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 Abraham Pierson Monument 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 Clinton, CT 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.
“The level of dedication Crystal has to her work is amazing!! I cannot say how”
“Always Best Care of Central CT is helping me with my mom who is 92”
“I’ve been a nurse for over 40 years, and I am currently a nursing professor.”
“Mom’s care needs have been progressing over the past month - increased difficulty standing. walking,”
“Outstanding personal service from this company. All of the caregivers were personable and provided outstanding”
“Taylor, John, and Kristine and their crew are the best. They are patient, understanding, and”
“You can't go wrong with this crew. Extremely patient and caring.”
“Caring for family can be difficult and challenging at times. It's so nice to know”
“Sabina always has a pleasant, caring, and respectful attitude. I feel she treats me as”
“Diana has a total commitment of compassion, empathy, and respect for myself and my family.”
“Tina has been with us since the start, caring for my mom. Tina has nothing”
“Always Best Care helped our family get through a very difficult time with my mother's”
“I approached Kristine regarding care for my elderly father. Even though he was outside”
“I have known Kristine Lajeunesse for many years now through business networking and she and”
“The client care at Always Best Care Senior Service is outstanding”
“We needed some home care services for Dad who has dementia, and we made the”
“Kristine and John are extremely caring and compassionate about helping their client's and family and”
“Rosemary has many great qualities. She is a hardworker, sensitive, has a giving nature and”
“Always Best Care provides caregivers to our building on a regular basis when we are”
“I have known John and Kristine Lajeunesse for almost 20 years and when my dad”
“Always Best Care helped me to get care lined up for my uncle, after I”
“My dad’s caregiver is great. He is a man of few words, but she is”
“Thank you, Kristine - I am very appreciative of the professional manner with which you”
“I wanted to take a moment to thank you and your staff for all of”
“I am very pleased with the care that Craig gave to my husband. My husband”
“I hired Always Best Care to help my mom who was living with me at”
“My husband had care from Always Best Care until he passed away. Thankfully he is”
“My family provides the care to my mother 24/7, we called Always Best Care to”
“The caregiver that helped my husband and I were so kind to us both, especially”
“i really like my caregiver, Victor very much. Victor is a very patient and observant”
““I want to give a huge thank you for the care that Always Best Care”
“Both of Mom’s caregivers are exceptional. They are always professional, calm and extremely patient with”
“They are very caring and easy to deal with. They work with the family and”
“Anything from Always Best Care is good to have. The care from them has given”
“Always Best Care has done a fantastic job in providing us with at-home care for”
“We have been using the services of ABC for almost three years, and I have”
“I appreciate that they always accommodate me and have someone here to drive me, even”
“I appreciate that they always accommodate me and have someone here to drive me, even”
“The level of dedication Crystal has to her work is amazing!! I cannot say how impressive the effort and the results Crystal has displayed over the last several months, how lucky I feel to have her apart of my mother’s weekly life. Crystal has established trust, friendship, and a sincere companionship with my mother who, not so long ago, was so adamantly opposed to having anyone in her house. When speaking with Crystal and my mother, I could hear the excitement in Crystal’s voice when she shared her success in getting my Mom out of the house. Can’t thank you enough!!”
“Always Best Care of Central CT is helping me with my mom who is 92 and still living on her own. The in-home care they are providing is the best. Without the assistance they are providing us in Enfield this would be overwhelming.”
“I’ve been a nurse for over 40 years, and I am currently a nursing professor. When my mom was recently in the hospital, I knew it would not be possible for her to be completely on her own right away. She loves where she resides and enjoys all of the activities that are offered. My goal was to get her back into her apartment as soon as possible with the support she needed to increase her strength and return to her prior level of wellness she had before she went into the hospital. She was used to walking a couple miles a day. When I reached out to ABC I made it clear that my mom would need somebody who would be willing to walk with her in the morning, and in the evening enabling her to get back to her baseline. I would like to complement all of the staff at ABC who provided my mom such wonderful support after two weeks she returned to her baseline and remained in her apartment. She really enjoyed all of the staff that were with her , they were professional they encouraged her to walk, drink fluids, eat and were instrumental in assisting her to reach her prior level of independence. I would strongly recommend ABC to anybody who is in need of support for their loved one.”
“Mom’s care needs have been progressing over the past month - increased difficulty standing. walking, decreased appetite, increased incontinence. (Part of the expected declining process per her Dr.) Tara has been wonderful in adapting to Mom’s changing needs as they develop and a very helpful partner in troubleshooting. brainstorming how to adapt to best support Mom. It’s also been helpful in my regular communication with Mom’s Dr, to let her know in detail what has come up and how we have approached. Thank you (again) for your talented staff!”
“Outstanding personal service from this company. All of the caregivers were personable and provided outstanding care to our aunt. I would highly recommend them to anyone who has an elder family member in need. Also, the staff that helped to set up their services was outstanding as well. They made the decisions easy to understand with no hidden agenda. Thank you again to "ABC!"”
“Taylor, John, and Kristine and their crew are the best. They are patient, understanding, and a joy to work with.”
“You can't go wrong with this crew. Extremely patient and caring.”
“Caring for family can be difficult and challenging at times. It's so nice to know that Always Best Care Senior Services is there to help!”
“Sabina always has a pleasant, caring, and respectful attitude. I feel she treats me as she would as her own mother. She treats me the way she would like to be treated. We are a good “team” together.”
“Diana has a total commitment of compassion, empathy, and respect for myself and my family. My daughters feel she is truly a tremendous caregiver. They know I am in good hands. She acknowledges with commitment of my physical, emotional, and practical needs, my quality of life has excelled due to Diana’s help. I look forward to her presence everyday her attitude is exceptional, Diana comes to work daily with a smile on her face. She enters the front door, singing softly ready to work. She has never taken a day off, I have had many caregivers, but Diana is truly the best!”
“Tina has been with us since the start, caring for my mom. Tina has nothing but my mom’s best interest at heart. She continues to go above and beyond to care for my mom, and ensure anyone else who may be there also understands my mom’s needs. Tina has even gone so far to rearrange her schedule or give up her free time to stay with my mom to avoid her having someone that doesn’t know her. I can see that she genuinely cares for my mom, and treats her as if she was her own family member. That also goes both ways, my mom lights up when she sees Tina. We consider Tina part of our family.”
“Always Best Care helped our family get through a very difficult time with my mother's care. Kristine and Taylor are a pleasure to work with. They are very knowledgable and had the answers to all our questions. They were able to help with all aspects of the care we needed. I highly recommend them.”
“I approached Kristine regarding care for my elderly father. Even though he was outside her service area, she helped to find resources for us. Her commitment to providing outstanding care is only surpassed by her desire to help others. Thank you Kristine!”
“I have known Kristine Lajeunesse for many years now through business networking and she and her Team at Always Best Care are very caring and professional and exactly who you would want on your side if you have a loved one who needs help!”
“The client care at Always Best Care Senior Service is outstanding”
“We needed some home care services for Dad who has dementia, and we made the right decision to trust ABC Senior Services for this support. Dad was lined up with a caregiver who was attentive and helpful, and she and Dad really hit it off. The management and administrative staff from ABC were also very effective and professional. You'll make a good decision to go with ABC Senior Services...”
“Kristine and John are extremely caring and compassionate about helping their client's and family and making sure they receive the best care available. Highly recommended!”
“Rosemary has many great qualities. She is a hardworker, sensitive, has a giving nature and has an immense desire to help my father. Reliability is vital trait in Rosemary. When my father was in the hospital and came home she immediately wanted to be by his side. My father has come to rely and depend on Rosemary. She is always on time whether it is giving medication or administering food and often encourages my father and helps my father maintain his dignity”
“Always Best Care provides caregivers to our building on a regular basis when we are short staffed. Due to our licensing, we can only have CNAs on the floor and Always Best Care has provided excellent CNAs every time we need some extra help. All of their CNAs have been helpful, willing to go above and beyond for our residents and we always have great responses from our own CNAs and supervisory staff. I am so thankful to Michelle and Wilda who will always staff a shift that I need, even if I call 30 minutes before the shift starts. You’ve been such a huge help!”
“I have known John and Kristine Lajeunesse for almost 20 years and when my dad needed care following a diagnosis of dementia, I knew there wouldn’t be anyone better to call than them. The caregivers that have worked with my dad have been wonderful. They are true saints to my family, allowing us the knowledge that Dad is okay to stay at home. They have navigated all of the changes in his cognitive state with grace and kept my father’s dignity in place. He was always a very active man and the caregivers have managed to keep him active, even as his health declines.”
“Always Best Care helped me to get care lined up for my uncle, after I received their information from a close friend of mine that also used their agency. My uncle was a very proud man and did not want help from anyone, including family. Taylor met with me and spent time getting to know the ins and outs of my uncle’s care as well as his personality. She asked about his background so that they could look for a caregiver with similar interests. Although he took a turn for the worse rather quickly, the short time care was provided was wonderful. Thank you for your help and compassion.”
“My dad’s caregiver is great. He is a man of few words, but she is able to get him talking about all aspects and experiences of his life. They go out regularly and she encourages my dad to participate in the activities put on by the community he lives in. They run errands, go out for meals, or go for a drive just to get a change of scenery. I was nervous at first about how my dad would take having a caregiver come in to help him, but he seems so happy and has great things to talk about after his time spent with his caregiver.”
“Thank you, Kristine - I am very appreciative of the professional manner with which you and your organization operates. From the initial phone and in-person conversations with Taylor, to the ongoing support of my mother's care - it's been thorough, timely and well managed. I am also struck by how the home-health employees conduct themselves. They are reliable/responsive *and* responsible, and making every effort to work through the challenges day to day with my mother. Thanks for the great job you and your organization are doing. It means a lot to me, especially during this trying time! Best Regards”
“I wanted to take a moment to thank you and your staff for all of your hard work and dedication to their clients. When my parents finally realized they needed help in their home, I chose ABC as the company I felt would be the best fit. Yes, we have had some ups and down, but when you paired Leah with my parents, it was truly a blessing. My parents love her. She genuinely cares for them and they speak highly of her work ethic. As my mom says, “she is too good to be true”. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your working with me to find the right fit. Well on our end, Leah fits like a glove and I hope she feels the same. She is a special person so I wanted to acknowledge her hard work and dedication to my parents. It makes me feel more at ease knowing there is someone coming to the home to properly care for them. Again I want to thank you all and encourage you to keep up the good work.”
“I am very pleased with the care that Craig gave to my husband. My husband enjoyed having another man to talk to instead of conversation only between him and I. Craig managed to keep him occupied and safe so that I could go and get some time to myself, allowing me peace of mind that my husband was in great hands”
“I hired Always Best Care to help my mom who was living with me at home. She was diagnosed with dementia and within 3 months she could hardly do much for herself anymore. I was able to continue working full time while my mom received care from Always Best Care. We had the same caregiver from day 1 and she was absolutely amazing. She kept everyone in the loop with any changes my mom experienced and the regular in person and phone check ins were a great added support to myself and my family. Thank you ABC for all the help and compassion that you showed my mom until her passing.”
“My husband had care from Always Best Care until he passed away. Thankfully he is on his "next journey" and finally pain free, while he was here with us, his caregiver, Craig, did an amazing job caring for him and was here to help us from our first day of services. Craig always managed to get my husband to share stories from his time in the war that even I had not heard before. It was a great way to get to know more of my husband so his memory can continue with others around him.”
“My family provides the care to my mother 24/7, we called Always Best Care to provide respite care to my mom while we took some time to ourselves for a weekend. Mom’s caregiver, Gloria, was great and she had the perfect disposition to work with my mom. She was attentive and kept mom well fed and engaged during the time we were away. We would definitely call Always Best Care again when we need some time away.”
“The caregiver that helped my husband and I were so kind to us both, especially to my husband while I spent some time in the hospital and rehab. Our caregiver brought my husband to see me every day while I was at the hospital and at rehab, I knew he was in excellent hands and I could focus on getting stronger again.”
“i really like my caregiver, Victor very much. Victor is a very patient and observant aide who knows when I need his help. I knew from the first day meeting him that we would get along very well.”
““I want to give a huge thank you for the care that Always Best Care provided over the last year and a half. They started out assisting just my dad since he was wheelchair bound and then began providing care to my mom as well who had advanced dementia. The two ladies that helped them both did an amazing job and gave me the confidence that they were being well cared for since I live on the other side of the country. Up to my dad’s passing, his caregivers were there for him to provide comfort and companionship while managing my mom’s emotions as well during the difficult time my dad had. Being a nurse myself and in the healthcare field for a while, I had high expectations which were exceeded by the caregivers and office staff of Always Best Care.”
“Both of Mom’s caregivers are exceptional. They are always professional, calm and extremely patient with my mom. They know how to keep her calm and to manage her anxiety. My whole family is very grateful, knowing that Mom is getting really competent care, great meals and friendly companionship. Thank you.”
“They are very caring and easy to deal with. They work with the family and the patient to see that the patient has what is needed for their care. In all we had a good experience with Best Care.”
“Anything from Always Best Care is good to have. The care from them has given me my life back. I wasn’t expecting a perfect match on the first caregiver, but Always Best Care did a very good job.”
“Always Best Care has done a fantastic job in providing us with at-home care for my step-mother while we prepared for her transition to move permanently to a skilled nursing facility. With their help, she was able to spend a full six months at home before moving. We would not have been able to do it without them. All the caregivers we have met and used have been kind and attentive, frequently going the extra mile, whatever that may be on any given day. The office staff is friendly, empathetic and very diligent in keeping all parties informed of all aspects of day-to-day care. They are knowledgeable, respectful and efficient. I would not hesitate in recommending them to anyone who is looking for help in keeping their loved one at home for as long as possible.”
“We have been using the services of ABC for almost three years, and I have worked personally with John, Kristine, Taylor, Michelle and Wilda, as well as the many wonderful caregivers who have attended to my mother’s needs with great care and attention. Throughout this time, my mother’s care needs have changed many times, and they have always been very responsive to any requests, including the directives of the hospice nurses that work in concert with all of them. Taylor and Michelle are incredibly diligent about keeping on top of issues that arise day-to-day, and running their questions and concerns by me. I remain a loyal customer to ABC because I feel that my mother is getting really great care, and will continue to see the warm, friendly faces she has come to know and trust today and every day. At 94 yrs old, my mother is quite dependent on the care providers for almost all her needs, and they always show up and make her feel safe and secure.”
“I appreciate that they always accommodate me and have someone here to drive me, even if I only call them the day before. I’m so glad I was able to find them, because I didn’t know what I was going to do. I just lost my sister and she helped me out a lot.”
“I appreciate that they always accommodate me and have someone here to drive me, even if I only call them the day before. I’m so glad I was able to find them, because I didn’t know what I was going to do. I just lost my sister and she helped me out a lot.”
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 The Elliot Preserve 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 Nataz Restaurant or visit Clinton Village Historic District, 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 Clinton, CT, 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 Clinton, CT 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 Clinton, CT 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.
Life seems to flow slowly, timelessly, inside the gates of the Kelseytown Reservoir in the upper reaches of Clinton, nestled in the Cockaponset State Forest far from Route 1 and the bustling shoreline.Watch MoreThere, the Connecticut Water Co. has operated one of its five surface water treatment plants since 1980, turning out up to 4 million drinkable gallons a day with just a few people watching over the pipes, valves and holding tanks in a ballet of nature and chemistry. Kelseytown has hydrated local customers since 1904, lon...
Life seems to flow slowly, timelessly, inside the gates of the Kelseytown Reservoir in the upper reaches of Clinton, nestled in the Cockaponset State Forest far from Route 1 and the bustling shoreline.
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There, the Connecticut Water Co. has operated one of its five surface water treatment plants since 1980, turning out up to 4 million drinkable gallons a day with just a few people watching over the pipes, valves and holding tanks in a ballet of nature and chemistry. Kelseytown has hydrated local customers since 1904, long before Connecticut Water formed.
It's a calming scene but as Paul Andrews, the company's water treatment plant supervisor, leads me on the water's path, the reality comes clear: This treatment plant, with $12 million in new upgrades just in the last five years, is part of a complex, expensive and changing water landscape in a state that still has some 400 independent, community water systems.
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We are about to see a rate hike request from Connecticut Water to the state's Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, a case that will test the for-profit company's claim that it needs more money to modernize its home state's water purification and delivery. The company is expected to file preliminary papers for the rate case this week and while executives aren't saying the percent increase they will seek, it could be substantial.
This rate case comes at a watershed moment, pardon the pun. Regulators are not in a generous mood these days with utilities when it comes to spending customers' money. PURA, as the authority is known, has just whacked two utilities -- Aquarion, the state's largest water supplier, and United Illuminating, the electric company in parts of Fairfield and New Haven counties -- in rebukes that were heroic to weary ratepayers but bloody to the utilities crying foul.
Now comes Connecticut Water Co. with its bid. Third sacrificial lamb in the lion's den? No, says Craig Patla, the company president. He's confident that his company has the culture regulators want to see as they embrace something called performance-based ratemaking, driven by new state legislation.
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"Connecticut Water is confident that our record of serving customers, communities, employees and the environment does make us a different kind of utility and in going through the rigorous process of a general rate case, we’ll get to proof that out," Patla said. "We are ready and willing to meet the standards of prudency and service to stakeholders that the authority has set.”
Patla, sitting in his company's modest offices on Route 1 in Clinton, described the five "building blocks" of Connecticut Water: employees, customers, shareholders, communities and the environment.
"We believe strongly that when we have balance for those five building blocks that we will achieve success for all of those building blocks," Patla said. "We measure our employee satisfaction twice a year. We measure our customer satisfaction twice a year."
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A longtime industry veteran, Patla doesn't see a fight, but rather a sort of kumbaya moment -- my words -- that will bring out a different reaction from the PURA lion, when it comes to weighing the company's performance, not just reimbursing it for spending money.
"We welcome that concept," Patla told me. "A lot of the metrics around performance, we excel at...We don’t fear it because we perform well in the components that are being measured."
I have no way to judge the merits of Patla's claim that his company is a different kind of utility. In theory, a utility of any kind ought to be able to use larger size to shave costs for customers. That never seems to work out. So regulators closely monitor shareholder profits. Connecticut Water, which owns a water company in Maine, was bought out in 2019 by SJW Group, the publicly traded parent of the San Jose Water Co. in California.
Like its larger competitor, Aquarion, Connecticut Water has been buying up many of the old community water works, at their request. These tiny systems might have lower rates but many of them can't do the job anymore in an age of droughts and severe storms caused by climate change; PFAS and other emerging contaminants; tighter regulations; declining volunteer ranks; and aging infrastructure that these providers on old wells have let slip.
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Connecticut Water, with about 110,000 customers in Connecticut and 232 employees, runs 66 non-connected water systems in 60 cities and towns, some with just one or two wells.
All of that requires big ongoing investments. But in March, PURA whacked Aquarion's $32 million rate hike request down not just to zero, but to a $2 million giveback for customers. Aquarion, a unit of Eversource, the giant regional electric utility, filed a lawsuit. A state judge issued a rare stay of the rate reduction in May and the case is pending.
Then last week, PURA allowed just $23 million of a $131 million rate hike request from United Illuminating, after a July draft decision that would have left UI with less than $2 million more from ratepayers. UI has not said whether it will appeal in the courts.
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Connecticut Water's rate request follows a 2021 rate case that gave the company a 7.1 percent average increase, or about $7.3 million. Patla talks about the company's efforts to encourage water conservation -- not easy in a part of the world where life's liquid runs in abundance most of the time -- and he talks about those building blocks.
"I would make the argument that pursuit of balance really sets us apart," he said.
We'll see how that goes in the hearings.
Back at the treatment plant at the Kelseytown Reservoir, we see water flowing into tanks with compounds that make particles come together to form "floc" sludge, then we see the water filtering up through that sludge, then filtering through four feet of granular, activated carbon. Then the system adds lime, phosphate, chlorine and fluoride in critical amounts with disastrous results if done incorrectly.
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Making filtered water from raw water, as Paul Andrews calls it, requires a different kind of balance than what Patla describes. Different, but related through the modernization of a fractured industry. The question is how much we the drinking, flushing, showering, washing and lawn-watering public need to pay to make it flow.
dhaar@hearstmediact.com
Steve Sullivan had been involved in coaching soccer at some level on the Connecticut shoreline for a half-century, including the last six seasons as the Morgan-Clinton girls head coach.Watch MoreAs much as Sullivan loved the sport, he loved “building relationships” even more through the sport, according to Sullivan’s niece, Kerry McGowan.“It became really clear to my family and I just how many connections he made throughout the shoreline,” McGowan said. “It was really just about buildi...
Steve Sullivan had been involved in coaching soccer at some level on the Connecticut shoreline for a half-century, including the last six seasons as the Morgan-Clinton girls head coach.
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As much as Sullivan loved the sport, he loved “building relationships” even more through the sport, according to Sullivan’s niece, Kerry McGowan.
“It became really clear to my family and I just how many connections he made throughout the shoreline,” McGowan said. “It was really just about building connections and letting people know that they were important to him. He really encouraged his player not just to be good soccer players, but also good human beings and do what’s right off the field.”
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Sullivan died on July 12 at Connecticut Hospice in Branford. Sullivan, also affectionately known as Coach Sully, was 72. There will be a celebration of Steve Sullivan’s life, a Sullybration, on Saturday, Aug. 5, at the Indian River Complex in Clinton from 2-6 p.m.
“He wanted us to have a party. That was what he felt most passionate about. He wanted everyone to celebrate and wanted to be remembered that way,” McGowan said.
Morgan has won three Shoreline Conference tournament titles, including the last two against Portland (2021) and Old Saybrook (2022) respectively. Morgan reached the 2018 Class M state semifinals, falling to eventual champion Lewis Mills in penalty kicks. The Huskies reached the Class M quarterfinals in 2017.
He was an assistant under Megan Kilbride before taking over head coaching duties in 2017.
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Denise Tanner is one of the organizers for the Sullybration. Her daughter, Lilly, will be one of the senior co-captains on the team this fall.
“He was just so special to them. This whole season will be dedicated to him,” Denise Tanner said. “He always was a very good motivator, able to get the girls to show their true potential.”
A pizza truck and an ice cream truck are expected to be at the Sullybration. So is a DJ. There could be an alumni game depending upon how many people show up, Tanner said.
Sullivan coached youth soccer in Guilford and in Clinton for about four decades.
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“We are hoping for a really big turnout,” Tanner said about the Aug. 5 event, adding all were welcome, including former players, assistant coaches, opposing players and coaches, family and friends.
For further information, visit the Sullybration Facebook page.
Sullivan was the New Haven Register’s Area Coach of the Year following his first Shoreline title in 2018. He was also a two-time Coach of the Year for the Shoreline.
A 1969 Guilford High graduate according to his obit, Sullivan worked for the United States Postal Service, retiring in 2004.
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Morgan is expected to post the opening for the position by the end of this week.
Memorial contributions may be made to Friends of Joel in care of the Joel Elementary School in Clinton, where Sullivan worked as a recess aide the last couple of years.
Clinton — A developer’s plan to build a complex of 40 one-bedroom apartments — with 10 percent affordable units — on a motel property located in an industrial zone was unanimously rejected by the Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday night.Despite at least one commissioner commenting that the Westbrook-based Dattilo Group’s proposal looked like an improvement for the motel, known as A Victorian Village Inn, at 345 E. Main Street, the commission was overwhelmingly against expanding housing they said is ...
Clinton — A developer’s plan to build a complex of 40 one-bedroom apartments — with 10 percent affordable units — on a motel property located in an industrial zone was unanimously rejected by the Planning and Zoning Commission on Monday night.
Despite at least one commissioner commenting that the Westbrook-based Dattilo Group’s proposal looked like an improvement for the motel, known as A Victorian Village Inn, at 345 E. Main Street, the commission was overwhelmingly against expanding housing they said is already out of place in an industrial zone.
Commissioner Ellen Dahlgren said her issue was with Dattilo Group’s proposal to put a floating zone on the property, which would allow them to build their apartment complex despite the motel being a non-conforming use on an industrial-zoned property.
“These folks could be planning to build the Taj Mahal there or some landmark, it has nothing to do with the specific proposal. In fact, the proposal sounds like an improvement over what’s there,” Dahlgren said. “But the use of this floating zone is something that I just think of as a bad component of our regulations.”
Dahlgren said the floating zones “undermine the predictability” of zoning, which is meant to let people make decisions about where to buy, sell or develop property. She said they should be removed from the town’s zoning regulations, and from the Plan of Conservation and Development when that comes up for review in 2025.
Commissioner Bo Clark said the town’s regulations don’t allow the enlargement of “non-conforming” uses like the motel – which was built on the site but later disallowed by zoning changes. The 1955 motel was built before the town set up the “I-2” industrial zone, which doesn’t allow residential development.
“If we adopt this and land [the floating zone] on this particular site, we’d be creating a mechanism to circumvent our own regulations,” Clark said.
Clark also said the proposed floating zone would allow too much density – technically allowing up to 54 units of any size on the 1.8 acre site, despite the developers saying they planned to build 40.
He said that would allow up to 75 percent of the lot to be covered with buildings, while the town doesn’t allow more than 30 percent in its residential zones. It’s particularly a concern for that environmentally sensitive area, he said.
“Should a septic system fail, and no onsite solution can be found, it’s incumbent on the town to find a solution to that,” Clark said.
Commissioner Martin Jaffe said he wasn’t personally opposed to floating zones as a concept, but said there were problems with Dattilo’s proposed zone. Part of their pitch was that four units – 10 percent of the development – would be designated “affordable,” he said.
Including some affordable housing in a multifamily development can be attractive to towns like Clinton that fall under the state’s 8-30g affordable housing law, which allows developers to build housing while overriding many local zoning regulations if 30 percent of the development is deed-restricted as “affordable.”
Jaffe said the 10 percent set-aside falls well short of the state law aspiring for 30 percent, and it wouldn’t bring the town closer to having 10 percent of all its housing stock restricted as “affordable,” which would exempt the town from 8-30g. The town is at 2.8 percent according to the state’s latest count.
Residents of the motel, who live on the site, said it was one of the only places in town that was affordable for laborers and people on fixed incomes, and feared being pushed out and being unable to afford the new rents – even with Dattilo saying they would designate four apartments as “affordable.”
Jaffe said that 8-30g doesn’t allow developers to bypass zoning to build housing in an industrial zoned-property like 345 E. Main St. And in this case, it would be putting more people near “tens of thousands of gallons of explosive propane gas” next door, he said.
“Certainly the policy of discouraging lower-income, affordable housing within industrial areas is a sound policy,” Jaffe said.
Brendan Crowley covers energy and the environment for CT Examiner. T: 860 598-0050
In an era when speed and quantity are celebrated, Mark Hough is a bit of an anomaly. As a luthier in Clinton, he considers it a successful year when he makes one violin.Building one of his award-winning ...
In an era when speed and quantity are celebrated, Mark Hough is a bit of an anomaly. As a luthier in Clinton, he considers it a successful year when he makes one violin.
Building one of his award-winning violins from scratch isn’t Hough’s only focus, of course. Hough is a skilled string repair artisan as well, as the dozens of violins hanging from the workshop in his 18th century home attest. People come from around Connecticut and beyond to see if he can help close a seam on their cello or help their viola or violin sound better.
“Making violins is not all about speed. If it was about speed, we’d have all our instruments made on machines,” Hough said. “It’s about enjoying making the instruments and putting your own handiwork in it.”
As a financial reality, most of Hough’s time is restoration and instrument adjustments. “It’s amazing how finicky violins can be. You can buy a flute for $200 and it will pretty much take care of itself,” he said. “A violin you really have to treat it like a pet or a person. You have to be aware of little signs that say I’m not doing so well.”
It’s also about finding the right wood. “We generally are all wood addicts,” he said, noting that luthiers are always on the lookout for the perfect wood. His current wood stash comes from a Connecticut architectural salvage company that was advertising wood from a 150-year-old Wisconsin barn. “Visually I could tell it was perfect,” he said, ticking off the tightness of the wood’s grain and the size of its tiger flaming. (Flaming is that classic undulating pattern, or flame, so common in maple woods.)
“This was one of a kind,” Hough said. “One hundred fifty years ago tiger maple in America was being used in furniture. The fact that a tree of this quality would end up at a sawmill and be used to hold up the sides of a barn is so astronomically low. I think I have enough to make one (violin) a year for the rest of my life.”
“The big difference between old and new wood is how you work it,” he continues. “With new wood you have to be aware that it’s going to change as it gets older. It has to be made with enough thickness so that as it ages it won’t lose its voice. I’m concerned with the longevity of those instrument tones.”
It is this attention to detail that helps make Hough violins appealing to violinists.
Sarah Zahorodni is a violinist, composer and arts administrator in Boston. She had tried several other violins before finding Hough’s, which was made in 2016. “It’s always a whole journey,” she said of looking for a different instrument. “The more you try, the more there is to compare and think about. You’re always inching toward this perfect instrument that you hope exists and when you find it, it feels great.”
Zahorodni grew up in Connecticut, so in some ways finding Hough and then falling in love with this instrument was a homecoming of sorts. “It spoke so easily,” she said. “The sound was sweet, warm and ringing. It had a singing quality and such depth to the tone.”
And Zahorodni knew that sound would only improve the longer she played the instrument. The sound of all string instruments changes over time as the wood ages and the instrument opens up. Buying a new instrument, then, is a bit of a leap of faith. The sound in its first year will be very different in five or 10 years. “You can imagine what the sound is going to be like,” Zahorodni said of first playing her Hough violin. “You’re going to go on a journey with the instrument. The sound is going to change and only get better. I was at a growing point of my musical instruction so it was like we were both learning and both growing.”
Hough began his stringed instrument journey when he was 17. He became interested in woodworking while being home schooled, so his mother got him a book about Mittenwald, Germany, where most of the local economy centers on violin making. “I read about this town and told her I want to go there and study violin making,” he recalled.
His mother talked with other home schooling mothers and learned that one of them was married to a luthier who had been looking for an apprentice for two years — and that this acclaimed luthier, Lawrence Wilke, lived just six houses away from Hough. “It was a clear sign I was supposed to do this,” Hough said.
Hough studied with Wilke for a few years before moving to a music shop and ultimately opening his own workshop, Mark Hough Violins and focusing on building instruments. “In the violin making world, you have everything from real technical artists who put all their energy into perfecting the craft and you have others who are more free spirited and not as interested in making the perfect violin as opposed to making one they like,” he said. “I’m drawn to making one that makes the perfect sound.”
And after decades, Hough said he’s found his magic sound formula.
“It’s taken me years to figure that out,” he said. “It has to have the ability to play the entire spectrum of sound, whether it’s the deep, rich, gut rumbling sounds up to singing, light, floating sounds. It needs to be even from the lower strings up to the top of upper strings. It needs to have a strength that feels like it’s almost pushing back at you. You don’t want an instrument that gives in when you push it hard. It has to be ready to give more when you ask. When you play an instrument like that you feel like you can do anything. For a player, that’s the best you can have going into an audition or concert — that the instrument is there with you just encouraging you.”
WESTBROOK, CT — The Westbrook Outlets could be demolished in favor of a massive, $425 million development with 595 apartments, 100 townhomes, a new hotel, restaurants, and entertainment space, according to The Hartford Business Journal.Lexington Partners is pitching the project for the nearly 50-acre site at 314 Flat Rock Place in Westbrook with construction poss...
WESTBROOK, CT — The Westbrook Outlets could be demolished in favor of a massive, $425 million development with 595 apartments, 100 townhomes, a new hotel, restaurants, and entertainment space, according to The Hartford Business Journal.
Lexington Partners is pitching the project for the nearly 50-acre site at 314 Flat Rock Place in Westbrook with construction possibly beginning in 2025.
Making way for the development would require demolishing four retail buildings totaling 257,115 square feet, along with a cinema.
It's estimated that only 25 percent of the Westbrook Outlets shops are occupied. (Read the full story in The Hartford Business Journal.)
Westbrook Cinemas was reopened at the shopping center last year by Shoreline Entertainment at the former home of the Marquee Cinema, which closed due to the impact of the pandemic.
Westbrook Outlets are far from the only retail center facing an uncertain future in the state. Many other shopping centers could soon have residential developments as well.
A developer has plans to convert an abandoned Lord & Taylor space at the Danbury Fair Mall into 144 residential units.
In Milford, the Connecticut Post Mall's owners have gained zoning approval to allow housing on the site. This could come in three phases, with each phase adding 250 residential units.
For the Trumbull Mall, the community is discussing whether the mall could be torn down to make way for housing as well.
At the Crystal Mall in Waterford, several food court restaurants recently closed. The mall has also experienced anchor store closings and was sold at auction last year.
See related: Several Restaurants At Waterford Mall Food Court Close: Report
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