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 Blue Star Memorial Highway Historical Marker 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 Mary Esther, FL 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.
“I truly appreciated the extra mile the caregiver went to give my parents the care”
“Jeremy and Tracy are so very helpful, polite and very accommodating and willing to go”
“We needed help fast with our father and Always Best Care Senior Services stepped in”
“I think the administration are very professional and sent out an employee that's a perfect”
“We give Always Best Care five stars. We had two different caregivers and each one”
“I truly appreciated the extra mile the caregiver went to give my parents the care they deserved. The house was nice and tidy and the meal prep was a lifesaver. This company really deserves 5 stars.”
“Jeremy and Tracy are so very helpful, polite and very accommodating and willing to go that extra mile to help you or your family member. The staff is very polite and helpful. I feel blessed to have found Always Best Care to assist my family members.”
“We needed help fast with our father and Always Best Care Senior Services stepped in and provided excellent guidance and help. Jeremy helped us get answers to questions we didn’t know to ask and made sure we were aware of everything every step of the way. A true professional with a kind heart! I can’t recommend them enough. My family is truly grateful to have found their services.”
“I think the administration are very professional and sent out an employee that's a perfect fit for my needs! They have been very accommodating to schedules/appointments.”
“We give Always Best Care five stars. We had two different caregivers and each one was friendly, cheerful and followed the directions of their care plan very well. This company is well managed and organized - very oriented towards providing the best senior care but also concerned for the family's well being as well.”
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 Oak Tree Nature Preserve 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 Benjarong Thai Cuisine or visit Oak Tree Nature Preserve, 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 Mary Esther, FL, 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 Mary Esther, FL 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 Mary Esther, FL 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.
MARY ESTHER – The new Pepper’s Mexican restaurant in Mary Esther will be unlike all the others before it.Jorge Lopez, the owner, said the restaurant opening in the former location of The Shrimp Basket on Mary Esther Cut Off NW, will wear the same name, but have a different style of service and menu. It will still feature the same ingredients and off...
MARY ESTHER – The new Pepper’s Mexican restaurant in Mary Esther will be unlike all the others before it.
Jorge Lopez, the owner, said the restaurant opening in the former location of The Shrimp Basket on Mary Esther Cut Off NW, will wear the same name, but have a different style of service and menu. It will still feature the same ingredients and offer alcohol, he reassured.
“We’re going to have it be more authentic, from traditional Mexican recipes,” Lopez said. “For example, we’ll have tripe, which is cow stomach, and cow tongue and things like that. It will have more soups, more seafood than we have in the other restaurants.”
Lopez plans to open Pepper's Taqueria & Cantina in mid-October.
One of the other big changes is the new location is self-serve, he said.
“You’ll come up to the counter and order your food and we’ll have the menu, you order your food and we’ll take it out to your table,” Lopez said. “I think it’s the best way to go with the coronavirus. I think people want less interaction with the employees and servers. We’re trying this new concept to see how it does.”
More:Pepper’s Mexican Grill always good choice for meal
The coronavirus outbreak might seem like a strange time to open a new restaurant, but Lopez has had that location on his list for awhile.
“The opportunity came maybe in a bad time, but it made us go for it,” Lopez said. “We always had liked that area over there in Mary Esther. We took the opportunity.”
Luckily, their business hasn’t suffered much in recent times. The Niceville location, which opened in June, has done much better than he expected, he said.
More:Pepper’s Mexican Grill in Shalimar, Crestview offer free kids lunches because of school closure
“It hasn’t really affected us that much thank God,” Lopez said. “Takeout orders did increase for the first few months, but now people are still coming in and now want to sit down and have a beer or margarita. I think we have been pretty busy – better than other years.”
The Mary Esther location will mark the ninth Pepper’s location. Almost all of them are in the Florida Panhandle, said Lopez, a longtime Shalimar resident. The locations are in Panama City, Port St. Joe, Niceville, Crestview, Shalimar, Tallahassee and Gainesville.
Lopez barely remembers opening the first Pepper’s 15 years ago in Port St. Joe. The restaurant industry is ingrained in him.
“That’s what we’ve done all our lives,” Lopez said. “We started dishwashing. We know what a restaurant is about.”
Lopez is originally from Degollado, Jalisco, in Mexico, he explained.
“When we came from Mexico, the town we’re from, it’s a big restaurant town where all the people who live there own restaurants,” Lopez said. “We worked for them. From there, you start learning and everything and either it gets to you where you love it or hate it. There’s some who will hate it and not ever step foot into a restaurant to work. Some, they love it and they continue.”
Lopez loves it. His favorite part is meeting new people everyday.
Lopez still enjoys opening new locations and suspects they could open more if the right opportunity arises.
“I get excited,” Lopez said. “It creates jobs. It creates a little more economy for where we go and it’s always a challenge, something new to learn. I like it.”
Lopez believes Pepper’s’s success lies in their relationship with the community.
“Our food is fresh everyday,” Lopez said. “And then we use high-quality ingredients. And also because where we go, we’re part of the community. We’re not like other restaurants that go somewhere and just open and expect things. We give back to the community. That has helped us a lot. The people who support us, we support back.”
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MARY ESTHER — While city residents would retain “Mary Esther” in their mailing addresses, they would experience numerous changes if the city eventually dissolves and becomes a part of unincorporated Okaloosa County.That point made by city and county officials highlighted a Monday night public meeting about the potential dissolution. The session took place at the First Baptist Church of Mary Esther, which was filled ...
MARY ESTHER — While city residents would retain “Mary Esther” in their mailing addresses, they would experience numerous changes if the city eventually dissolves and becomes a part of unincorporated Okaloosa County.
That point made by city and county officials highlighted a Monday night public meeting about the potential dissolution. The session took place at the First Baptist Church of Mary Esther, which was filled with more than 150 residents.
County Administrator John Hofstad told the large audience that he and the County Commission have not taken a position on the possible dissolution.
“It is a city of Mary Esther decision,” Hofstad said. “We’re here to support you either way.”
Joining him in leading the discussion were County Attorney Lynn Hoshihara and Mary Esther’s city manager and city attorney, as well as current City Council members.
Citing problems such as ballooning property taxes and water and sewer rates, three council candidates in the March 8 city election — Benny Bennington, April Sutton and Douglas White — support a potential referendum in November that would allow city voters to decide whether Mary Esther remains a city.
Earlier:Will Mary Esther remain a city? Three council candidates want to make 'real changes.'
But even if the referendum occurs and voters approve dissolving the city, “It’s not like you show up the next day (after the possible referendum election) and turn the lights off at City Hall,” Hofstad said.
The dissolution process, which is rare and must follow state requirements, is an extensive one that involves the transfer of services, the resolution of accumulated debt and many other issues, he said.
Hoshihara said to provide a seamless transition, about 95% of the details on the city possibly becoming a county-managed unincorporated area would be done ahead of the potential referendum election.
City Manager Jared Cobb told the audience that neither he nor other city officials who attended the session support dissolving the city.
“A dissolution plan would not go into effect unless and until voters approve a referendum on dissolution,” City Attorney Hayward Dykes said.
March 8 elections:Here are the candidates for races in Cinco Bayou, Mary Esther and Valparaiso
No votes or decisions were made at Monday's meeting, at which Hofstad said he would help provide a very broad overview of what would be involved in the potential dissolution.
For example, he said while the county funds the overall Sheriff’s Office budget, it does not pay for the enhanced level of service that Mary Esther receives from the Sheriff's Office and would not do so if the city becomes unincorporated.
Currently, a Sheriff’s Office captain and two deputies are dedicated to providing law enforcement to the city. Councilman Larry Carter wondered whether Mary Esther could, as a potential unincorporated community, continue to pay extra in order to keep its enhanced level of service.
“We don’t do that anywhere else currently” in the county, Hofstad said.
According to a presentation led by Cobb, if the city dissolves it would receive the same level of service from the Sheriff’s Office as any other unincorporated area.
Addressing another concern, Hofstad noted that Mary Esther currently receives fire protection services from the Ocean City-Wright Fire Control District.
He said while the county does not provide any such services, many unincorporated areas receive them from independent fire control districts.
Fire protection services for Mary Esther likely would continue to be provided by Ocean City-Wright if the city dissolves, according to city officials.
If the potential referendum on dissolution gains traction after the March 8 election, county officials would work with Mary Esther officials to determine the costs and levels of fire protection services for the area, Hofstad said.
He said that evaluation would be part of extensive investigations and cost comparisons that would be done before the possible referendum in November.
If the city dissolves, the county would provide water and sewer services, but needed capital upgrades likely would be paid for by former Mary Esther residents, Hofstad said.
The county would have to investigate the current and potential costs of the city’s water and sewer systems and determine Mary Esther’s priorities, Hofstad said. Cobb said that currently, the city does not have a direct connection to the county’s sewer system.
The future of Mary Esther’s library also was a top item discussed Monday.
Currently, the county library cooperative pays for about a quarter of the city library’s annual operational costs and Mary Esther taxpayers pay the rest.
“We would have to figure out (the library’s annual funding scenario) if Mary Esther dissolves,” Hofstad said.
While the city's Maintenance Department maintains Jesse Rogers Memorial Cemetery, its future maintenance method would have to be determined if the city dissolves. Hofstad said churches or organizations maintain most cemeteries in the unincorporated areas.
Addressing other matters, Hofstad said the county would continue to use Mary Esther’s portion of local option gas tax money to help maintain roads in Mary Esther and would keep using the city’s allocation of half-cent sales tax money for road, stormwater and public safety projects in Mary Esther if the city dissolves.
Also, “If you live in the unincorporated part of the county, you pay 0.299 in additional mills (besides the county’s 3.8308 general fund millage rate) for park and stormwater operations,” Hofstad said.
Mary Esther’s current millage rate is almost 5.03, or about $503 per $100,000 of assessed value.
According to information from Cobb, the Panhandle Animal Welfare Society would continue to provide animal control services for Mary Esther and the county would handle Mary Esther’s code enforcement and planning and zoning matters if the city dissolves.
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