Learn more about in-home care options for your loved ones

Given the choice, most of us want to stay in our homes. Sometimes, people need help to remain at home. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.

Personal Care Consultation

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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Robin Y.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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!”

Jeremy H.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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!"”

KEVIN M.
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TESTIMONIALS

“You can't go wrong with this crew. Extremely patient and caring.”

Daniel S.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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!”

Cathy K.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Taylor, John, and Kristine and their crew are the best. They are patient, understanding, and a joy to work with.”

Daniel S.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Tracy H.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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!”

Anne H.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

David L.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

John S.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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!”

Greg G.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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...”

Liam M.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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!”

Matt B.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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!”

Ann B.
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TESTIMONIALS

“The client care at Always Best Care Senior Service is outstanding”

Kimberly O.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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”

Denise D.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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!”

Kaytee S.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Belinda F.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Karel O.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Martin F.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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”

Anna T.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Craig F.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Brenda
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Heather R.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Johnson L.
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TESTIMONIALS

““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.”

harry B.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Kathleen F.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Beth F.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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”

Sonia T.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Laura
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Elaine G.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Our caregiver is the absolute best, you all got lucky finding her.”

Bob G.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Claudia B.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Rachel C.
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TESTIMONIALS

“It has been a true pleasure working with you and your organization. You all demonstrate empathy and compassion in caring for frail elderly family members and insure distant families are comforted knowing you are there.”

Steve S.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Mom’s caregiver is a part of the family, we absolutely love her!”

Joe L.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Sarah C.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Donna .
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Janey B.
 In-Home Care Bolton, CT

How does In-home Senior Care in Bolton, CT work?

Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it's 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 ages, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.

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 Senior Care Bolton, CT

Aging in Place: The Preferred Choice for Most Seniors

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

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

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

Comfort
Comfort

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, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old. With the help of elderly care in Bolton, 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.

Healthy Living
Healthy Living

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.

Independence
Independence

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 an assisted living community. 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.

Cost and Convenience
Cost and Convenience

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 to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, can be 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 in Bolton, CT 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.

Empowers Seniors

Affordable Care Plans

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:

Veteran's Benefits
Veteran's Benefits

Attendance and aid benefits through military service can cover a portion of the costs associated with in-home care for veterans and their spouses.

Long-Term Care Insurance
Long-Term Care Insurance

Many senior care services like in-home care are included in long-term care insurance options. Research different long-term care solutions to find a plan that provides coverage for senior care.

Private Insurance
Private Insurance

Home care can be included as part of a senior's private insurance plan. Read over your loved one's insurance policy carefully or speak with their insurance provider to determine if in-home care is covered.

Life Insurance
Life Insurance

Depending on the life insurance plan, you may be able to apply your policy toward long-term care. You may be able to use long-term-care coverage to help pay for in-home elderly care.


Respite Care Bolton, CT

During your Care Plan consultation with Always Best Care, your Care Coordinator will speak with you about in-home care costs and what options there may be to help meet your budget needs.

Compassionate Care. Trusted Caregivers

When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.

Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.

At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Bolton,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.

 Caregivers Bolton, CT

Taking the First Step with Always Best Care

The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced 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:

An assessment of your senior loved one

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An in-depth discussion of the needs of your senior loved one to remain in their own home

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Reviewing a detailed Care Plan that will meet your senior loved one's needs

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

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

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.

Latest News in Bolton, CT

French, American students digging up Bolton farm in search of Revolutionary history

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateBOLTON — National Park Service ranger Johnny Carawan opened his remarks to French and American high school and college students Friday by wishing the French students a Happy Bastille Day.The revolutionary spirit that connected the old and new worlds in the late 18th century was the focus at a Bolton farm where the Comte de Rochambeau and his French forces camped in June 1781 on their march to join Gen. George Washington's army and ultimately confront the British...

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BOLTON — National Park Service ranger Johnny Carawan opened his remarks to French and American high school and college students Friday by wishing the French students a Happy Bastille Day.

The revolutionary spirit that connected the old and new worlds in the late 18th century was the focus at a Bolton farm where the Comte de Rochambeau and his French forces camped in June 1781 on their march to join Gen. George Washington's army and ultimately confront the British in Yorktown, Va.

Thirteen French students arrived in Connecticut on Tuesday, joining 16 Connecticut students in a program of the Museum of Connecticut History called Digging into History. All of the students are staying in dormitories at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain until the French group heads to New York City on July 24 and then home two days later.

Their visit centers on an archaeological excavation at the Bolton Heritage Farm, which was Camp No. 5 on Rochambeau's 680-mile march from Newport, R.I. to Yorktown. The visit is a continuation of the program that started with Connecticut students' trip to France in 2019 to help restore a section of World War I trench at Seicheprey, where French and American troops fought against the Germans. Some American and French college students who helped with that project also are taking part in the Bolton dig.

French student Chiara Lopes, 16, said that along with the basics of archaeology, she is learning about Americans and has been struck by the many questions they ask and their interest in her and her fellow students. The Digging Into History program (Crueser dans l'Histoire) "is a way to keep our connection and to keep the flame lighted," Chiara said.

Rochambeau arrived in Newport in July 1780 at the head of an army of 450 officers and 5,300 men. France had supported the American patriots with money and supplies since 1776, and in March 1780, King Louis XVI approved sending troops. At a meeting in Wethersfield in May 1781, Rochambeau and Washington agreed to join forces near New York City.

The Franco-American army would march to Yorktown and compel the surrender of British forces on Oct. 19 of that year. Inspired by the American victory, French people rose up and stormed the Paris prison called the Bastille on July 14, 1789, launching the French Revolution.

Without France's help during the American Revolution, Carawan told students and visitors gathered in a barn Friday morning due to pouring rain, he might well be speaking with a British accent today.

"It's one thing to declare freedom; it's another to win it," the trail administrator for the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route said.

Much of the National Historic Trail from Newport to Yorktown is built on and paved over, Carawan said, which makes the well preserved Bolton site all the more extraordinary. Digging into History program director Christine Pittsley said that a French soldier from 1781 would instantly recognize the tiered fields off Bolton Center Road, which along with other roads in the area has followed the same line since the French encampment.

In April, a survey of the town-owned farm using metal detectors and ground-penetrating radar unearthed buttons from each of the regiments represented in Rochambeau's force, along with musketballs, part of a wagon and a piece of an iron kettle, said state archaeologist Sarah Sportman, who is directing the current dig. The nascent archaeologists so far have found artifacts that include pieces of clay pipe stems dating to the late 18th century, Sportman said.

The discoveries help students connect to the people of that time, to "get to the individual experience," Sportman said. The French soldiers who marched along what one contemporary called Connecticut's "frightful" roads, each carried a musket and equipment weighing about 60 pounds. They came through Bolton with 250 ox-drawn supply wagons and some of the soldiers' wives and children. Starting on June 21, The Regiment Bourbonnois camped at the farm, followed the next three days by the regiments Royal Deux-Points, Soissonnois and Saintonge.

Some officers above company grade who did not camp with the troops stayed at local taverns, including Oliver White’s tavern across from the campsite at Brandy Street and Bolton Center Road, a red house that still stands. Rochambeau stayed in the parsonage, home of the Rev. George Colton, whose sloping land, locally known as the Minister's Farm, was the site of the camp.

The dig is centered on a section of field that ground penetrating radar identified as an anomaly, differing from surrounding soil, perhaps a gathering place for the French soldiers, said Scott Brady, a volunteer and member of Friends of the Office of State Archaeologist. On Friday, several square-shaped holes about a foot deep were covered by a tent, but the steady rain prevented any work.

Students are to return next week, Monday through Thursday, to complete the dig. The group also is headed to a New Britain Bees baseball game, Lake Compounce Amusement & Water Park in Bristol and other "Connecticut fun" sites, translator Amy Albert, a graduate student in public history at CCSU, said.

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The American and French students have been enjoying each other's company, organizers said, and were to attend a picnic dinner with hamburgers, hot dogs, chicken and watermelon at the Bolton Congregational Church on Friday night. Six Connecticut students speak French and seven or eight of the French students speak at least some English and most understand English if they don't speak it, Pittlsey said.

The Bolton Heritage Farm is on the National Register of Historic Places. The property also is a state archaeological preserve, where unauthorized metal detecting is prohibited. Informational placards describing Rochambeau's march and the encampment were installed last year by the National Park Service near a barn on the property. The town also owns the large white house on the hillside that served for many years as the Congregational parsonage.

Carawan said his work and the Digging Into History program are centered on getting young people excited about history and "developing a legacy among these kids." Conard High School senior Emma Grimmer-Solem, one of the Connecticut participants, talked to Carawan about volunteer opportunities, which made him smile. The 17-year-old West Hartford resident said she plans to major in history in college.

Emily Borges of Shelton, a college senior who participated in the World War I trench restoration, said the Bolton dig brings the exchange program full circle. The value of the experience, she said, "is getting your hands dirty — feeling the history."

Participants say it's also about connections and gratitude. After Carawan talked about the world-changing result of French aid to the American revolutionaries, Albert provided a short translation for the French students — "Merci, le Francais!" — which was met with spirited applause.

What’s brewing in Bolton? Beer is only half of the equation | WorkInCT

BOLTON, Conn. — Meg Crandall makes candles. Not just any candles, Crandall creates candles that smell like your favorite brew. She came up with the idea during the pandemic, and in April, Crandall opened The CANdle Collab – which is a candle making studio but also a place where she creates beer scented candles. Crandall said, “I take scents that you normally wouldn’t put together and I blend them to make something unique.”...

BOLTON, Conn. — Meg Crandall makes candles. Not just any candles, Crandall creates candles that smell like your favorite brew. She came up with the idea during the pandemic, and in April, Crandall opened The CANdle Collab – which is a candle making studio but also a place where she creates beer scented candles. Crandall said, “I take scents that you normally wouldn’t put together and I blend them to make something unique.”

While The CANdle Collab offers many outlets for customers to create their own homemade candle, the other part of Crandall’s business model is what is getting the most buzz. Crandall has been busy making her specialty candles for breweries like Two Roads, Labyrinth, and Hooker Brewery who now sell the beer scented candles at their merchandise shops. She said, “it’s another way to bring the brewery experience home… we do sodas too.” She then added, “it’s a lot of mad science and a lot of creativity.”

Currently, Crandall is selling her candles to five Connecticut breweries and one cidery – The New England Cider Co. in Wallingford. After leading a candle making class inside her studio, Crandall said of her beer candles, “people like the fact that this is completely different, it’s something they haven’t seen.”

To learn more about The CANdle Collab click

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Jimmy Altman is a reporter at FOX61 News. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him onFacebook,Twitter andInstagram.

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A CT family farm has ice cream that’s as fresh as it gets. The 70 Jersey cows make sure of that.

Ice cream sold at Fish Family Farm Creamery in Bolton has a freshness edge because it doesn’t have far to go from the cow to the cone.The milk that goes into their ice cream comes from 70 Jersey cows on the farm and the all important “base” of the ice cream — or core recipe — is processed right there in their bottling plant, both conditions a relative rarity.“It’s creamy and it feels good in y...

Ice cream sold at Fish Family Farm Creamery in Bolton has a freshness edge because it doesn’t have far to go from the cow to the cone.

The milk that goes into their ice cream comes from 70 Jersey cows on the farm and the all important “base” of the ice cream — or core recipe — is processed right there in their bottling plant, both conditions a relative rarity.

“It’s creamy and it feels good in your mouth. there’s no after taste,” owner Don Fish said of his farm’s premium, 16 percent milk fat ice cream.

He said milk from the Jersey cows as opposed to the more common Holstein cows is higher in fat, protein, milk solids and calcium.

“It’s more nutritious,” than other milk, he said.

He also uses an old school “batch pasteurization” process that “locks the flavor in,” he said.

Stringent public health regulations require ice cream base be made in a processing plant, so some ice cream shop owners who say they make their own product actually can’t say they make it from scratch because the base is made elsewhere, albeit using their own recipe.

Fish Family Farm makes their base, as well as the base of other ice cream sellers.

With added swirls of flavor and chunks of ingredients, the creamery’s farm fresh ice cream takes taste to another level.

Fish’s grandson Justin Levesque, 36, took over the farm’s ice cream operation five years ago, and kept his grandfather’s “great recipe,” he said, but “went rogue,” on flavor creativity.

“The smile on their face after they take that first bite, I live for that,” Levesque, 36, said. “If you have a solid base you can do anything.”

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Fish Family Farm Creamery & Dairy in Bolton on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. (Aaron Flaum/Hartford Courant)

Levesque said they scoop eight to 10 flavors at a time in the farm store and now have a rotation of 53 flavors.

Some customer favorites are: Jersey Droppings, an espresso based ice cream with chocolate covered espresso beans; Jersey tracks, a peanut butter base with chocolate covered espresso beans; Calf Tracks, a banana base with peanut butter swirl and miniature chocolate chips; and Mojo, a salted caramel mixed with chocolate covered pretzels.

Levesque said he’s finally created a cotton candy flavor with products containing less sugar that makes the eater “Feel like they’re at a carnival.”

To this day, vanilla and sweet cream remain overall customer favorites, he said.

A child’s wish fulfilled

Fish, 77, bought the 211 acre gentleman’s farm at 20 Dimock Lane in 1981 when he was 35 and already owned a successful business, DW Fish Real Estate Co.

He turned the property into a dairy farm, although he has remained in the real estate business and other endeavors as well.

It was the same farm he told his brothers while riding the school bus at age 6 that he wanted to own someday.

In 1988 Fish added a bottling/processing plant at the farm that cost $1 million back then to be able to bottle and sell their milk as well as the milk of others.

It was also in 1988 they started selling ice cream.

It takes milk, cream, sugar and few other ingredients to make the base required for ice cream.

Fish, a big Jersey cow fan, said they use the superior “batch pasteurization” process in which the base product is cooked in stainless steel vats and cooled immediately. It’s the way they did it in the 1950s, he said.

The more common shortcut method is to flash pasteurize the mix at high temps, he said.

“If buying the mix somewhere else. they would not pasteurize the base the same,” Fish said.

Embracing the community

The farm is about much more than cows, milk and ice cream to Fish. The community visits the cows, walks around looking at other farm animals, plays frisbee on the lawn, relaxes at picnic tables, and attends special events.

One reviewer wrote on the farm’s Facebook page: “Beautiful farm in a setting that takes you out of the stressful time we’re living in. Very therapeutic to come here…The ice cream is to die for, especially enjoy the maple walnut.”

Visitors can even watch milk being bottled through a huge window in the farm store.

“When you have a dream at 6 years old and you buy it at 35 you want to share it,” Fish said. “My biggest joy is watching the joy of other people.”

Fish still milks cows on Sunday mornings so he doesn’t get “rusty,” he said.

Levesque graduated from college and became a social worker, spending some time in the career, but didn’t feel it was his calling.

As for the ice cream business, “It feels like home,” he said.

Levesque said he wants to carry on his grandfather’s legacy of wanting to make other people happy.

The farm store where the ice cream and other items are sold is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. in summer and until 6 p.m. during colder months.

Even though Sunday is a good day to sell ice cream they are closed then, Fish said, because he grew up believing that was “the Lord’s day,” and you shouldn’t do any work you don’t have to.

Michael Bolton to represent CT on NBC's 'American Song Contest'

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateNew Haven native and singer-songwriter Michael Bolton will compete on behalf of Connecticut on NBC's "American Song Contest" premiering March 21.The show is a Eurovision-inspired competition series in which musicians will represent all 50 states, five U.S. territories and Washington D.C., to compete for the best original song. On Thursday, ...

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New Haven native and singer-songwriter Michael Bolton will compete on behalf of Connecticut on NBC's "American Song Contest" premiering March 21.

The show is a Eurovision-inspired competition series in which musicians will represent all 50 states, five U.S. territories and Washington D.C., to compete for the best original song. On Thursday, NBC announced 56 artists from across the country that will competing. The list of acts includes Christian Pagán (Puerto Rico), ENISA (New York), Sisqo (Maryland), Jewel (Alaska) and more. The artists range from undiscovered, up-and coming rising stars to legendary icons.

The show will be hosted by rapper Snoop Dogg and "The Voice" coach Kelly Clarkson.

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The live competition consists of three rounds as the artists compete in a series of qualifying rounds, the semi-finals and the grand final where one state or territory will be named the winner. Atlantic Records will serve as the exclusive music partner for “American Song Contest” and will release the original songs featured on the show.

“Launching a new series is always a massive undertaking but mounting one that involves producing 56 original songs is a herculean task. Selecting the right label partner to dig in with us was crucial and we found the perfect partner in Atlantic Records,” said executive producer Audrey Morrissey in a press release.

According to the Music Museum of New England, Michael Bolton was born Michael Bolotin in New Haven. He lived with his family in several New Haven locations, including Whalley Avenue, Elm Street and Ella Grasso Boulevard. Bolton who currently lives in Westport, will be performing on May 6 at Mohegan Sun Arena. He was also seen having dinner July 2021 at Tony’s at the JHouse in Riverside. This is not Bolton's first time on television. He hosted ABC's “The Celebrity Dating Game” with actress Zooey Deschanel.

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Michael Bolton represents CT on NBC's 'American Song Contest'

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateNew Haven native and singer-songwriter Michael Bolton sang on behalf of Connecticut on NBC's "American Song Contest" Monday.The show is a Eurovision-inspired competition series in which musicians represent al...

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New Haven native and singer-songwriter Michael Bolton sang on behalf of Connecticut on NBC's "American Song Contest" Monday.

The show is a Eurovision-inspired competition series in which musicians represent all 50 states, five U.S. territories and Washington D.C., to compete for the best original song. Rapper Snoop Dogg and "The Voice" coach Kelly Clarkson host the show.

Bolton received a standing ovation after performing his song "Beautiful World," a song about kindness. His family was also cheering him on from their home in Westport. He said, "Kindness is something the world really needs."

Clarkson held a Michael Bolton T-shirt and said "what a song for the world right now... I felt like he was singing to me Snoop. This is classic Bolton."

Bolton expressed how much Connecticut means to him. "I have been around the world so many times but all my life Connecticut has been bringing me back," he said on his introduction video before his performance.

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"I love the state, I love that I raised my kids here. I love all the support throughout the years and the people bring me back," he said.

Toad's Place was one of the venues Bolton played the most when growing up. Toad's Place has supported many musicians as long as Bolton can remember. He was 16 when he signed with Epic Records and was 34 when he had his first hit.

"He is the heart of the entire state," said owner Brian Phelps.

During his pre-recorded introduction, Bolton stood outside his childhood home in New Haven and talked about raising his kids in Westport. "I built a recording studio next door and the idea was to be home for dinner every night," he said.

When Bolton was young, he lived with his family in several New Haven locations, including Whalley Avenue, Elm Street and Ella Grasso Boulevard.

Bolton also gave New Haven Apizza a shout out, specifically Sally's Appiza, which has a multi-platinum plaque of Bolton's album "Soul Provider" hanging on the wall of the restaurant. “I love they still have that up there,” he said, adding that in Wooster Square “pizza means life itself.”

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