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Taking care of your Loved One Is What We Do BEST!

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.

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Home Care In St. Charles, IL

Home Care St. Charles, IL

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 St. Charles Historic District 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 St. Charles, IL is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.

 In-Home Care St. Charles, IL

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The Always Best Care Difference

Since 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.

Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.

The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.

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TESTIMONIALS

“I highly recommend this care company. Specifically Marya, one of the executive managers, went above and beyond to make sure my dad was comfortable, and the care giving was done well. Relatives commented on the house looking cleaner than they could remember! When my father had to move on to more intensive setting, Marya helped take stress off the family by helping us conduct legwork in locating a facility. Even though Dad has moved on, Marya still shows care and concern for our family by periodically checking in. Thank you for everything!!”

Gina R.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Not only were the caregivers amazing, but The management team was such a pleasure to work with and are very caring and concerned for their clients.”

Cathy S.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Not only were the caregivers amazing, but The management team was such a pleasure to work with and are very caring and concerned for their clients.”

Cathy S.
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TESTIMONIALS

“I am a current client of this provider They give her breakfast. We have had other companies, but we have been able to stick with always best for a while.”

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TESTIMONIALS

“I am a current client of this provider Always Best Care sends friendly caregivers who have had a positive impact on Pamella's life. Always Best Care is very responsive and helpful to me. They provide reliable and quality caregivers.”

Pamella M.
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TESTIMONIALS

“I am a past client of this provider I just thought that they were there and did a great job. I thought they were very caring.”

John S.
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TESTIMONIALS

“The team was fantastic. The young lady that came to my home was attentive and conscientious about my property, as well as my needs. I am truly impressed by the organization, the quality of people and the way they do business.”

Dave M.
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TESTIMONIALS

“I am a current client of this provider The one woman we really like, we work really well. I like the one person we get every week. It depends on who you have and how well they're trained.”

Priscilla O.
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TESTIMONIALS

“I am a current client of this provider They help with the shopping. They are useful.”

Christopher C.
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TESTIMONIALS

“I have been with Always Best Care for a year now and I can honestly tell you they are some of the best people to work with, Cindy conducted my interview and walked me through the hiring process and explained my duties and responsibilities to my client, she's always available for any questions that you may have. Ragu the owner has an opened door policy where we can call him at any time and he will address any concerns that we may have. Nicole is the newcomer to the group she is the scheduler And she works within the schedule that we give her, she's also willing to make last minute adjustments if we need the day off or if there's an emergency with no problem this agency in my humble opinion is one of the best to work for.”

Kimberly A.
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TESTIMONIALS

“great service”

Sabeen K.
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TESTIMONIALS

“5 Star ⭐️ rating for working for and with Always Best it’s so flexible, and understanding I appreciate Always Best We had a wonderful experience working With Mr. Raghu he’s very kind and considerate not only to the people we care for but to his employees to. I encourage all caregivers to join our team today you will love it.”

Tereya G.
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TESTIMONIALS

“They have good service and are very open to different people”

Cassandra C.
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TESTIMONIALS

“You can tell this service truly cares about their clients and clients’ families. They wanted to ensure they were satisfied as well. The only reason I did not give 5 stars was due to some disconnect I felt with communication, but they were very responsive when I reached out. Would definitely try them again if (God forbid) the need arises for the care of an ill loved one.”

Nanette C.

What is Non-Medical Senior Care in St. Charles, IL?

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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.

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When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.

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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.

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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.

 Senior Care St. Charles, IL

Types of Elderly Care in St. Charles, IL

To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:

Personal Care

Personal 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:

  • Eating
  • Mobility Issues
  • Incontinence
  • Bathing
  • Dressing
  • Grooming
 Respite Care St. Charles, IL
Home Helper

Home Helper Services

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:

  • Medication Reminders
  • Meal Preparation
  • Pet Care
  • Prescription Refills
  • Morning Wake-Up
  • Walking
  • Reading
 Caregivers St. Charles, IL
Companionship Services

Companionship Services

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 Frontier Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.

Common companionship services include:

  • Grocery Shopping
  • Transportation to Appointments
  • Nutritional Assistance
  • Conversation
  • Planning Outings
  • Completing Errands
  • Transportation to Community
  • Events and Social Outings
Home Care St. Charles, IL
Respite Care

Respite Care Services

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 Prasino St. Charles or visit St. Charles Water Tower 1887 - St. Charles Historic Landmark, 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.

 In-Home Care St. Charles, IL

Benefits of Home Care in St. Charles, IL

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:

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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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 - 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.

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

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 St. Charles, IL, 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.

 Elderly Care St. Charles, IL

Affordable 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:

If your loved one qualifies, Medicaid may help reduce in-home care costs. Review your IL's Medicaid program laws and benefits, and make sure your senior's financial and medical needs meet Medicaid eligibility requirements.
Attendance and aid benefits through military service can cover a portion of the costs associated with in-home care for veterans and their spouses.
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.
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.
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.
 Senior Care St. Charles, IL

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 St. Charles, IL 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.

Assisted Living Referral Services

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.

 Respite Care St. Charles, IL

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:

  • Housekeeping
  • Laundry
  • Recreational Activities
  • Social Outings
  • Emergency Medical Response
  • Medication Monitoring
  • Family Visitation
  • Personal Care
 Caregivers St. Charles, IL

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:

  • Lake St. Charles Retirement Community
  • Windsor Estates of St. Charles - Retirement Community
  • LEWIS and CLARK GARDENS
  • Fairwinds - Rivers Edge
  • Mount Carmel Senior Living
  • Parkside Retirement Living
Home Care St. Charles, IL

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.

 In-Home Care St. Charles, IL

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 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

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A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive

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Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider

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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.

At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in St. Charles, IL 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.

 Elderly Care St. Charles, IL

Latest News in St. Charles, IL

New Whole Foods Market in St. Charles, Illinois, Now Open

St. Charles, Ill. (June 25, 2025) – Today, Whole Foods Market opened a new 36,234-square-foot store located at 300 S. 2nd Street in St. Charles, Illinois. The store’s product assortment includes more than 650 locally sourced items from the Midwest, each meeting Whole Foods Market’s rigorous quality standards.“I am so excited to help open the first Whole Foods Market in St. Charles,” said Krist...

St. Charles, Ill. (June 25, 2025) – Today, Whole Foods Market opened a new 36,234-square-foot store located at 300 S. 2nd Street in St. Charles, Illinois. The store’s product assortment includes more than 650 locally sourced items from the Midwest, each meeting Whole Foods Market’s rigorous quality standards.

“I am so excited to help open the first Whole Foods Market in St. Charles,” said Kristina Malicoat, Store Team Leader for Whole Foods Market. “The local community’s engagement and anticipation for this new store truly inspires me and my team – we cannot wait to provide this wonderful community with excellent service and a wide selection of products that meet our high standards for ingredients and sourcing.”

Opening morning, customers enjoyed complimentary coffee from Big Shoulders Coffee, mini waffles from Evergreen and savory snack bars from Undressed. The first 300 shoppers in line were given a limited-edition tote bag and a Secret Saver coupon, featuring offers of up to $100 off.

Additionally on opening morning, Whole Foods Market provided a food donation to HCS Family Services, which makes regular surplus food pickups from local Whole Foods Market stores to help prevent food waste and serve the surrounding community. Whole Foods Market will also donate an all-electric refrigerated van to the nonprofit organization. Both donations are part of Whole Foods Market’s Nourishing Our Neighborhoods program, which aims to enhance the ability of local food rescue organizations to transport surplus food to areas facing the greatest need. Whole Foods Market will also make monetary donations to area organizations Lazarus House and Fox Valley Food for Health.

Whole Foods Market also presented Chicago-based supplier Evergreen with a low-interest loan through the Whole Foods Market Lending Program, to help grow their operations and support expansion to more Whole Foods Market locations. Through the program, Whole Foods Market lends money to small-scale, local or emerging producers to help them grow their businesses. To date, the retailer has provided 419 loans, representing roughly $35.7 million in capital for recipients.

Find more information on the features and product assortment in the new St. Charles store here.

About Whole Foods Market

Founded in 1980, Austin-based Whole Foods Market is the world’s leading natural and organic foods retailer and the first certified organic national grocer in the United States. Part of Amazon’s Worldwide Grocery Stores, Whole Foods Market serves customers in more than 535 stores across the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. To learn more about Whole Foods Market, please visit https://media.wholefoodsmarket.com/.

'Wild Boar To Baconfest' Coming To St. Charles This Weekend

ST. CHARLES, IL — The Kane County Forest Preserve District is hosing a "Wild Boar to Baconfest" from 9:30 to 11 a.m. June 28 at the Barbara Balding Lodge in St. Charles.The free program will include a lecture by Cynthia Clampitt, who will present the history of pigs and pork, with a focus on the Midwest, according to a news release. Pigs were the first food animals to be domesticated, and their history with humans dates back more than 12,000 years.However, antiquity is just one of the reasons why pork is the mos...

ST. CHARLES, IL — The Kane County Forest Preserve District is hosing a "Wild Boar to Baconfest" from 9:30 to 11 a.m. June 28 at the Barbara Balding Lodge in St. Charles.

The free program will include a lecture by Cynthia Clampitt, who will present the history of pigs and pork, with a focus on the Midwest, according to a news release. Pigs were the first food animals to be domesticated, and their history with humans dates back more than 12,000 years.

However, antiquity is just one of the reasons why pork is the most eaten meat in the world, forest preserve district officials said.

The "dynamic indoor presentation dives into this odd, paradoxical animal and its many advantages and challenges," according to the forest preserve district press release.

This free program, which will be held at the Barbara Belding Lodge, which is located within the Brewster Creek Forest Preserve at 6N921 IL Route 25 in St. Charles, is for ages 18 years old and older, and advance registration is required. To register, visit www.kaneforest.com/register, call 630-444-3190 or email [email protected].

The program is part of a local "Learn from the Experts" series, which are classes about local ecology that are put on by the Forest Preserve District of Kane County, the St. Charles Park District and the Geneva Park District.

More information on Kane County Forest Preserves programs planned for the coming months can be found on the forest preserves website.

Downtown construction to delay St. Charles traffic beginning in June

Two pedestrian safety improvements are expected to delay downtown traffic in St. Charles beginning next week.The projects will improve pedestrian walkways and bicycle access at the junction of Main Street (Route 64) and the north end of the First Street P...

Two pedestrian safety improvements are expected to delay downtown traffic in St. Charles beginning next week.

The projects will improve pedestrian walkways and bicycle access at the junction of Main Street (Route 64) and the north end of the First Street Plaza, as well as at the intersection of Illinois Street and the Fox River Trail just west of the river.

The projects will require lane closures and new traffic patterns on both Route 64 and Illinois Street. Work will be coordinated to minimize traffic disruption during construction.

The work on Route 64 will include the installation of a new crosswalk connecting the north side of the street to the 1st Street Plaza. The traffic signal timer will be shortened and a pedestrian signal button will be installed.

Traffic on Route 64 between Route 31 and Riverside Avenue will be impacted throughout the project. Motorists should expect lane closures, new traffic patterns and possible road closures to cause delays.

On the other side of the plaza, a new pedestrian refuge island and dedicated bike lanes will be installed across Illinois Street between Riverside Avenue and First Street. The work on Illinois Street is expected to take three months.

Signs will be posted at each work zone to notify motorists of changing traffic patterns.

Temporary disruptions to the sidewalk and entrance to Fox Island Square also are anticipated throughout the project.

Visit the Main Street Pedestrian Improvements project page on the City website for more details and project updates.

‘They’ve all been good’: Long-time St. Charles resident turns 100

St. Charles resident Arvena “Vee” Guynn celebrated her 100th birthday with friends, family, cake, champagne and a mayoral proclamation in her honor.The community room at River Glenn was decorated with balloons, streamers and flowers, and filled with loved ones sharing cake and looking back on memories, in celebration of Guynn joining the centenarian club.While she didn’t have any health tips for living long, Guynn said, &l...

St. Charles resident Arvena “Vee” Guynn celebrated her 100th birthday with friends, family, cake, champagne and a mayoral proclamation in her honor.

The community room at River Glenn was decorated with balloons, streamers and flowers, and filled with loved ones sharing cake and looking back on memories, in celebration of Guynn joining the centenarian club.

While she didn’t have any health tips for living long, Guynn said, “My mother always told me, ‘Vee, you just have to keep on keeping on,’ so that’s what I’m doing.”

Guynn was born May 28, 1925, in downstate Taylorville. She married her high school sweetheart, Vernon Guynn, in 1947 and moved to St. Charles in 1956.

Guynn now has four children, 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

In her nearly 70 years in St. Charles, Guynn has been an influential and dedicated member of the community, for which she and her husband were awarded the city’s highest honor, the Charlemagne Award, in 2007.

Guynn wore many hats during her lifetime, having been a business owner, travel agent, elementary school room mother and frequent volunteer at Delnor Hospital and the juvenile court house.

She is also a 61-year member of the P.E.O. Illinois chapter, a philanthropic organization that provides educational opportunities to women, and a 66-year member of the Pottawatomie Garden Club.

Mayor Clint Hull made a proclamation at the party, thanking Guynn for her dedication to the community and service over the years.

Hull called Guynn “a shining example of dedication to family, education, service and community,” and was happy to be honoring her with his first mayoral proclamation in the community.

“When I think about what you and your husband have meant to the city of St. Charles, and what you continue to mean to the city of St. Charles, I’m just so thrilled that the first person that I get to honor here outside City Hall is you,” Hull said.

Local pastor and Guynn’s longtime friend Al Patten also said a few words about their friendship before singing her a special birthday song.

Guynn said her 100th trip around the sun felt similar to the 80th and 90th.

“They’ve all been good,” she said.

Guynn said she has seen a lot of change in her lifetime, and mostly for the good. She said while there will always be obstacles, she remains hopeful that the world is headed in the right direction for the next generation.

Three of Guynn’s children, Debbie McDonald, Kevin and Brent Guynn, as well as two of her grandchildren and four great-grandchildren also came to celebrate.

2 Downtown Projects Aimed At Improving Pedestrian Access Begin Soon

?Two projects aimed at improving pedestrian and bicycle access in downtown St. Charles will get underway the first week of June. ST. CHARLES, IL — Two projects aimed at improving pedestrian and bicycle access in downtown St. Charles will get underway the first week of June.Work will require lane closures and changing traffic patterns on both Main Street/Route 64 at the 1st Street Plaza north entrance, and on Illinois Street, just west of the Fox River. Work on these projects will be coordinated to help minimize the traf...

?Two projects aimed at improving pedestrian and bicycle access in downtown St. Charles will get underway the first week of June.

ST. CHARLES, IL — Two projects aimed at improving pedestrian and bicycle access in downtown St. Charles will get underway the first week of June.

Work will require lane closures and changing traffic patterns on both Main Street/Route 64 at the 1st Street Plaza north entrance, and on Illinois Street, just west of the Fox River. Work on these projects will be coordinated to help minimize the traffic disruption through the downtown area, according to a news release.

The final phase of the 1st Street Plaza project is expected to begin the first week of June 2025 and be completed in September 2025. Work includes improving pedestrian access to the plaza, which will entail:

During the improvements, Main Street traffic will be impacted in both directions through the project area between 2nd Street/Route 31 and Riverside Avenue. Drivers should expect delays and changing traffic patterns, including shifting lanes, lane closures and possibly brief road closures.

Signs will be posted alerting drivers to the changing traffic patterns, according to a news release from the city of St. Charles.

You can visit the Main Street pedestrian improvements project page on the city website for more details and project updates.

Illinois Street Crossing at the Fox River Trail

The 2023 St. Charles Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan identified improving the crossing on Illinois Street to the Fox River Trail as a high-priority. This crossing is in a key location for people walking along the river to downtown businesses and to the 1st Street Plaza, according to a news release.

Work is expected to begin June 2 and last around three months. Updates will include:

During the project you can expect traffic delays on the Illinois Street Bridge and on Illinois Street from South 1st Street to Riverside Avenue. You can visit the Illinois mid-block pedestrian crossing project page on the city website for more details and project updates.

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