storage, the infrastructure required to make it possible and the financial and marketplace impacts to participating producers.View More

North American SAF Conference & Expo

Taking place September 11-13, 2024 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, the North American SAF Conference & Expo, produced by SAF Magazine, in collaboration with the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI) will showcase the latest strategies for aviation fuel decarbonization, solutions for key industry challenges, and highlight the current opportunities for airlines, corporations and fuel producers.View More

Disclaimer:

This website publishes news articles that contain copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The non-commercial use of these news articles for the purposes of local news reporting constitutes "Fair Use" of the copyrighted materials as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law.