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 Lakewood Town Square in Lakewood, NJ 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 Lakewood, NJ 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 just started using always best care for my dad The certified aids that came from the agency were fantastic This situation is new for myself and my dad For having no complaints from my dad is a plus So ty again for such an easy transition for my dad Much appreciated Susan”
“Such an amazing company with employees who truly care about their business and those they take care of. Caretakers are top notch and customer service is great and they are available whenever you need them.”
“It is a pleasure to work for someone that genuinely respects caregivers for the job we do!”
“I am a current client of this provider I can’t begin to tell to you how pleased I am with Always Best Care. Not only have they placed the perfect caregiver with my mother they also take care of the billing and when I need to speak to a receptionist they are always available. Thank you!!”
“I cannot thank Always Best Care enough for helping us find an ideal Assisted Living Facility for my mother. We moved to the city a month ago and had little idea about the local senior living communities. I’d like to thank the highly experienced and knowledgeable caregivers of Always Best Care for helping our family during the difficult time.”
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“I am a current client of this provider We have hired Always Best Care. We have them for 5 to 6 weeks now. My mother practically does everything herself, but sometimes they might fix her her lunch, there might be a little bit of shopping, and they take her to her appointment. My mother is fine. The hours are fine. She got the hours that she requested. I know she is being billed on her credit card. They have been very helpful and very cooperative. The women always call back.”
“I am a current client of this provider We hired Always Best Care two weeks ago for my mom. The woman comes in three days a week to assist my mother with doing the wash, keeping the house picked up, and just talking to her. She’s wonderful. We interviewed several people, and there was just something about the way they were organized in their presentation and their follow up. that impressed us. They were a level above the other ones that we spoke to. They really listen to you about your needs and work very hard to match the caregiver up with what you’re looking for. We were very impressed with them.”
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 Pine Park in Lakewood, NJ 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 Estréia or visit Lakewood Historical Museum, 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 Lakewood, NJ, 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 Lakewood, NJ 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 Lakewood, NJ 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.
OCEAN COUNTY, NJ — As the federal government shutdown continues and a halt to payments to SNAP recipients looms, many people will be scrambling to find food to get through November and perhaps longer.Here is a list of food pantries in Ocean County, along with contact information and times and days they operate.Also listed are soup kitchens that provide meals.The lists have been compiled by Fulfill, former the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Fulfill helps to provide food to the pantries that help those in n...
OCEAN COUNTY, NJ — As the federal government shutdown continues and a halt to payments to SNAP recipients looms, many people will be scrambling to find food to get through November and perhaps longer.
Here is a list of food pantries in Ocean County, along with contact information and times and days they operate.
Also listed are soup kitchens that provide meals.
The lists have been compiled by Fulfill, former the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties. Fulfill helps to provide food to the pantries that help those in need of assistance.
Those looking to help people facing a lack of food with the halt to SNAP payments on Nov. 1 can donate directly to Fulfill through the organization's website.
The New Jersey Food Council also has compiled a list of resources to help those who need food via a Link Tree (https://linktr.ee/SNAPNJ). The links include local food rescue operations, government food assistance programs, food security partners and SNAP program updates, the council said.
“It is our hope that SNAP recipients access the LinkTree now and begin learning about the resources available to them,” said Linda Doherty, president and CEO of the New Jersey Food Council. “We all need to do our part to ensure New Jersey families are fed as our federal leaders work to reopen the government.”
BARNEGAT
BERKELEY
BEACHWOOD
BRICK
LACEY
ISLAND HEIGHTS
JACKSON
LAKEHURST
LAKEWOOD
LAVALLETTE
LITTLE EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP
LONG BEACH TOWNSHIP
MANAHAWKIN
MANCHESTER
NEW EGYPT
POINT PLEASANT BEACH
SEASIDE HEIGHTS
SOUTH TOMS RIVER
TOMS RIVER
TUCKERTON
WARETOWN
WEST CREEK
SOUP KITCHENS
For decades, school funding has been a hot-button issue in New Jersey.The current school funding formula, under the School Funding Reform Act, became law in 2008 and is only in its second year of being fully funded.It is the first funding formula to be deemed constitutional by the New Jersey Supreme Court, but it has not gone unchallenged. The state Supreme Court deemed the current formula constitutionally acceptable in a 2009 decision, after several previous versions failed to meet the state Constitution’s standards....
For decades, school funding has been a hot-button issue in New Jersey.
The current school funding formula, under the School Funding Reform Act, became law in 2008 and is only in its second year of being fully funded.
It is the first funding formula to be deemed constitutional by the New Jersey Supreme Court, but it has not gone unchallenged. The state Supreme Court deemed the current formula constitutionally acceptable in a 2009 decision, after several previous versions failed to meet the state Constitution’s standards.
In the most recent challenge, a state appeals court last week said the school funding formula is constitutional in a challenge over Lakewood’s public-school funding. The court upheld the statewide funding formula, even though public-school students in Lakewood are not receiving a “thorough and efficient” education, which is required under the state Constitution.
A three-judge panel ruled that Lakewood’s struggles are due to fiscal mismanagement, failure to raise taxes, and transportation and special education spending issues, not the school funding formula.
This is the latest round in a legal battle that has lasted more than a decade centering on the quality of public education in Lakewood, where most of the township’s students attend private religious schools, straining the district’s budget.
“While we conclude that Lakewood’s failure to provide a thorough and efficient education for its public school students is not due, in significant part, to the [School Funding Reform Act], the search for an equitable, effective and efficient solution to the plight of these children must not end here,” the decision reads.
Lakewood Township’s population has grown significantly in recent decades, in large part due to a thriving Orthodox Jewish community. In 2023, the township had about 37,000 school-aged children, but only 6,000 enrolled in secular public schools, according to Judge Mary Whipple’s opinion in the case from that year. About 84% attended private religious schools.
At the time, over half of the district’s budget went to transportation and special education tuition for nonpublic students that is required under state and federal laws. This is an “abnormal and unsustainable imbalance,” Whipple’s opinion said.
State aid to the district is calculated based on the number of students that attend Lakewood public schools, but the district is also required to pay for transportation and special education tuition for many of the private-school students who live in town. This has put a strain on the district’s budget.
Paul Tractenberg, an attorney for the parents of children attending Lakewood public schools who sued, called the Sept. 8 ruling “deeply disappointing and bereft of any serious constitutional analysis.” He said the parents will likely seek the court’s leave to appeal, which “is not all that easy to obtain.”
The office of the attorney general, who argued the case for the state, declined a request for comment.
The case started when parents of children enrolled in the school district filed an administrative appeal in 2014 over the district’s state aid, arguing that the state’s funding formula prevented their children from receiving a thorough and efficient education. In 2021, an administrative law judge found that students were not receiving a thorough and efficient education, but that the school funding formula was not to blame. In 2024, then-Commissioner of Education Angelica Allen-McMillan reaffirmed that finding in a final decision.
Allen-McMillan determined the lack of a thorough and efficient education was due to “Lakewood’s tax-related choices that decreased revenue, the significant deficiencies in Lakewood’s spending practices, and Lakewood’s failure to control its transportation and special education costs.” State funding and higher taxes would be enough to pay for a thorough and efficient education, Allen-McMillan said in her decision.
Under the school funding formula, districts are advised but not required to raise taxes to the “local fair share,” a figure determined by the formula. The state gives districts the money needed to cover the gap between the local fair share and the amount required for an “adequate” education, as determined by the state law.
State funds, drawn from the state income tax and known as “equalization aid,” are distributed unevenly, with the bulk going to lower-income municipalities that cannot raise as much money through property taxes as higher-income municipalities. Some districts that have not raised taxes to meet that local fair share now face budget shortfalls that cannot be closed by typical small tax increases or increases in state aid.
The parents involved in the Lakewood case argued that because the town’s public-school students suffer from shortcomings in education, they must receive the same constitutional status of “wards of the state” that’s given to the 31 high-poverty, urban “Abbott” districts based on a series of landmark court rulings in the 1980s. The appeals court judges declined to give Lakewood the special status, since unlike the Abbott districts Lakewood receives full state funding, as determined by the state’s funding formula.
The parents argued that the state has the constitutional responsibility to ensure the students receive a thorough and efficient education, which Tractenberg, their attorney, noted was not mentioned in the opinion.
“Petitioners, in effect, ask us to declare the SFRA unconstitutional because it doesn’t yield enough state aid to cover the shortfalls caused by Lakewood’s budget and spending choices, particularly in the areas of transportation and special education,” the appeal court judges’ opinion reads. “These choices, the record shows, have drained resources away from Lakewood’s public school students, and are consistently at odds with cost saving recommendations made by respondents.”
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