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 Lost Horse Mine 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 Joshua Tree, CA 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.
“Always Best Care Senior Services has been a lifesaver. I have a cousin who lives”
“Abc has top notch people working in the office who deal with issues in a”
“Always Best Care has provided us with personalized, kind, reliable and professional help when we”
“ABC has been amazing from the get go. To setting up service , to answering”
“You all were amazing. We couldn't have done it without Freddie. Amazing. Cudos to Sandra”
“I can’t say enough good things about Always Best Care. They were prompt and courteous,”
“Elsie the care giver was amazing with my Godfather, very very caring, always going above”
“I just wanted to give Always Best Care a very well deserved 5 star review!!”
“Always Best Care provided 3 day a week help for my sister while she was”
“Above and Beyond I was driving in a panic from Washington to California because my”
“Always Best Care is always responsive and easy to work with. My husband's caregive, April,”
“We only use them occasionally on the weekends, so they're not really impacting her daily”
“My experience has been positive because the caregivers do what I ask them to do.”
“We appreciated the prompt response from Always Best Care. Sandra was so professional and was”
“This was our first time working with this company and they did not disappoint! I”
“I couldn't be more pleased about my caregiver, Zulie, during the time that she was”
“The agency has given me free time and they are very responsive. I like the”
“She did not need a lot of instruction. We had one caregiver for two days”
“The caregivers are always on time. I like that they have been very dependable.”
“I'm a grateful, former Caregiver/Home Care Aide employee with Always Best Care. As I advanced”
“The care is very good because they do everything they are supposed to do. I”
“They've been there to give me whatever I need. I've used them for a very”
“Our experience with Always Best Care was 5-star. Sandra Mendoza, care co-ordinator, was very thorough”
“They have available talent whenever we have needed it. The prior agency had limited services”
“I have been a client with Best Care for about three months and I have”
“The caregivers help with personal hygiene and laundry. The agency is flexible and conscientious.”
“I like that they seem to be very knowledgeable.”
“We are so pleased with the professionalism and care of this team. Both Jessica C.”
“Sandra has been taking really good care of my dad! Also, Jessica C. Will always”
“Always best care has been amazing for my grandma. Juan Garcia is my guy to”
“Pleasant, competent service. My caregivers, especially Amy, were terrific.”
“We've been very pleased with the services that Always Best Care has provided for my”
“They keep him safe. They're very friendly and good with my husband.”
“This group of care takers could not have been more amazing to our cousin William”
“Very competent and professional. Best in home health.”
“They could clean through the night, and we have some that come in and sleep”
“She helps with dressing and bathing him. I like having a caregiver. That's the most”
“Dulce couldn’t be any better! She’s amazing !”
“Outstanding person. Very efficient, friendly and helpful.”
“They were very helpful. They helped me get around in a wheelchair. The caregivers are”
“Always Best Care Senior Services has been a lifesaver. I have a cousin who lives several hundred miles from me. She has Alzheimer’s and it’s very hard to take care of her from here. I’ve had other care services before and they didn’t work out because they sent a different caregiver every day and it was very confusing and upsetting to my cousin. ABCSS has been fabulous at providing continuous care. My cousin adores her caregiver Melissa. She takes her swimming and shopping etc. Also, I cannot say enough good things about Sandra Mendoza. Because I live far away, it’s hard to know what’s going on. She keeps informed and updates me by email and text message. She calls me if there’s a problem. What more could you ask for?”
“Abc has top notch people working in the office who deal with issues in a swift and caring fashion. Especially Juan and Moises who go the extra mile when there’s an issue. As for caregivers Jessica Perry who is beyond the best I’ve ever had. She’s on top of things each day and makes having someone around the house not so bad. She gets 100% my other main caregiver Daisy, is also terrific and smart. Both of these care givers know how to think, be aware of what’s happening and maintain great attitude each day. Zap-Roxie”
“Always Best Care has provided us with personalized, kind, reliable and professional help when we needed it most. They have made all the difference during our transition to an increase in home health care needs. I am so grateful for them! They will continue to be our trusted partner.”
“ABC has been amazing from the get go. To setting up service , to answering all my questions during this stressful time, to finding the absolute best caregiver lizzette that my mom actually enjoys spending time with:) everyone here is kind, full of patience and willing to help from beginning to end. Don’t know what I would do without their help. Grateful for finding them”
“You all were amazing. We couldn't have done it without Freddie. Amazing. Cudos to Sandra and Moises. Will miss you all.”
“I can’t say enough good things about Always Best Care. They were prompt and courteous, met with me the same day as my Mom was being discharged from the hospital, and I needed to arrange care. Janet was the caregiver provided for my Mother. She was so kind and attentive to my Mom, also very concerned about her safety. She went over and beyond what I would have expected, and my Mom really bonded with her. I also used placement services as my Mother formerly was in assisted living but needed to move to a board and care for more care and monitoring. I was shown several beautiful homes by Bonnie Zwack who was personally invested in finding the right fit for my Mother. She even visited my Mother to ensure a positive transition. Thank you so much ABC! You lifted a huge burden off of my shoulders that at first seemed overwhelming. I’m sharing a picture that Janet helped my Mom color during an activity. Moved me to tears. Sincerely, Linda Devore”
“Elsie the care giver was amazing with my Godfather, very very caring, always going above and beyond with his needs”
“I just wanted to give Always Best Care a very well deserved 5 star review!! As children of seniors know, it can be a hard decision to entrust others outside of the family to provide love and care for your aging parent. However, Always Best Care of Indian Wells has been incredible in so many ways in helping facilitate home care service for my 100 year old mom. Sandra, their Care Coordinator, is an excellent communicator – patient and kind, resourceful and so very competent. Yvonne, mom’s caregiver, is loving and from our first meeting, she did those “little things” without being instructed that were important and mean so much. (Like checking dates on groceries, asking about parking so as to be considerate of the neighbors, having a routine for where to put things like mom’s keys, etc., and just focusing her attention on little things that were all about mom, etc. etc.) Moses, who installed mom’s AI devices was great as well – all smiles, so friendly and sweet to mom. And Juan, who does scheduling is the best as well….always one step ahead in communicating schedules and everything else. I am very impressed with how well they all work as a team. The most important part, though, is that mom is happy! Thank you ABC!”
“Always Best Care provided 3 day a week help for my sister while she was recovering. They did a great job attending to her and making her life simpler. I know my sister enjoyed the company and help. She was sorry to see it end! I would highly recommend Always Best Care to help you over the rough spots.”
“Above and Beyond I was driving in a panic from Washington to California because my mother was in crisis, she has dementia and her partner/care giver was taken to the hospital and not expected to recover. From the moment of contact while driving through mountains with terrible cell service Sandra and Moses took the situation in hand and offered solutions and managed to obtain a nurse for that very night with such short notice of only 3 hours and we needed care for 12 hour shifts. They were so compassionate and supportive and made us feel safe. Mom is 88 years old and can be quite difficult in the best of times, she really liked the nurses and wanted them to come back. Anyone needing Nursing services should call Always Best Care they are top notch. Thank you again for the amazing service!”
“Always Best Care is always responsive and easy to work with. My husband's caregive, April, is fantastic. Very smart and he listens to April!”
“We only use them occasionally on the weekends, so they're not really impacting her daily life. They seem really easy to communicate with, and they're open and eager to meet the needs that we have.”
“My experience has been positive because the caregivers do what I ask them to do. I like Always Best Care because they are very efficient.”
“We appreciated the prompt response from Always Best Care. Sandra was so professional and was able to explain and answer all of our questions. The care that our Mom received from Jestina was exactly what we wanted and needed. Jestina was so sweet and kind to Mom and Mom just loved her. Thank you so much for helping our family and especially our Mom.”
“This was our first time working with this company and they did not disappoint! I needed to hire a night nurse for my Mother who just got out of the hospital and I was so nervous about it but after meeting with Sandra, she put our minds at ease! She was so professional, kind and understanding! She paired us with Nancy who ended up being such an angel. My Mom was comfortable and happy every night she was there! They had a great time together! Each morning Nancy made sure to provide me with updates which was so appreciated. I cannot express how amazing this experience was. Book them for all your needs! Thank you again!”
“I couldn't be more pleased about my caregiver, Zulie, during the time that she was with me. She was always willing to help and make sure everything was easier for me. I always hoped that the others would be a clone of her. ABC always responded quickly to my requests and everyone I talked to was very helpful. Thank you to all who assisted me while I was with ABC.”
“The agency has given me free time and they are very responsive. I like the agency because the caregivers have all been good.”
“She did not need a lot of instruction. We had one caregiver for two days who was excellent.”
“The caregivers are always on time. I like that they have been very dependable.”
“I'm a grateful, former Caregiver/Home Care Aide employee with Always Best Care. As I advanced my career in Healthcare, I will forever look back and smile for my experience working with Always Best Care Seniors. I appreciated the opportunity to meet great families, providing the best in home care services, helping seniors with light home duties, while working flexible case assignments. Juan was the staffer at the time and was always attentive in providing prompt information for available open positions. Valentine was the Case Mgr and Bonnie was the Director. I will always be grateful to them as well for the great support. If you're looking for Home Care Services for your loved one, I highly recommend ABC Seniors. I will never forget this great company. Thank you for the great experience.”
“The care is very good because they do everything they are supposed to do. I like Sandra, and she is great to work with.”
“They've been there to give me whatever I need. I've used them for a very long time and they've always been accommodating with me.”
“Our experience with Always Best Care was 5-star. Sandra Mendoza, care co-ordinator, was very thorough in her evaluation of my husband’s needs. She immediately provided the most wonderful caregiver, Ana Magdaleno, who quickly bonded with my very reluctant husband and was easily able to give him the care he needed with no loss of dignity on his part. I cannot recommend this senior services group highly enough. They provided needed support with care and grace. Wende Walter”
“They have available talent whenever we have needed it. The prior agency had limited services in our agency. The majority of their staff are Hispanic, and a lot of them don't even know what a dishwasher is.”
“I have been a client with Best Care for about three months and I have been extremely happy with them. They are always there for me. Even if I call at the last minute which I don’t like to do they are immediately there for me and the girls are wonderful and I have to say Elsie has been absolutely a big number 10 for me. She fits with me like a glove and again like I said Best Care is the company to go with.”
“The caregivers help with personal hygiene and laundry. The agency is flexible and conscientious.”
“I like that they seem to be very knowledgeable.”
“We are so pleased with the professionalism and care of this team. Both Jessica C. the customer service coordinator and Natalia my mom’s caregiver have been fabulous. We have found a great and responsive service to assist mom as she recovers from medical challenges. ????”
“Sandra has been taking really good care of my dad! Also, Jessica C. Will always call me and let me know of any changes. I love the way they keep me informed I live over an hour away and I feel good knowing my Dad is in good care. Thank you so much for that!”
“Always best care has been amazing for my grandma. Juan Garcia is my guy to help with the schedule which I always change . He is always understanding and helping me In details . Jessica conteno she really steps it up to make sure everything is being done to the best with possible care . With a great and caring attitude and understanding with the Difficulties of this stage in my grandmas life . Galilea Soto has been a amazing caregiver. With her hard work and dedication to the best the care for grandma with a smile !!! Alexia Thao has also helped with details for my grandma to give all the caregivers to be on the page on the level of care she needs . Which has helped me so much . Isis Arello is my overnight girl . She always is in good spirits and makes sure I know exactly how my grandma is doing . The trust I put in theses ladies is super important to health and well being of my grandma. Thx so much for your hard work Always best care I couldn’t do it without you !!! Sincerely granddaughter”
“Pleasant, competent service. My caregivers, especially Amy, were terrific.”
“We've been very pleased with the services that Always Best Care has provided for my parents. Our caregiver, Lily, is always present to assist my father with his mobility issues. She is a great help to my mother in assisting in meal preparation/clean up and picking up around the house. My mother says that she knows what to do and doesn't have to be instructed or asked. This has been a huge relief to my family. ABC has also been very flexible in accomodating a changing schedule as my father's health has changed. We are definitely happy with our decision to go with ABC.”
“They keep him safe. They're very friendly and good with my husband.”
“This group of care takers could not have been more amazing to our cousin William Malley. They all went above and beyond the call of duty. I will surely recommend the company and the care givers. Thank you all”
“Very competent and professional. Best in home health.”
“They could clean through the night, and we have some that come in and sleep through the night. I like the caregivers who work at night to clean up without my mother being awake.”
“She helps with dressing and bathing him. I like having a caregiver. That's the most important part for me.”
“Dulce couldn’t be any better! She’s amazing !”
“Outstanding person. Very efficient, friendly and helpful.”
“They were very helpful. They helped me get around in a wheelchair. The caregivers are very nice.”
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 Joshua Tree National 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 La Copine or visit Joshua Tree National Park, 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.
Request More Information
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 Joshua Tree, CA, 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 Joshua Tree, CA 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 Joshua Tree, CA 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.
The National Park Service (NPS) issued a safety advisory on Tuesday for visitors to Joshua Tree National Park, following heavy thunderstorms and flooding, warning that debris may be present on roadways.Why It MattersConditions created by inclement weather presented a potential hazard for drivers at the park, which saw almost three million visitors in 2024, according to the NPS.What To KnowNotices on the NPS website stated that the park had received heavy rainfall, which had ca...
The National Park Service (NPS) issued a safety advisory on Tuesday for visitors to Joshua Tree National Park, following heavy thunderstorms and flooding, warning that debris may be present on roadways.
Conditions created by inclement weather presented a potential hazard for drivers at the park, which saw almost three million visitors in 2024, according to the NPS.
Notices on the NPS website stated that the park had received heavy rainfall, which had caused flooding both within and along its boundaries.
"At this moment, the Oasis of Mara is closed due to current conditions," read the alert, posted August 26, which also urged visitors to drive safely due to the possibility of sand and debris on roadways.
The National Weather Service (NWS) said Wednesday that isolated showers would be possible in southeast and southwest California on Wednesday and Thursday, as a push of moisture moves into the region from Tropical Storm Juliette.
In a separate notice, the NPS said that a portion of the Black Rock Canyon trail was also scheduled to be closed for repairs until September 30. Hikers would be directed to a temporary detour while the project is ongoing, the NPS said.
Additionally, the west entrance of the park will be closed to vehicle traffic through 6 p.m. on August 29, with visitors directed to instead use the north or south entrances.
Joshua Tree National Park, located in Southern California, straddles the Mojave ("high desert") and Colorado ("low desert") ecosystems. It features sandy plains dotted with giant yuccas in the west and sparse terrain with cholla and ocotillo cacti flowering in the east.
Read more National Parks
"The main road from the north entrance of the park traveling south were impacted by flooding. Some dirt and debris may remain throughout the week," a spokesperson for the park told Newsweek. We have crews in the park working to clear the roads and assess any damage that may have occurred."
Joshua Tree National Park said on Instagram on Tuesday: "Heavy thunderstorms hit the park yesterday. Drive safely! There may be debris on the roadways...Another heavy storm is forecast between 2-5 p.m. today. Avoid unnecessary travel if conditions become unsafe. Do not drive through moving water."
The National Weather Service (NWS) said in a post on X, Wednesday: "Most will stay dry today, but some isolated showers and storms are possible, mainly in southeast California and southwest Arizona. Better chances (20-40%), out west, move in during the overnight/early morning hours Thursday."
In its forecast for the area, the NWS said there would be a "slight chance" of showers before 2 p.m. and after 4 p.m. There is a 20 percent chance of precipitation on Wednesday, according to the agency.
For Thursday, there is a 40 percent chance of showers, the NWS said.
Update 08/28/25, 1:22 p.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from the National Park Service.
YUCCA VALLEY – The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is engaged on a project to allow a key groundwater quality project to proceed in the town of Yucca Valley, in San Bernardino County. The project, to decommission thousands of septic tanks in the community and replace them with a sewer system, is designed to improve and safeguard water quality for the local residents and surrounding desert habitats.The Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act requires that any project that may impact or remove western Joshua trees (...
YUCCA VALLEY – The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is engaged on a project to allow a key groundwater quality project to proceed in the town of Yucca Valley, in San Bernardino County. The project, to decommission thousands of septic tanks in the community and replace them with a sewer system, is designed to improve and safeguard water quality for the local residents and surrounding desert habitats.
The Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act requires that any project that may impact or remove western Joshua trees (Yucca brevifolia) must be approved by CDFW through an incidental take permit. This permit, issued to Hi-Desert Water District and includes the region’s participating homeowners, covers potential impacts to western Joshua trees during the scope of the sewer upgrade construction project.
The project stems directly from a California Regional Water Quality Control Board Colorado River Basin Region Order (Order), which prohibits the continued use of septic tanks in Yucca Valley due to ongoing threats to groundwater quality. The Yucca Valley region is entirely dependent on groundwater for drinking water.
“In a low-cost and efficient way, this partnership between CDFW and Hi-Desert Water District will help hundreds of local residents decommission their septic tanks and secure a new sewer system,” said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. “We're meeting the state’s goals on protecting our precious water supplies and helping families connect to a brand-new sewer line, all while minimizing harm to California’s iconic Joshua trees.”
"This project represents a significant step forward for Yucca Valley—not only in protecting our groundwater, but in showing how strong partnerships can deliver for our community,” said Tony Culver, General Manager of Hi-Desert Water District. “Our collaboration with CDFW’s staff has been essential to navigating the conservation requirements while keeping the project on track and affordable for local residents.”
In order to provide financial support to homeowners in the under-resourced community of Yucca Valley, CDFW worked collaboratively with Hi-Desert Water District to help maximize available funds from the district while finding a creative way to cover mitigation fees homeowners may incur through this project. Under the permit, Hi-Desert Water District and the homeowners participating in the project are required to avoid and minimize harm to western Joshua trees whenever possible.
For more information on the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, visit CDFW’s website.
Media Contacts: Steve Gonzalez, CDFW Communications, (916) 804-1714 Heidi Calvert, CDFW Regional Manager,
The bouncy washboard road leading out to California’s King Clone site probably didn’t exist 11,700 years ago. Why would it? Cars wouldn’t be invented or seen for another 11,550 years (give or take) in this corner of what is today called the Mojave Desert. Elsewhere on the globe, Homo sapiens were just starting to figure out agriculture, transforming from hunter-gatherer societies into taut communities that stayed in place. The pyramids of Egypt were still thousands of years off.But out here, on a sandy high desert st...
The bouncy washboard road leading out to California’s King Clone site probably didn’t exist 11,700 years ago. Why would it? Cars wouldn’t be invented or seen for another 11,550 years (give or take) in this corner of what is today called the Mojave Desert. Elsewhere on the globe, Homo sapiens were just starting to figure out agriculture, transforming from hunter-gatherer societies into taut communities that stayed in place. The pyramids of Egypt were still thousands of years off.
But out here, on a sandy high desert stretch between Joshua Tree and Barstow, a seedling was bursting through the soil in search of sunlight. Eventually, the shy little superstar of the current Holocene epoch fully came into its own, setting deep roots into the cool ground that have, all these thousands of years later, remained dutifully intact.
The scrubby little creosote bush, known as King Clone, sits in an untidy ring just off Bessemer Mine Road (if you can call it a road), not far from Pioneertown. What looks like an oblong collection of bushes is actually a single, thriving clonal colony with a genetically unique starting point buried underground. That first plant from all those thousands of years ago has, in essence, been regenerating slowly for close to 12,000 years, a single living organism that’s as old as the ice age. King Clone, for all intents and purposes, is among the oldest living anything on this planet.
The average passerby, what few there are, likely wouldn’t know where King Clone begins and ends or when the rest of the ruddy desert chaparral takes over. Larrea tridentata, the formal name for this flowering creosote bush (often called greasewood in the Wild West novels on your father’s bookshelf), looks all the same across a landscape as vast as this. What makes King Clone different is its shape, which is larger than normal, and the underground connectivity of the bushy little nodes that have pressed to the surface, forming an aboveground arrangement of bushes in a relatively neat oval. It’s that unusual ring that made the late UC Riverside professor Frank C. Vasek take notice nearly 50 years ago, prompting a 1980 paper in the American Journal of Botany that hypothesized that King Clone could, indeed, be 11,700 years old.
Five years later, Vasek’s work reached the California statehouse, where Assembly Bill 1024 was passed to ensure the security of this ancient land. The bill earmarked taxpayer money to snatch up 488 acres of the Mojave Desert and, later, to install a shiny metal fence around King Clone and his younger buddies, all with the express purpose of keeping that little bush alive. Developers and solar farm projects are determined to bulldoze acres of Joshua trees and other rare habitats elsewhere in this desert, but not at the King Clone Ecological Reserve in Johnson Valley.
Should anyone decide to go see the King Clone bush for themselves, be warned: There’s really not much to look at, save for the fence and some sun-beaten yellow signage. There’s no informative plaque baking out in the desert, and most of the creosote bushes look about the same. King Clone’s ring is certainly larger than the others in the hot metal pen (it’s the king, after all), but from a boots-level vantage point, everything looks pretty similar.
It’s even possible that, somewhere way out past Soggy Dry Lake, there’s a hidden clonal creosote bush that’s somehow even larger and older than King Clone, but that seems unlikely. Vasek and his team of researchers certainly checked the area pretty close.
But even without the pomp of a visitor center, the many Californians who love a quick desert detour are likely to enjoy a stop at the King Clone Ecological Reserve. The shrubs are small and grow less than a millimeter a year, but just the fact that they exist at all in this perennially parched corner of the world is the stuff of minor miracles. California isn’t always great at protecting its old stuff, particularly plants. King Clone is an unassuming yet remarkable exception.
Look: I was raised in the Pacific Northwest. That means a childhood of playing outdoors in a perpetually damp understory that my East-Coast husband refers to casually as "spooky," a both blasé and worshipful relationship to rain, and a genuine sense of unease when I'm somewhere without a smidge of green. That said, for the longest time, I struggled to appreciate the spell that the desert casts on some people. Who'd trade dust for mud? A kaleidoscope of saturated hues for a stoic palette of golds?Then I visite...
Look: I was raised in the Pacific Northwest. That means a childhood of playing outdoors in a perpetually damp understory that my East-Coast husband refers to casually as "spooky," a both blasé and worshipful relationship to rain, and a genuine sense of unease when I'm somewhere without a smidge of green. That said, for the longest time, I struggled to appreciate the spell that the desert casts on some people. Who'd trade dust for mud? A kaleidoscope of saturated hues for a stoic palette of golds?
Then I visited Southern California's Joshua Tree National Park, where hikes like Barker Dam made me a convert.
For those with the chops, Barker Dam likely seems like kid stuff. Indeed, Joshua Tree is filled with more challenging routes if you've got the gear and the gusto. But as a lifelong Washingtonian, I'm only just acclimating to the sensation of sun. With that in mind, Barker Dam's one-and-a-half-mile length seemed like a boon, not a drawback.
And for being technically completable in under 30 minutes, this hike offers a surprising number of mesmerizing vistas and historical diversions. As visitors weave among statuesque monzogranite boulders, they'll encounter numerous interpretive sites that help contextualize the many artifacts scattered throughout the area. Most of these connect in some way to the trail's namesake, Barker Dam—an Old West relic constructed by early cattlemen in 1900 and raised in 1949 by rancher William F. Keys. Places like the trough, where tough men paused to let their horses drink, are evocative reminders of this hard-tack past, as are the inscriptions left by cowboys in the area's sun-baked stone.
Further along the path, you'll find even more traces of Joshua Tree's human inhabitants. Shaded by the arc of a hollowed-out rock, eagle-eyed hikers will spot striking petroglyphs. These geometric designs were made over 2,000 years ago by ancestors of the Serrano, Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, and Mojave peoples. If they seem in unusually good condition, that's because they fell victim to movie magic in the 1960s, when a Hollywood crew repainted them for the backdrop of a Disney film, "Chico the Misunderstood Coyote."
This vandalism would, of course, be unacceptable today. Still, it's an interesting example of how we Americans can remake our history, covering the truth—flawed, incomplete, and often contentious—with a more photogenic picture. In places like the Southwest, where the romance of the Old West persists, it's all too easy to overlook the real story—one of conflict, resilience, and colonialism—for the allure of the region's myth.
Beyond its history, Barker Dam is also a stunning entry point to Joshua Tree's mesmerizing beauty. Though I'll always be partial to the tall trees and shadowy mountains of Washington State, it's one of many Southern Californian spots that taught me to appreciate the wide vistas of the desert. Whether we see into our past or simply to where the plains dissolve into the horizon, the effect is always the same: the surprise and excitement of yet another discovery.
760-330-2723
