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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“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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“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 Coventry, CT

How does In-home Senior Care in Coventry, 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 Coventry, 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 Coventry, 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 Coventry, 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 Coventry, 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 Coventry,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 Coventry, 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

02

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

03

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 Coventry, CT

Coventry baseball holds off Valley Regional to reach third CIAC Class S championship game

BERLIN — Evan Menzel pitched his heart out for the Coventry High baseball team Tuesday, getting it one out away from a spot in the Class S state tournament championship game."Brandon was outstanding," Menzel said. "A young kid coming on in a huge spot and getting it done. But that's how we build our players to have that mentality when you're in that situation to be comfortable."Coventry (19-6) will face either third-seeded Haddam-Killingworth or No. 10 Lyman Memorial for the Class S crown either Friday...

BERLIN — Evan Menzel pitched his heart out for the Coventry High baseball team Tuesday, getting it one out away from a spot in the Class S state tournament championship game.

"Brandon was outstanding," Menzel said. "A young kid coming on in a huge spot and getting it done. But that's how we build our players to have that mentality when you're in that situation to be comfortable."

Coventry (19-6) will face either third-seeded Haddam-Killingworth or No. 10 Lyman Memorial for the Class S crown either Friday or Saturday at Palmer Field in Middletown.

The Patriots' trip to Palmer Field may be a year ahead of schedule as they seek the program's third title to go with their wins in 1984 and 2019. They have only two seniors in Mason Godi and Austin Jonas. Seven juniors joined them in the lineup defensively Tuesday.

"We have a good group," Coventry coach Ryan Giberson said. "We jelled. The mentality was, 'We want to make a run next year.' But our two seniors wanted a run this year. It's a cliche but our mantra is to win the game in front of us. Maybe it's a year early but we're here now. We've played well all year and we've earned this. And nothing about next year is guaranteed."

The last players remaining from the 2019 championship team graduated last year, but they made their mark on the current squad.

"We learned from them how to deal with big spots," Menzel said.

More for you

Seven of the first 14 Coventry batters had hits off Valley Regional starter and Southern Connecticut State commit Braeden Sparaco but the Patriots stranded five, so the lead was only 3-1 after two innings. A sacrifice fly by Lucas Rogers brought Valley Regional within one in the fourth.

Menzel escaped a jam in the fifth and the righthander got help when catcher Jonas threw out a runner attempting to steal in the sixth. He got the first two outs of the seventh before allowing a single by Sam Hutchinson that took him to the pitch limit of 105. He moved to shortstop as Aidan Hecht came on to pitch. Hecht walked Brayden Shea on four pitches and fell behind 1-0 on Carver, prompting Giberson to make the move to White.

The 16-year-old kept cool.

"I love the guys on base, the crowd reaction," White said. "I think I thrive in the toughest situations. I like the pressure. It's a mentality thing. I love playing with these guys and they're amazing. These guys are behind me all the way."

White clipped the outside corner with a strike to even a count and then did it again to bring Coventry within a strike of victory. Two pitches later he painted the outside corner again with a knuckleball and Carver hit a roller to second base to end it.

"After he threw the first pitch, I thought, 'He's going to get this guy out,' " Giberson said. "I thought we could get him if we kept the ball away and Brandon White's the guy to do it."

Leadoff hitter Jacob Wojtkowski had two hits and scored twice for Coventry while No. 2 batter Gavin Covell had two hits and drove in two runs. Nate Cordner's RBI double produced its final run.

After being hit hard the first two innings, Sparaco retired 12 of the last 13 batters he faced. He walked two and fanned three. He and Carver each had two hits.

Menzel, who's been used in relief all season until the state tournament, allowed eight hits and one earned run. He walked two and struck out four. The Warriors were 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position against him.

"It's like he get in jams on purpose because he likes the excitement," Giberson said with a laugh. "But the kid is a gamer. Nothing fazes and he doesn't show a lot of emotion. You have to beat him and it's tough to do."

As Valley Regional found out. The Warriors, who won the Shoreline Conference tournament title and knocked out 2022 Class S champion St. Paul in the quarterfinals Saturday, finish 20-7.

COVENTRY 3, VALLEY REGIONAL 2

Lightning strikes shed in Coventry, sparks fire

The Fire Marshal said that debris was found over 70 feet from the shed as a result of the lightning strike.COVENTRY, Conn. — The frame of a backyard shed is all that remains after a bolt of lightning struck it and caused a fire overnight Tuesday, according to Coventry firefighters.Coventry Fire EMS was called to a home on Pucker St. just after 2 a.m. Tuesday for a report of a shed fire.Firefighters from the town of Columbia assisted Coventry in putting out the fire.The Coventry Fire Marshal confirmed on soci...

The Fire Marshal said that debris was found over 70 feet from the shed as a result of the lightning strike.

COVENTRY, Conn. — The frame of a backyard shed is all that remains after a bolt of lightning struck it and caused a fire overnight Tuesday, according to Coventry firefighters.

Coventry Fire EMS was called to a home on Pucker St. just after 2 a.m. Tuesday for a report of a shed fire.

Firefighters from the town of Columbia assisted Coventry in putting out the fire.

The Coventry Fire Marshal confirmed on social media that a lightning strike sparked the fire.

"The lightning strike was so powerful, debris was found over 70 feet from the shed," Coventry Fire EMS said in a social media post.

No injuries were reported.

Credit: Town of Coventry Fire EMS

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The Coventry fire department had other calls come in during the fire, which firefighters said spread crews thin. Coventry Ambulance responded to a residential fire in Mansfield on Tuesday, which was also confirmed to be caused by lightning. Units from neighboring towns also responded to a crash on Route 6.

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Eight months after surgery, Hunt pitches Coventry into Class S baseball semifinals

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigateCOVENTRY — When Ethan Hunt had surgery for a torn labrum in his right throwing shoulder eight months ago, his biggest worry was about getting back to the level he was at before the injury.Protesters rally in Hartford as hatecrime charges against spitter dismissedIf his effort down the stretch of the season for the Coventry High baseball team is an indication, the Patriots’ junior is better than ever.Hunt fired six innings of five-hit b...

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COVENTRY — When Ethan Hunt had surgery for a torn labrum in his right throwing shoulder eight months ago, his biggest worry was about getting back to the level he was at before the injury.

Protesters rally in Hartford as hate

crime charges against spitter dismissed

If his effort down the stretch of the season for the Coventry High baseball team is an indication, the Patriots’ junior is better than ever.

Hunt fired six innings of five-hit ball as fourth-seeded Coventry advanced to the CIAC Class S state tournament semifinals by defeating North Central Connecticut Conference rival and No. 21 Windsor Locks 6-0 at Coventry High Saturday.

“It’s been a long recovery and it’s been rough at times,” Hunt said. “I wasn’t throwing as hard as I once could. I didn’t make any excuses. I tried to compete every inning.

“Having the surgery was scary. I mean, I knew that I would be able to pitch again but I wasn’t sure that I would return to full strength. That scared me. But I went to work. I did rehab, physical therapy, all of that stuff. I did what I could to get back and here I am.”

The Patriots (18-6) are in the semifinals for the first time since winning the Class S crown in 2019. They will take on No. 8 Valley Regional Tuesday at a site and time to be determined. Valley Regional advanced by ending the Class S reign of top-seeded St. Paul 4-3 in Bristol.

Coventry got there by beating Windsor Locks for the third time this season with Hunt earning the victory in all three games.

There’s no telling where Coventry would be without him.

“I didn’t even know at the beginning of the year if he was going to even pitch,” Coventry coach Ryan Giberson said. “He’s in the gym throwing 65 miles per hour while last year he was a low 80s guy. But his progress has been key.

“He’s become a pitcher out of necessity. He can’t just throw his hard stuff and get by. He mixes things up. He hits spots. He’s getting his fastball back and because he’s a long kid his fastball is deceptively fast. He’s confident, he competes, he has a great mound presence and our kids love playing behind him.”

Hunt fired blanks at the Raiders but did not have a 1-2-3 inning. Windsor Locks was 0-for-7 against him with runners in scoring position and stranded eight overall.

In the fifth and sixth innings, the Raiders put two runners on but Hunt escaped. When he fanned Jack Grasso — his seventh and final strikeout of the game — to get out of trouble in the sixth, he pumped his arms and let out a loud “Let’s go” to get him and his team energized.

“I love to compete in everything I do,” Hunt said. “No one will beat me mentally. No one will beat me physically. I’m going to be the hardest worker out there. And I’m going to show that by showing my emotions.”

Coventry gave Hunt a first-inning lead as Jacob Wojtkowski led off with a single, stole second, and scored on Gavin Covell’s single. Two batters later, Nate Cordner scored on Evan Menzel’s groundout to make it 2-0.

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The Patriots added an unearned run in the third and broke it open in the fifth. Menzel delivered a two-run double with the final run coming home on a double play.

Brandon White came on to get the final three outs in the seventh. In the cool and windy conditions, the Patriots played a solid game with strong pitching, aggressive offense, and solid defense.

“We’ve been good all year,” Giberson said. “We had one game at Granby we didn’t play well at all. But win or lose, we do play pretty well. We feel confident with everyone we put out there and we’ve played good baseball.”

Wojtkowski had two hits and scored twice for Coventry. Covell also had two hits with two runs scored while Menzel drove in three runs.

Windsor Locks had defeated No. 12 Litchfield and No. 28 Derby to get to Saturday’s showdown. Garrett Hinckley had two hits for the Raiders while catcher Xavier Angel played well defensively, including a tough play holding on to the ball when he collided with Cordner on a play that ended the third inning. Allen Hinckley pitched a complete game. He allowed seven hits with four walks and three strikeouts.

The Raiders finish 12-12.

The Coventry-Valley Regional winner Tuesday will play either third-seeded Haddam-Killingworth or No. 10 Lyman Memorial for the Class S crown June 9 or June 10 at Palmer Field in Middletown.

“I’ve heard Valley has two Division I guys and we have common opponents,” Giberson said. “We know they’re going to be really good. But we’ll show up and we’ll compete.”

Coventry's new finance director has a knack for numbers

COVENTRY — Julie Chapman says she has always had a knack for numbers, so it seems fitting that her overall goal was to become a finance director."I really like accounting; I like budgeting a lot," she said.Chapman, who previously served as an accounting manager and treasurer in Groton, recently took on the role of Coventry's new finance director. She replaces Amanda Backhaus, who left the position to work for the town of Mansfield. Chapman's salary is $135,000 annually.Chapman has held her new position fo...

COVENTRY — Julie Chapman says she has always had a knack for numbers, so it seems fitting that her overall goal was to become a finance director.

"I really like accounting; I like budgeting a lot," she said.

Chapman, who previously served as an accounting manager and treasurer in Groton, recently took on the role of Coventry's new finance director. She replaces Amanda Backhaus, who left the position to work for the town of Mansfield. Chapman's salary is $135,000 annually.

Chapman has held her new position for more just a few weeks now, but said in that time she has found the town officials and residents to be very friendly and welcoming.

"I've enjoyed building relationships with people in town," Chapman said.

Before her time in Groton, Chapman did government work in New London and studied public administration at the University of New Haven.

She said that there are differences between Groton and Coventry, mainly that Groton has more commercial property, while Coventry is more residential.

As the finance director, Chapman said her job is to maintain the town's finances, and make sure the tax rate is accounted for.

"There's some meetings I have to attend, financial reporting, see how much money is left to spend," she said.

As of now, Chapman said the job has not been stressful for her, but she anticipates it could be once budget season comes around.

"Budget season may be stressful," said Chapman. "It's all part of the job. Department heads are good about knowing what they have and don't have, unless there's an emergency situation."

With John Elsesser now serving as interim town manager until a permanent replacement is chosen, Chapman has had the chance to work alongside him and looks forward to whoever takes over the position.

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"John's been great," she said. "Unfortunately I do have limited time with him. The town manager and finance director work closely together."

Chapman said her family was supportive when they received news of her new position and they told her to enjoy it.

"They think it's a great opportunity. They know I've worked hard to get where I am today," she said.

Longtime Coventry town manager set to retire after 35 years

COVENTRY — After 35 years of serving as Coventry's town manager, John Elsesser is ready to retire, but he isn't ready to give up on his passion for helping others.Elsesser's last official day as town manager is Saturday, but he will be sticking around to serve as the interim town manager while the Town Council continues its search for his replacement, which has been narrowed down to four candidates. He will receive a weekly pay of $3,500 and is not eligible for any benefits.His journey to becoming town manager began in We...

COVENTRY — After 35 years of serving as Coventry's town manager, John Elsesser is ready to retire, but he isn't ready to give up on his passion for helping others.

Elsesser's last official day as town manager is Saturday, but he will be sticking around to serve as the interim town manager while the Town Council continues its search for his replacement, which has been narrowed down to four candidates. He will receive a weekly pay of $3,500 and is not eligible for any benefits.

His journey to becoming town manager began in Wethersfield serving as an administrative assistant to the town manager, where he said he learned a lot. After that, he became the assistant town manager of Avon, a town Elsesser said has a lot of similarities to Coventry.

"Avon is more similar than people think," Elsesser said. "Avon has rural farming roots. It's about the same distance from Hartford. There's no major change."

He became Coventry's town manager on May 3, 1988, making him currently the longest tenured town manager in the state.

Elsesser said he likes Coventry because is has a great quality of life. He wants whoever the new town manager is to know that they are blessed to be part of the community.

“The people are very generous and caring,” he said.

Elsesser said he and the Town Council have had their good times and not-so-good times, but the town manager’s job is to work within the guidelines set by the town.

“They are the elected officials, they guide the policy," Elsesser said. "My job is to make it work within the goals."

He commended the various board and commission members for their talents and said, "when you know who to call, you make better decisions."

Despite the ups and downs with the council, the town has been very successful in receiving grants. Most recently, Coventry received an $11 million grant from the state to upgrade the HVAC system at the high school.

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"We had the plans; we had the cost. We knew where we were going to go," Elsesser said. "School air was an opportunity we were ready for. We planned a year in a half in advance."

Town Council Vice Chairman Marty Milkovic has known Elsesser for 20 years, and said that he has modernized the operations of the town.

"He is smart and personable," Milkovic said. "He has brought millions of grant dollars to Coventry — over $57 million in the past year and a half, and created a positive attitude for staff and volunteers. The town of Coventry is much better off for his being here, we will certainly miss him."

A highlight for Elsesser during his time as town manager was celebrating the town’s 300th anniversary in 2012.

"It was a fun time," said Elsesser, adding that he liked seeing people walking in the parade, and seeing veterans receive recognition.

One of Elsesser's regrets was that the town never built a community center, saying that he would have liked to have been able to provide one for the town.

As he leaves his official post, Elsesser offers some sage advice for his successor, like planning ahead with the Town Council on long-term projects.

"Early in my career, I was trying to push things that might be years away," said Elsesser. "You have to have vision."

While his family is relieved that he is retiring, Elsesser wants to continue using his skills to help people in some capacity, serving as the chairman of the Eastern Highlands Health District until a new chairman is chosen.

The town will celebrate Elsesser’s retirement with a party on July 27 from 5 to 8 p.m. at The Hollow at Manchester Country Club, 350 S Main St.

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