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 Little Cedar, 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.
“Always Best Care of the Cedar Valley has compassionate staff and flexible scheduling. The office”
“Always Best is OK but doesn’t seem to make up hours very well. When the”
“I knew a lady who works for Always Best Health Care that's why I chose”
“Always Best Care of the Cedar Valley has compassionate staff and flexible scheduling. The office staff answers my questions patiently.”
“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.”
“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.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Little Cedar, 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 Little Cedar, 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 Little Cedar, 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.
When Lost Woods Festival announced the festival’s second year was happening on my golden birthday (turning 28 on Sept. 28, two years closer to 30, a.k.a. old age and imminent death), I was delighted. A mysterious secret location? Tick. A stunning line up of Iowa’s best bands? Tick. Delicious local food trucks? Tick. What’s not to love?With this in mind, I started the 90-minute road trip from Iowa City to Cedar Falls with high expectations. Quick clarification here — my girlfriend did the driving as my Internati...
When Lost Woods Festival announced the festival’s second year was happening on my golden birthday (turning 28 on Sept. 28, two years closer to 30, a.k.a. old age and imminent death), I was delighted. A mysterious secret location? Tick. A stunning line up of Iowa’s best bands? Tick. Delicious local food trucks? Tick. What’s not to love?
With this in mind, I started the 90-minute road trip from Iowa City to Cedar Falls with high expectations. Quick clarification here — my girlfriend did the driving as my International Driving Permit expired years ago and I’m yet to get my shit together and take a test in Iowa. Unlike in England, you guys drive on the wrong side of the road here, which scares me.
But I digress. So — my girlfriend drove to Cedar Falls and I celebrated my birthday by staring out the window and admiring the fields of dried-out corn husks that lined I-380 N.
After dropping our stuff off at the hotel (shout out Country Inn & Suites for a clean and comfortable stay) we headed over to the secret location. This was, as promised, in the woods — just off the aptly named E Lone Tree Rd. Smartly placed signs for the festival helped guide visitors to the correct place, and parking was rendered effortless by the scores of friendly volunteers. One wristband collection and consent form later (which, though I didn’t read it, probably asked guests not to eat mysterious berries or tickle bears), we were in.
Now, this is probably a good time to point out that this festival didn’t require tickets. Donations were encouraged throughout the night, but the music (and, remarkably, it appeared, the bar) was free. Hey, I know we’re accustomed to the wonders of accessible music here in Iowa — Iowa City’s Jazz and Arts festivals, for instance, or 80/35’s many free stages in Des Moines — but I need to underline the fact that this took place in the middle of the woods. And it sounded amazing. That, my friends, is not a cheap endeavor. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Upon first entering the woods, via a path strewn with gorgeous autumnal leaves, we could hear snippets of the festival’s music drifting through the trees. There was a real magical element to being able to sense the music without any visuals of the stage or the artists — it felt like stepping into a different universe. This feeling was dramatically exaggerated when we stumbled upon interactive 1970s-themed dioramas stuffed with furniture, artwork, outfits and infinite photo opportunities.
Remember your grandma’s ugly patterned couch? Her garish fur coat? That checkered rug you hated? They were all here, looking cool as hell.
A few steps further in lead us to sets of wooden tables, decorated with an inviting assortment of card games, candles and, you guessed it, grandma’s favorite knick-knacks. We stopped for a quick game of Foragers Playing Cards (rosehip is more edible and recognizable than bog rosemary, who knew?) before catching the end of Iowa City’s finest export since Harper Steele: Jim Swim and Alyx Rush, a.k.a. Sun Centauri.
Closing their set with the summer anthem “Two Shots” (“I think I need two vacations every weekend, every weekend,” relatably sings Alyx Rush), Sun Centauri’s pop-laced R&B set the tone for a vibrant evening of music.
Indie-rock icons Halfloves followed to flawlessly strut their stuff. Having seen them multiple times this year, these guys always deliver the goods. Jim Swim returned for an energetic solo set, which thankfully included one of my songs of the year, “Strength?”
Backed by a sublime band, Chicago-based singer-songwriter Elizabeth Moen kept everyone moving by flying through a soulful selection of new material, before Everyday Astronaut (Tim Dodd) awed the growing crowd with his innovative synthesis of rock and rocket science. I mean that literally: his band broadcast and explained a SpaceX rocket launch while delivering a fittingly cosmic soundtrack. I’m pretty sure the guy eight beers in next to me thought he was in space by the end of it. One small sip for a man, one giant hangover for mankind.
Between bands, producer SHIKIMO delivered bursts of chill synthwave from his DJ perch in a tree, like an owl with a great taste in music.
My favorite set, however, was by the festival organizers themselves, Salt Fox.
I first encountered them at the 80/35 IPR stage in 2022 and have been hooked on their infectious synthy indie-pop since. Delivering a headline-worthy show, they played old favorites (two aliens descended from outer space to join them for “Woke Up On The Moon,” perhaps rocket-pooling to the festival with Everyday Astronaut) alongside new material from their upcoming album, MISS YOU, KYLE / LOVE YA, BOYS!
Their closing two songs — an inspired cover of Coldplay’s “Yellow” followed by the outrageously good “Pink Palm Trees” — were accompanied by a surprise firework display, which encapsulated the festival’s spellbinding energy.
Looking ahead to next year, Salt Fox’s manager Neal Price told LV that the Lost Woods Festival team “is currently still in the feedback stage reflecting on this year’s event” and “while it’s too soon to comment on what any future plans are, the enthusiasm we’ve heard from bands, attendees, and partners has been nothing but positive.”
I hope the 2025 edition is confirmed soon: to paraphrase Alyx Rush, I think I need two Lost Woods Festivals, every weekend, every weekend.
November 2021 Hydrologic & Precipitation Summary SummaryNovember 2021 precipitation was highly variable across the Upper Mississippi River Valley. Rainfall departures ranged from 2" drier-than-normal to 1" wetter-than-normal. The driest areas were in central and southwest Wisconsin and the wettest areas were from southeast Minnesota northeast into west-central Wisconsin. Precipitation totals ranged from 0.64" at Guttenberg Lock & Dam 10, IA (COOP observer) to 2.50&...
November 2021 Hydrologic & Precipitation Summary
Summary
November 2021 precipitation was highly variable across the Upper Mississippi River Valley. Rainfall departures ranged from 2" drier-than-normal to 1" wetter-than-normal. The driest areas were in central and southwest Wisconsin and the wettest areas were from southeast Minnesota northeast into west-central Wisconsin. Precipitation totals ranged from 0.64" at Guttenberg Lock & Dam 10, IA (COOP observer) to 2.50" near Sheldon, WI (CoCoRaHS observer). November precipitation typically ranges from 1.6 to 2.4".
The following cooperative observers had one of their 10 driest Novembers
Flood Conditions
No flooding occurred in the La Crosse Hydrologic Service Area (HSA) during November 2021.
River Conditions
USGS average monthly streamflows were above normal for the Little Cedar near Ionia, IA; Turkey River at Garber, IA and Spillville, IA; South Fork Root River near Houston, MN; and Yellow River near Ion, IA. Elsewhere, the monthly streamflows were near normal across the NWS La Crosse Hydrologic Service Area (HSA).
The Mississippi River at La Crosse, WI had an average 7 AM stage of 5.33 feet. This was 0.13 feet below the 1937-2021 long-term average. This was the lowest November average since 2014 (5.23 feet). Historically, this monthly average would be considered near normal. The lowest November average was 4.27 feet in 1939. Meanwhile, the highest November average was 8.51 feet in 2019.
Drought
During the month, moderate (D1) drought continued in parts of Clayton, Floyd, and Mitchell counties in northeast Iowa; and Adams, and in Grant, Jackson, Juneau, Monroe, and Taylor counties in southwest and central Wisconsin. While moderate drought continued in the NWS La Crosse Hydrologic Service Area (HSA), it decreased from 15.48% on November 2 to 13.38% on November 30.
The abnormally dry (D0) conditions have been removed in Allamakee, Howard, and Winneshiek counties in northeast Iowa; Fillmore, Houston, and Winona counties in southeast Minnesota; and in Buffalo, La Crosse, and Trempealeau counties in southwest and west-central Wisconsin. Abnormally dry conditions in the La Crosse Hydrologic Service Area decreased from 69.69% on November 2 to 34.23% on November 30.
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