It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Poulsen House gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Portland, CT is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
“The staff at ABC has been wonderful! It's easy to reach them, they are responsive,”
“We would like to express our appreciation and thanks for the in-home care that Always”
“I just wanted express our thoughts about Mary, who was the caregiver for the weekend.”
“Excellent company, very experienced management and staffs. Highly recommend”
“Thank you so much for your kind , personalized service. My mother was always resistant”
“We would like to express our appreciation and thanks for the in-home care that Always”
“Always Best Care Services is a good place to get good care. The employees would”
“My mother was in need of help after she broke her hip at 101 years”
“The staff at ABC has been wonderful! It's easy to reach them, they are responsive, respectful, and cheerful. This was the first step in getting outside assistance for our Mom and we were so impressed with how thorough the care was - the first helper checked to see that her home was safe and that she knew how to use her cell phone. We'd highly recommend using their in home care.”
“We would like to express our appreciation and thanks for the in-home care that Always Best Care is providing our parents. You have guided us through this very difficult time and have helped us deal with my mother’s illness and her inability to care for my dad. Your caregivers are very capable and caring, and your staff is competent and thorough. We believe this makes your company invaluable to families with loved ones in need of assistance. We would recommend Always Best Care to anybody in search of quality care for their loved one. Thank you for all you and your staff do.”
“I just wanted express our thoughts about Mary, who was the caregiver for the weekend. We all thought she was wonderful!! I think her biggest strength is that she sees the work, needs little/to no direction, offers to take things out of our hands, and is a true-go-getter. For Billie, this type of help is great since she feels like she can take some time to rest and trust all is okay. Mary works hard and is also very patient. I really think Mary is a natural dealing with elderly. She is patient and kind! Anyway, what I wanted to ask is if Mary can be the consistent caregiver for the weekends. The other 4 caregivers that I have met are also very nice. We would like Mary as much as possible as she is punctual, and as I mentioned before, sees what needs doing. She is focused on what she can do to help. She doesnt just sit there next to Bill, she has eyes in the back of her head and goes the extra mile. Anything that needs to get done, she says no wait, let me do it if she hasnt already initiated it herself. She seems to have endless energy and never complained. I just felt compelled to drop you a this note to let you know how impressed we were with her. Thanks”
“Excellent company, very experienced management and staffs. Highly recommend”
“Thank you so much for your kind , personalized service. My mother was always resistant to have someone come into her home to help care for her, but she is very, very pleased with Betsy. Not only does she have someone to keep her company and meet her physical needs—her kitchen is looking cleaner than I have seen it in a while. Thank you again. Your kind manner was reassuring to my mother and to me, and you have made the process of caring for my mother at home easy, and provided me with much needed relief so that I can actually return to work with a calm mind.”
“We would like to express our appreciation and thanks for the in-home care that Always Best Care is providing our parents. You have guided us through this very difficult time and have helped us deal with my mother’s illness and her inability to care for my dad. Your caregivers are very capable and caring, and your staff is competent and thorough. We believe this makes your company invaluable to families with loved ones in need of assistance. We would recommend Always Best Care to anybody in search of quality care for their loved one. Thank you for all you and your staff do.”
“Always Best Care Services is a good place to get good care. The employees would do their very best to take care of you in your time of need. I will recommended this facility to family and friends. I want to thank you so much for the exceptional care you took of my dad. I hold your agency in the highest regard and you have my deepest appreciation.”
“My mother was in need of help after she broke her hip at 101 years old. She refused to leave her home. Susan Oderwald took wonderful care of her. She found caregivers for her who treated her with kid gloves and she herself went above and beyond by getting papers signed, visiting her in the hospital and fetching things for her. I don't know what I would have done without her, since I live 3,000 miles away. I highly recommend her, her services and her staff of caregivers.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Washington Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Fore Street Restaurant or visit John Palmer House, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Portland, CT, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Portland, CT understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Portland, CT 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
Four schools have been named as CT Blue Ribbon Schools, which was created after the Trump administration terminated the national program.PORTLAND, CT — A Portland elementary school is among the four public schools to receive the newly established Connecticut Blue Ribbon Schools distinction.In response to the Trump administration’s recent termination of the National Blue Ribbon Schools program, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Tuesday that the Connecticut State Department of Education was establishing the Connecticut Blue...
PORTLAND, CT — A Portland elementary school is among the four public schools to receive the newly established Connecticut Blue Ribbon Schools distinction.
In response to the Trump administration’s recent termination of the National Blue Ribbon Schools program, Gov. Ned Lamont announced Tuesday that the Connecticut State Department of Education was establishing the Connecticut Blue Ribbon Schools Program to “continue the tradition of recognizing and highlighting schools that are excelling in academic success.”
The U.S. Department of Education’s National Blue Ribbon Schools Program had “honored and celebrated the top performing schools across the United States” for more than four decades before being terminated by the Trump administration, according to Lamont.
Four Connecticut public schools have been selected as the 2025 recipients of the honor. Each of the schools were nominated by Connecticut State Department of Education earlier this year for the national program before USDE announced that it was being discontinued, according to a news release.
The honorees include:
“Congratulations to this year’s honorees on earning this well-deserved distinction, which highlights the extraordinary teaching and learning taking place every day in their classrooms,” Lamont said. “I also want to thank Commissioner (Charlene) Russell-Tucker for ensuring that this important recognition continues here in Connecticut, even as the federal program has come to a close, so that we can honor and uplift the great work happening in our schools.”
Connecticut State Department of Education Commissioner (CSDE) Charlene Russell-Tucker said, “This announcement provides the opportunity to highlight what is possible when educators, students, families, and communities work together effectively. Their collective efforts serve as the foundation for student success.”
Read more from the news release below:
CSDE used data from the Next Generation Accountability System to nominate schools for the award. Current recipients were nominated based on 2023-2024 accountability results. All selected schools in Connecticut were designated as Schools of Distinction. There are two categories of schools for this award: Exemplary High Performing and Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing. Three of Connecticut’s four schools earning the Connecticut Blue Ribbon School award were identified in both categories.
Green Acres Elementary School (North Haven) – Exemplary High Performing and Achievement Gap Closing
Green Acres is one of four elementary schools in North Haven. There are 404 students enrolled in Grades PK through 5. About 40% of students are students with high needs. In 2023-2024, the school earned an overall accountability index of 85.6, the highest value earned by this school since 2015-2016. The accountability system includes subject performance indices (SPI) for English language arts (ELA), mathematics, and science. The SPI target for all schools and student groups is 75, which is an indication that on average students are performing solidly in the desired achievement level. In 2023-2024, Green Acres students exceeded SPI targets for the all students group in ELA, math, and science. Students with high needs are closing in and achieving at least 95% of the SPI target in all subjects. Given the strong overall performance and particularly strong growth in ELA, Green Acres earned School of Distinction status for three consecutive years.
Green Acres credits their success to collaboration and consistency. They work to build and maintain strong partnerships among students, families, teachers, administrators, curriculum coordinators and instructional coaches. These relationships have supported the challenging shift toward a structured literacy approach to instruction. Each day there is an instructional routine that gives students what they need. Students requiring extra support are provided Scientific Research Based Intervention (SRBI) services by interventionists while classroom teachers and coaches are providing targeted instruction and enrichment to small groups of students. Interventionists and classroom teachers monitor student progress carefully and communicate results to parents regularly. The process is designed to be fluid so that students can enter and exit support as needed.
House of Arts, Letters, and Science (HALS) Academy (New Britain) – Exemplary High Performing
HALS Academy is a small middle school serving 152 gifted and high-achieving students from New Britain. This school enrolls students in Grades 6-8, more than half of whom are eligible for free or reduced priced meals. Students at HALS have demonstrated consistently high performance over many years, earning HALS School of Distinction status every year since 2016-2017.
The school’s accountability index, which is a percentage of possible points earned, was 87.9 in 2023-2024, the highest index value for the school since 2015-2016. The accountability index value is driven in part by mathematics, English language arts, and science achievement that exceeds the state target for all students and students with high needs. Academic growth in mathematics also was its strongest to date in 2023-2024 with students on average achieving nearly 90 percent of their growth targets. Finally, less than 3% of students were chronically absent, a rate lower than every year reported for this school since 2016-2017.
HALS Academy meets the needs of their middle school learners by creating a small learning community where students feel increasingly connected to the staff and their peers during their time at HALS. To this end, educators loop with their students, meaning teachers follow their students through the middle school grades. This allows teachers and students to forge strong relationships and avoid some of the transitions experienced by students during this important time. The counseling office is situated in the middle of the main hallway providing visibility and accessibility for all students. School counselors work in partnership with the social worker and school-based health center staff to support the whole student, creating the conditions for students to reach their full potential.
Gildersleeve School (Portland) – Exemplary High Performing and Achievement Gap Closing
Gildersleeve School serves Portland’s 253 students enrolled in Grades 2-4. Forty-three percent of students are considered students with high needs, defined as students with disabilities, multilingual learners, and/or from low-income families. This school was identified as a Focus school in 2018-2019 based on mathematics growth for their students with high needs. Since that time, academic growth in mathematics and English language arts for all students and students with high needs has increased significantly. The school credits this success to professional learning teams formed with the purpose of refining instruction and implementing evidence-based strategies to meet the academic needs of all students. This has led to Gildersleeve’s identification as a School of Distinction in multiple categories in 2022-2023 and 2023-2024.
The Gildersleeve community also tends to the social-emotional development of their students. Each month, there is a whole-school assembly led by students that introduces a new social-emotional learning (SEL) topic. These monthly meetings are the springboard for weekly SEL classes led by the school social worker and reinforced by classroom teachers throughout their lessons. The Gildersleeve mascot is a bee. Students earn “Way to Bee” cards for demonstrating SEL skills during their daily interactions with peers. The program fosters positive behaviors and a strong sense of belonging. Gildersleeve students want to be in school, and the data support that. Chronic absenteeism rates improved from 13.3% in 2021-2022 to 3% in 2023-2024.
Weston Intermediate School (Weston) – Exemplary High Performing and Achievement Gap Closing
Weston Intermediate School (WIS) enrolls 478 students in Grades 3 through 5. Approximately 18% of students are students with high needs. The school’s accountability index of 88.5 in 2023-2024 was the highest recorded for WIS since 2015-2016. For three consecutive years, WIS has been identified as a School of Distinction, but 2023-2024 was a particularly strong year with WIS earning School of Distinction status in all possible categories. In terms of academic achievement for all students, the school exceeded the SPI target of 75 in ELA, math, and science, and the trendlines are on an upward trajectory post-pandemic. Students with high needs earned their highest SPIs in ELA and mathematics compared to all previous years.
The data suggest that WIS students are thriving. The expert educators of WIS believe that “students thrive when they feel seen, heard, and valued.” In every classroom, teachers emphasize student voice and the student’s active role in learning. This is evident in the high degree of choice students have when selecting books to read and topics to research. In mathematics, students are at the heart of problem-solving with teachers serving as facilitators who encourage rich discussions. Science lessons are inquiry-driven and unit design for social studies prioritizes student curiosity, engagement, and voice. WIS describes what sets their school apart as their “commitment to innovative and creative programs that enhance the educational experience” while valuing student interest.
In prior years, schools that received the National Blue Ribbon award would have attended a convening in Washington, D.C. to celebrate their accomplishments with the USDE secretary and exchange ideas with educators from across the country. Though such a national convening will not occur, CSDE will instead host an awards recognition and celebration luncheon for the four schools on Oct. 8 in North Haven.
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