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.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Oak Park Historic District 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 Oaks, PA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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“I am a past client of this provider They were caring as far as listening to your problems. They do not lie to you. They screen their caregivers.”
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. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Lower Perkiomen Valley Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
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. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local P.J. Whelihan's Pub + Restaurant - Oaks or visit Former Oaks Freight Station, 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.
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 Oaks, PA, 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 Oaks, PA 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.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
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 Oaks, PA 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.
OAKS, Pa., Oct. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Relievus celebrated the grand opening of their newest facility in Oaks, Pennsylvania, on October 3rd. The event marked the practice's commitment to expanding its reach and services, ensuring patients and referring physicians have greater access to top-tier pain management solutions.Under the leadership of the renowned Dr. Navin Ramani and his te...
OAKS, Pa., Oct. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Relievus celebrated the grand opening of their newest facility in Oaks, Pennsylvania, on October 3rd. The event marked the practice's commitment to expanding its reach and services, ensuring patients and referring physicians have greater access to top-tier pain management solutions.
Under the leadership of the renowned Dr. Navin Ramani and his team of experienced pain management specialists, this new location is positioned to offer the latest and most effective pain management treatments and techniques.
"We recognize the growing need for specialized pain solutions, especially in communities like Oaks with a significant senior citizen population," said Dr. Ramani. "Our aim is to elevate the quality of life of every patient, ensuring they receive the comprehensive care and attention they need."
The Oaks location, conveniently situated for easy accessibility, boasts state-of-the-art equipment, comfortable patient facilities, and a team that is passionate about patient care.
Benefits for Referring Physicians:
Why Patients Should Choose Relievus in Oaks:
Relievus invites referring physicians to get in touch to learn more about the services and treatments available. Potential patients are encouraged to book a consultation and discover how the Oaks location can assist them on their journey to a pain-free life.
About Relievus:Relievus was founded in 2008 by Dr. Young Lee and has a team of board-certified pain management physicians, neurologists, physiatrists, and advanced practitioners who treat patients throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Relievus partnered with Clearway Pain Solutions in 2022. Through their partnership, Clearway Pain Solutions and Relievus continue to make a positive impact on countless lives, empowering patients to live pain-free and enjoy life to the fullest. To learn more, visit Relievus.com.
Contact:Britni Cullen855-527-7246366948@email4pr.com
SOURCE Relievus
OAKS, Pa. (CBS) -- The Kennel Club of Philadelphia's National Dog Show returns to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks this weekend. The two-day event features nearly 2,000 canines representing almost 200 different breeds.The National Dog Show is the only remaining show in America that is "benched," which means all the dogs are on-site throughout the day so that the public can meet them and their owners/handlers and learn about the different breeds.At the Expo Center, CBS Philadelphia caught up with ...
OAKS, Pa. (CBS) -- The Kennel Club of Philadelphia's National Dog Show returns to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks this weekend. The two-day event features nearly 2,000 canines representing almost 200 different breeds.
The National Dog Show is the only remaining show in America that is "benched," which means all the dogs are on-site throughout the day so that the public can meet them and their owners/handlers and learn about the different breeds.
At the Expo Center, CBS Philadelphia caught up with Winston, the 2022 Best in Show and his handler, Perry Payson.
Winston is a 4-year-old French Bulldog. This year, the National Dog Show celebrates the French Bulldog as the new No. 1 most popular breed in America for 2023.
Also joining in was David Frei, National Dog Show expert analyst, and Gail Mirabella, a performance dog trainer from Montgomery County. She brought along her agility dogs, Teaser "The Crowd Pleaser," a Border Collie Terrier Mix, and Mia, rescued Pit Bull mix, to show off some tricks.
The National Dog Show is happening Saturday, Nov. 18, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, Nov. 19, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tickets are $16 for adults and $7 for ages 4-11. Children 3 and under are admitted free. Tickets are available at the door and at www.nds.nationaldogshow.com.
Chandler Lutz has always had a passion for storytelling and learning about others. Her career started at a young age in entertainment. Recording her first album at 16 years old, co-starring in independent films and hosting nationwide charity events. It wasn't until college that Chandler found broadcasting journalism and her love for a different camera lens that allowed her to be herself.
WHITE OAK, Pa. — Two of Tyler Jefferson’s three kids are on the road to recovery at Pittsburgh’s Children’s Hospital after a 30-foot fall from their third-story apartment window in White Oak Monday.>> 2 children fall from window in Allegheny County“They’re so strong. I wish everyone could see how strong they are at the hospital. ...
WHITE OAK, Pa. — Two of Tyler Jefferson’s three kids are on the road to recovery at Pittsburgh’s Children’s Hospital after a 30-foot fall from their third-story apartment window in White Oak Monday.
>> 2 children fall from window in Allegheny County
“They’re so strong. I wish everyone could see how strong they are at the hospital. They’re hanging in there,” Jefferson said. “[I’m] super grateful. I don’t even care about my life at this point. I’m just happy that they’re OK.”
Six-year-old Quin fell first. Then moments later, his sister, 3-year-old Elody, followed.
Both have autism and are nonverbal.
“I just thought she was gone. I just thought she was gone,” said Andi Cartwright, who heard both kids fall. “I looked back and I saw her move and it was the best feeling just to know she was still with us.”
Cartwright lives nearby and was walking by the Lincoln School Apartments on Ohio Avenue when she heard Quin fall.
She rushed over to help as he got up to try and run away.
“I didn’t know what was broken on him and I was trying to hold him loosely but not let him run into the street. That’s when I had my back turned to the building and I heard the second child drop,” Cartwright said.
“I thought my daughter was dead,” Jefferson said.
According to Jefferson, both kids have pelvic fractures.
Quin has a fractured leg and Elody has a collapsed lung, but he says both are expected to fully recover.
Meantime, property management company Brandywine Communities had contractors out at the apartment building Tuesday replacing the broken and missing window panes with plexiglass.
“I think what they did today was kind of weird,” Jefferson said. “You go in my house and act like you’re fixing stuff but you’re not fixing anything.”
Jefferson says it’s too little, too late, telling Channel 11 that two of his windows had broken glass in them for more than three months, one being the window his kids fell through Monday.
He says he contacted Brandywine three weeks ago asking for repairs.
“It’s just tough. It’s tough that we messaged them and they didn’t do anything until my kids fell out the window,” Jefferson said.
A statement from Dan Ayer, a Brandywine spokesperson, reads, in part, “While we are unable to comment directly on yesterday’s events because of the ongoing investigation, we are taking steps to ensure something like this cannot — and will not — happen again. We are surveying maintenance concerns in all our units at Lincoln School Apartments, as well as making any needed repairs.”
The statement goes on to say the company is reviewing its process for communicating with residents regarding any issues with their units.
From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!Cirque du Soleil has pitched its tents outside the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, in Oaks, Pa., to stage the North American premiere of its COVID-delayed show, “Baz...
From Philly and the Pa. suburbs to South Jersey and Delaware, what would you like WHYY News to cover? Let us know!
Cirque du Soleil has pitched its tents outside the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, in Oaks, Pa., to stage the North American premiere of its COVID-delayed show, “Bazzar”.
Cirque is coming into a city that has a strong, homegrown circus scene: “Bazzar’s” big top was being set up just as the annual Fringe Festival was showcasing a particularly strong lineup of independent circus and clowning artists.
Ava Gowanloch, 21, a student at the Circadium Circus School in Mount Airy training to be a contortionist, performed in one of the Side C shows as part of the Fringe Festival. She saw an early preview of “Bazzar,” and said Cirque du Soleil is the Holy Grail of circus jobs.
“As a kid, before I got into circus, I was at the dentist office or something and it was just on the TV. I remember being so curious about it,” she said. “Now that I’m here training, that is like the end-all, be-all dream. That would be amazing to be a part of that company.”
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“Bazzar,” loosely based on the colorful energy of Middle Eastern market bazaars, has already toured through India and Saudi Arabia. To better play in smaller venues available in the Middle East, it was originally designed for the small top, meaning spaces with smaller ceilings in which aerial acts relied in pulley systems operated from the ground.
“Bazzar” has been expanded into a big top, with taller tents inside of which a steel grid can be erected above the stage, enabling more complex rigging for aerialists. It was ready to start a U.S. tour in 2020, in New Orleans, when the pandemic shutdown forced it to close before it could open. Philadelphia has become the show’s North American debut.
On the ground, a clown known as The Maestro acts as the ringleader, walking through the audience to interact with them.
Excited audience members naturally want to take pictures and video of the show from their seats, which is allowed albeit without flash. But artistic director Johnny Kim is most impressed when audiences put their phones down.
“It’s breathtaking for me to sit back and watch people not put their phones up, but they actually put it down and enjoy the moment,” he said. “As much as we are always on our phones, it’s still beautiful to see these younger generations come to the theater and put their phones down and actually engage. I think that’s really important.”
Greg Kennedy used to be a juggler with Cirque du Soleil, helping create the now discontinued show Totem. For five years he toured with the company, his family in tow. He and his wife Shana then put down roots in Germantown and opened both the Circadium and Philadelphia Circus Arts schools.
He said his experience with Cirque was wonderful, but it’s not the “end-all, be-all” of circuses.
“I can’t say there’s one gold standard. It really depends on what you want to do,” Kennedy said. “Most artists after doing 1,500 of the same show, that’s locked down by the head office and policed by the general stage manager – you want to be creative. You want to do new things.”
“Any little change that happens in the show is such a big process,” he recalled. “We used to think of it as rowing a tanker ship with a teaspoon.”
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7 months ago
Kennedy came to juggling as an engineer, inventing contraptions to create new stage routines. He still has a studio in the Circadium building, a former Catholic church and school, where he builds juggling apparatus when he’s not maintaining the building.
His wife, Shana, does most of the business of running the schools. While the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts offers amateur and drop-in classes, Circadium is the only state-certified, three-year professional circus school in the United States. Shana is currently working to make Circadium an accredited education program.
There are right now no accredited circus schools in the U.S. People aspiring to professional circus performance careers must usually travel to Canada or Europe. Shana said she received her circus training in England.
“We committed ourselves to being a place that artists could not only come to have fun with circus but really to develop careers in circus,” she said. “We’re seeing a growing number of young people moving to Philadelphia, starting their careers here, building their companies here. You can see it in this year’s Fringe, but it’s really gonna grow from this point forward.”
Circadium launched in 2017 and Zak McAllister, of Texas, relocated to Philadelphia to be in its first class. He trained to be a juggler and graduated just as the pandemic made job prospects scarce. He said he has worked up other skills, like video production and lighting, but a juggling gig with Cirque du Soleil is still the brass ring.
“One of those jobs is so coveted,” McAllister said. “You have to be the best of what you do to get a job like that.”
Gowanloch, the contortionist, is in her second year at Circadium and also hopes to one day land a job with the biggest producer of circuses in the world: Cirque du Soleil currently has eleven productions touring the globe simultaneously, and nine stationary resident productions in Las Vegas, Orlando, Riviera Maya (Mexico), and Trois-Rivières (Quebec).
But having been in the Philadelphia circus scene for a little more than a year now, more possibilities have opened up to Gowanloch.
“Moving from Orlando, where there wasn’t much of a circus community, I moved here and entered this building and I was like: ‘Wow, there’s so many more opportunities,’” she said. “So many more people doing all kinds of different things. It’s really cool to see that.”
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I’ve visited many eclectic museums and museums based around large private collections, but I don’t know that I’ve ever visited anywhere that has had a private collection as large and as diverse as the American Treasure Tour in Montgomery County.The American Treasure Tour is opened in 2010 in a former tire factory for B.F. Goodrich. From the exterior, it looks like nothing more than a mall or a warehouse, but once instead of t...
I’ve visited many eclectic museums and museums based around large private collections, but I don’t know that I’ve ever visited anywhere that has had a private collection as large and as diverse as the American Treasure Tour in Montgomery County.
The American Treasure Tour is opened in 2010 in a former tire factory for B.F. Goodrich. From the exterior, it looks like nothing more than a mall or a warehouse, but once instead of their facility, the true magic of this place comes to life.
That’s because the American Treasure Tour is comprised of over a million pieces of memorabilia, with large collections spanning just about any subject you could possibly imagine. In fact, the collection is so large that most of it is actually seen on a tram ride through the museum’s 100,000 feet of display space.
The American Treasure Tour is located on the building’s second floor and can be accessed via both stairs and an elevator. There are two large rooms within the museum that are set up for self-guided visits while the rest of the space is seen via a guided tour on an electric tram.
Since tram space is limited, it’s recommended that you buy tickets online before arriving. Otherwise, you might have to wait a while for a tour (or maybe even not be able to get on one that day). When I was there on a Friday afternoon in July, tours were already just about full for the whole day.
While waiting for your tour, you can check out the two large rooms that allow self-guided tours. These two rooms together are larger than some museums I’ve visited, so there’s a lot to see in these spaces.
The first room is home to not just the ticket counter and the museum’s gift shop of nostalgic novelty items, but also features an incredible collection consisting primarily of musical instruments and dollhouses.
Known as the Music Room, this room showcases some incredible instruments from American history, including a nice selection of self-playing band organs, player pianos, and other similar instruments.
This room is also home to several incredibly large and intricate dollhouses. Even if you aren’t typically interested in dollhouses, the craftsmanship and attention to detail of these pieces are truly incredible, and I definitely enjoyed spending a few minutes looking at them.
The other large room is located across the hallway from the Music Room and is known as the Classic Car Exhibit Area. It’s also where the tram ride starts from.
This room, as the name implies, is filled with dozens of antique automobiles, most of which have signage near them to tell a bit about their history and importance. Of course, in the spirit of the entire museum, there are hundreds of other items packed into this room ranging from bicycles to giant stuffed animals.
At your appointed tour time, you’ll want to board the electric tram for your ride around the Toy Box, as this area is known.
The Toy Box is approximately 70,000 square feet in size, and the tram follows a narrow route through the collection, with recorded narration providing a lot of fantastic information about some of the more interesting items in the collection.
While the tram moves quite slowly and tours last 40 minutes with continuous narration, it’s impossible to see or learn about all of the hundreds of thousands of items on display at the American Treasure Tour.
As the tour goes on, the tram stops in some places, especially around some of the mechanical musical instruments, which proceed to serenade you with their fun and unique sound. The driver also steps out in a few spots to point out different pieces in the collection.
Both the breadth and the variety of the collection here are quite amazing. Even more amazingly, this is the collection of one man who is simply dubbed “The Collector” as he wants his identity to remain a secret.
He was originally using this space to simply store the collection before he decided to start opening it up for private tours in 2011 and then, a few years later, for public tours.
Truly, just about anything you can possibly imagine from Americana can be found within the collection here including motorcycles, Disney figurines, and even giant paper mache busts of Donald Trump, Brittany Spears, and Ted Kennedy. This means that if you aren’t interested in a particular part of the collection, you almost definitely will be with what’s around the next corner.
Overall, the American Treasure Tour is a very special place to visit. Literally, no matter what you are interested in, there are sure to be areas that you’ll absolutely love, and, if you simply like fun and historic pieces, you’ll probably enjoy the entire collection.
So, the next time you are looking for something fun to do in the Philly suburbs near Valley Forge National Historical Park and the LEGOLAND Discovery Center, make sure to visit the American Treasure Tour.
Looking for even more places nearby to visit? Check out the Wharton Esherick Museum, the Elmwood Park Zoo, the Mount Misery Trails, and the Stoogeum.
| Hours: Friday-Sunday: 10a-3:30p Reservations recommended. | Cost: Adults: $18, Kids: $12 |
| Website: AmericanTreasureTour.com | Address: One American Treasure Way Oaks, PA 19456 |
See map below for other area attractions.
610.456.9692
