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Home Care In Janesville, IA

Home Care Janesville, 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 Wisconsin State Historical Marker 20: First State Fair 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 Janesville, IA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.

In-Home Care Janesville, IA

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The Always Best Care Difference

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

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

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

Hear from Our Clients
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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.
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In-home Care for Carol64210350
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“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.
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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 Janesville, IA?

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

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

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

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

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Senior Care Janesville, IA

Types of Elderly Care in Janesville, IA

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

Personal Care

Personal Care Services

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

Common personal care services include assistance with:

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

Home Helper Services

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

Common home helper care services include assistance with:

  • Medication Reminders
  • Meal Preparation
  • Pet Care
  • Prescription Refills
  • Morning Wake-Up
  • Walking
  • Reading
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Caregivers Janesville, 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 Rockport Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.

Common companionship services include:

  • Grocery Shopping
  • Transportation to Appointments
  • Nutritional Assistance
  • Conversation
  • Planning Outings
  • Completing Errands
  • Transportation to Community
  • Events and Social Outings
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Home Care Janesville, 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 Lark or visit Veteran's Memorial, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.

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

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

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In-Home Care Janesville, IA

Benefits of Home Care in Janesville, IA

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

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

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Aging in Place: The Preferred Choice for Most Seniors

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

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

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

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

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

With the help of elderly care in Janesville, 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 Janesville, 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 Janesville, 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 Janesville, 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 Janesville, 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 Janesville, 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:

  • Our House Senior Living - Janesville Assisted Care
  • Our House Senior Living - Janesville Memory Care
  • Willowick Assisted Living
  • Guardian Angel Assisted Living
  • The Hearthside
  • Cozy Li'l Acre
Home Care Janesville, 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 Janesville, IA

Taking the First Step with Always Best Care

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

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

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

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Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider

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

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

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

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

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Elderly Care Janesville, IA

Latest News in Janesville, IA

State volleyball: Wahlert, Janesville repeat (again); Western Christian, Kuemper win titles, too

A look at Friday's state title winners:Dubuque Wahlert def. Cedar Rapids Xavier 25-20, 25-19, 14-25, 25-14Wahlert won for the third consecutive season, capturing its state-best 20th championship.Aliyah Carter hammered 27 kills to lead the Golden Eagles, who finished 26-12.She and Maddie McCarron both had 16 digs.Carter was named captain of the all-tournament team. Carolyn Conlon, who had 13 kills, also earned all-tournament honors.Akeela Jefferson led Xavier (29-9) wit...

A look at Friday's state title winners:

Dubuque Wahlert def. Cedar Rapids Xavier 25-20, 25-19, 14-25, 25-14

Wahlert won for the third consecutive season, capturing its state-best 20th championship.

Aliyah Carter hammered 27 kills to lead the Golden Eagles, who finished 26-12.

She and Maddie McCarron both had 16 digs.

Carter was named captain of the all-tournament team. Carolyn Conlon, who had 13 kills, also earned all-tournament honors.

Akeela Jefferson led Xavier (29-9) with 17 kills. Teammate Eve Magill added 12. Both received all-tournament honors.

Dallas Center-Grimes' Katelyn Knudsen, whose team was eliminated in a semifinal Thursday, was another all-tournament selection.

Wahlert won its first state championship in 1974.

Carroll Kuemper def. Tipton 19-25, 25-16, 25-12, 25-22

After playing in four state tournaments and three straight semifinals, Aimee Adams didn't want to leave the U.S. Cellular Center empty handed.

So the senior slapped 22 kills and helped her team win its first state volleyball title.

"We've always gotten stuck in the (semifinals)," Adams said. "Now that it's over, it's all a blur."

Kara Peter had 11 kills and Grace Molak added 10 in the victory. Kuemper finished 45-1.

Adams, Peter and Maci Overmohle were named to the all-tournament team.

It was the 13th state team championship for Kuemper, and the first volleyball crown. Kuemper has now won six state girls' titles. The school has finished first in girls' basketball once and has won four titles in girls' golf.

Tipton, which has reached the state tournament only twice, marked a school-best finish. The Tigers ended with a 39-4 record.

Sommer Daniel slammed 18 kills and was named captain of the all-tournament team. Amanda Smith joined her on the all-tournament team.

Hundreds of Kuemper fans poured into the arena. They hung around long after the match ended, snapping photos with players and sharing hugs.

"It was like the whole town was here," Adams said.

The Knights called themselves the Dream Team. They dreamed of winning a title and made that a reality.

Western Christian (Hull) def. Unity Christian (Orange City) 25-16, 21-25, 25-23, 25-7

Western made a run for the record book again.

The Wolfpack set or tied several state records by winning the championship. It was the school's 18th consecutive state tournament trip (tying Fort Dodge), its record 18th straight final four appearance and its 36th overall appearance at state.

Coach Tammi Veerbeek won her 11th state championship, tying former Dubuque Wahert coach Tom Keating for the most in Iowa history.

The team's balance led the way. Ally Postma and Chandler Schemper both had 11 kills and Tori Wynja added 10.

The defense compiled a 90-77 advantage in digs. Madison Hofman led Western with 30. Western also had 11 total team blocks.

Western finished at 42-5. Hofman, Postma and Macay Van’t Hul all earned all-tournament honors.

Unity Christian's Corrina Timmermans was named the all-tournament team captain. Jori Bronner was selected for the team as well.

The Knights finished 32-7.

Janesville def. Fort Madison Holy Trinity, 25-16, 25-14, 25-22

Bree Thompson and Alisa Bengen combined to swat 32 kills and Janesville won its fourth consecutive championship.

Janesville dominated the statistical battle, outhitting Holy Trinity (a 50 to 20 kill advantage) and claiming an 88 to 64 difference in digs.

The Wildcats are one of six teams to win four or more consecutive titles.

Janesville's Gabby Gergen had 31 assists and 18 digs to help her team finish at 46-5.

Thompson was named captain of the all-tournament team. She was joined by Lily Liekweg and Bengen.

Holy Trinity finished at 37-4. Emily Box led her team with 10 kills. She and teammate Eryn Anderson were honored as members of the all-tournament squad.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAMS

CLASS 4A

Carolyn Conlon, Dubuque Wahlert

Akeela Jefferson, C.R. Xavier

Katelyn Knudsen, Dallas Center-Grimes

Kenzie Foley, Sergeant Bluff-Luton

Madison Larson, Independence

Eve Magill, C.R. Xavier

Aliyah Carter, Dubuque Wahlert (captain)

CLASS 3A

Maci Overmohle, Carroll Kuemper

Amanda Smith, Tipton

Danielle Johnson, Osage

Rory Light, Mount Vernon

Kara Peter, Carroll Kuemper

Aimee Adams, Carroll Kuemper

Sommer Daniel, Tipton (captain)

CLASS 2A

Madison Hofman, Western Christian (Hull)

Jori Bronner, Unity Christian (Orange City)

Sydney Steffen, Beckman (Dyersville)

Kelsey Hobbie, Sidney

Ally Postma, Western Christian (Hull)

Macay Van’t Hul, Western Christian (Hull)

Corrina Timmermans, Unity Christian (Orange City) (captain)

CLASS 1A

Lily Liekweg, Janesville

Eryn Anderson, Fort Madison Holy Trinity

Katie Peters, LeMars Gehlen

Zoe Semelroth, Tripoli

Alisa Bengen, Janesville

Emily Box, Fort Madison Holy Trinity

Bree Thompson, Janesville (captain)

Cedar Falls, Janesville "clear the air" and amend agreement over PSO program

JANESVILLE, Iowa - (Iowa's News Now) — Two Iowa mayors are trying to set an example in tackling issues strategically and civilly.After the controversial public safety program passed in Cedar Falls earlier this week, Janesville mayor Dave Beenblossom was preparing to take drastic steps to protect his firefighters and citizens."If that meeting last night hadn't gone well, we'd've been o...

JANESVILLE, Iowa - (Iowa's News Now) — Two Iowa mayors are trying to set an example in tackling issues strategically and civilly.

After the controversial public safety program passed in Cedar Falls earlier this week, Janesville mayor Dave Beenblossom was preparing to take drastic steps to protect his firefighters and citizens.

"If that meeting last night hadn't gone well, we'd've been out,” Mayor Beenblossom said during a press conference Friday afternoon. “I was ready to...they had to convince me it was OK to keep going because I wasn't convinced our firefighters had a safe environment."

Mayor Beenblossom says he went into Thursday night’s meeting ready to sever Janesville Fire Department's support of Cedar Falls under a mutual aid agreement. He was concerned after hearing about issues with the new public safety model that axes traditional firefighting jobs.

"We had the lack of experience at the fire scene and some of these fire calls we were not getting the response that we thought we would, that we used to have with the other Cedar Falls firefighters,” Beenblossom says.

Beenblossom explains he has over three decades of firefighting experience himself.

Cedar Falls mayor Rob Green says he’d never met Beenblossom before they began talking a week before the Cedar Falls city council meeting March 2nd, but he wanted to save the working relationship between the two towns.

Beenblossom, Green, and other leaders from both towns met Thursday to come up with a new agreement that will preserve and amend the mutual aid agreement and hopefully tamp down safety concerns.

"This new memorandum of understanding is going to pull us back from the brink of disaster,” Beenblossom says.

The memorandum of understanding, not yet finalized or approved by city councils, will explicitly outline the who and how of joint responses and determine who commands each situation.

“Less room for either interpretation or confusion,” Green says.

The exact details of the MOU won’t be public until both city councils review it.

The effects of saving the existing mutual aid agreement, which Mayor Green says was last updated in 2004, are far-reaching.

“We have a lot of rural areas that are a long way from either one of our fire stations,” Beenblossom says. “No department can stand by themselves."

The MOU will also outline that a joint meeting will be held following incidents with a mutual aid response, so both groups can discuss what's working and what isn't. The MOU itself will be reviewed annually.

Mayor Green hopes it will serve a lesson at home as Cedar Falls enters a new phase of public safety. He says it emphasizes the importance of opening up dialogue strategically and quickly.

“The most important thing out of this is civility and problem-solving,” Green says.

Mayor Beenblossom says he's taken calls from other area mayors and some share the concerns he did about the PSO model. Mayor Green says he hasn't spoken with those other leaders but is prepared to draft similar agreements to ease those fears.

Janesville CSD sanitizes school after moving virtual for illnesses

JANESVILLE, Iowa (KWWL) -- It's virus season and one eastern Iowa district is getting hit hard.The Janesville Consolidated District announced Tuesday it would be virtual through Friday morning, after 25% of their student body was out sick."Tuesday we started the day with - we were at 50 before 8 o'clock, and it just torpedoed, we got to 127 was our final count. In a school that’s just over 500 students that’s about 25% of our student body," Superintendent B.J. Meaney said.Meaney says they were conce...

JANESVILLE, Iowa (KWWL) -- It's virus season and one eastern Iowa district is getting hit hard.

The Janesville Consolidated District announced Tuesday it would be virtual through Friday morning, after 25% of their student body was out sick.

"Tuesday we started the day with - we were at 50 before 8 o'clock, and it just torpedoed, we got to 127 was our final count. In a school that’s just over 500 students that’s about 25% of our student body," Superintendent B.J. Meaney said.

Meaney says they were concerned about illnesses starting last week- and began preparing after the school board meeting Monday.

"We really have to go back to Thursday, we got to school and we were down 15 teachers. In a district that only has 40 teachers, that was- that sort of set in motion in talking about what do we do," he said, adding, "We were hoping we were kind of going to get through it over the weekend. Monday we had 80- I think it was about 88 kids gone. Of which we knew about 70 of them were sick."

Of the students and staff out sick, Meaney says they're dealing with COVID, strep, the flu and pink eye. Meaney adding, it was not an easy decision to close.

"There just really isn’t a lot of guidance- what is the right thing to do. Because we had 70 kids sick, but we had 400 and some not sick- and those 400 kids have parents who have jobs, who have responsibilities, and they rely on the school to be open," he said, adding, "this happened so fast, and there is not a lot of guidance, there’s not a lot of you know- the weather is pretty easy to make a decision this is pretty different."

Custodial staff is inside the school today and tomorrow, using special equipment to sanitize every inch.

"They’re disinfecting the entire building. We’ve actually received some assistance from a neighboring educational institution, that’s lended us some advice and some supplies and so we’re working in partnership with them to you know hopefully get this building cleaned out," Meaney said, adding, "we shut down for today, and tomorrow, and we’re hoping that will give enough time to kind of get through some of the homes and then on Friday we’re ready to roll."

Meaney says he's hopeful parents will understand the decision, and that students will return Friday ready to learn.

"We apologize, we know that not everybody is happy with the decision. We just did what we thought was best with the information that we had," he said, adding, "it’s a hard issue, everybody has a different opinion and they’re all right- and so I just appreciate their work when it comes to this difficult situation."

All school practices and games are also closed until Friday morning. The school re-opens at 8:15 a.m.

Janesville teen to receive national recognition for dedication to cybersecurity

WATERLOO, Iowa (KCRG) - Jack Lindaman of Janesville has been able to take cyber security classes at the Waterloo Career Center for the past two years. With the help of his classmates and his teacher, he was able to grow his knowledge and skill on what it takes to protect from hackers, and now it’s paying off.In his 21 years of teaching cyber security, Kyle Kuhlers says Lindaman has been a standout.“He’s very much a hardware student, he likes the hardware side of things and so Jack is very curious,” said ...

WATERLOO, Iowa (KCRG) - Jack Lindaman of Janesville has been able to take cyber security classes at the Waterloo Career Center for the past two years. With the help of his classmates and his teacher, he was able to grow his knowledge and skill on what it takes to protect from hackers, and now it’s paying off.

In his 21 years of teaching cyber security, Kyle Kuhlers says Lindaman has been a standout.

“He’s very much a hardware student, he likes the hardware side of things and so Jack is very curious,” said Kuhlers.

What started as a knack for building computers, quickly turned into a passion for Lindaman. Through the cyber security course offered at the Waterloo Career Center, he was able to grow in his craft.

“I went into it not knowing much about anything with cyber security, but I definitely did over time,” said Lindaman. “I joined the Cyber Club and participated in a number of competitions and got to know everybody there.”

Now, thanks to a nomination from his teacher, he’s one of four students nationwide being recognized for that interest and skill.

Next week he, his parents, and his teacher will travel to the NICE conference, or the National Initiative of Cyber Security Educators conference.

“It is an initiative to help to grow cyber security educators and hope to prepare them to teach to not just college students but to also reach into the high schools and to start to work more and more with high school instructors so those skills can start to be developed at a much younger age,” said Kuhlers.

With plans to pursue cyber security as a career after high school and college, this is just the first step for Lindaman.

“I was definitely surprised, but I’m definitely honored and I was super, super happy to get the opportunity,” said Lindaman.

Kuhlers says his goal is for his students to walk out of his classroom with more knowledge on the topic than him. He believes Jack is at that point and is prepared to go even further.

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