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 Old Town Hall 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 Greenwich, CT is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
“In what was a tremendously difficult last few years caring for my mom with dementia,”
“This is a 5 star company. Their name is perfect. Always Best Care. The care”
“I highly recommend Always Best Care. We needed someone to help mom get back on”
“Amy Crowley at ABC Senior Services did a terrific job helping me find a suitable”
“Professional and reliable in-home caregivers”
“Professional and reliable in-home caregivers.”
“Please welcome the newest Connecticut office of Always Best Care to Norwalk and Lower Fairfield”
“Excellent!”
“In what was a tremendously difficult last few years caring for my mom with dementia, we burned through multiple agencies and aides. Only at the end did we find unmatched compassion and competence with Alan and his team of aides at Always Best Care. A lot of times the whole experience felt overwhelming, disjointed and end of life care system just plain broken. They were the one shining bright spot. Our family would recommend them in the highest order.”
“This is a 5 star company. Their name is perfect. Always Best Care. The care givers for my mom in her final months were gracious, considerate, compassionate and professional. I spoke with Alan many times telling him how thankful i was to have him and the outstanding service his company provided to my mother. My highest recommendation to Alan and his staff at Always Best Care.”
“I highly recommend Always Best Care. We needed someone to help mom get back on her feet again after hip surgery and to be her companion for three weeks during Covid quarantine as she moved from rehab center back to her senior living apartment. All services were provided with the highest level of kindness, compassion and dignity and we are truly grateful for the help.”
“Amy Crowley at ABC Senior Services did a terrific job helping me find a suitable assisted living place for my Mom. She presented an array of good choices, gave me some very good advice about things to look for when I checked them out, responded quickly and completely to every question I had, and did all of this in the hurry done urgent circumstances required. No hard sell, just good knowledgeable work.”
“Professional and reliable in-home caregivers”
“Professional and reliable in-home caregivers.”
“Please welcome the newest Connecticut office of Always Best Care to Norwalk and Lower Fairfield County. If you know a loved one in need of care, please visit our website or call us anytime for a free no-obligation expert consultation.”
“Excellent!”
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 Cos Cob 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 Polpo Restaurant & Saloon or visit Fourth Ward Historic District, 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 Greenwich, CT, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Greenwich, CT understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Greenwich, CT 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
Aquarion Water Company wants an extension to the 90 day window the Board of Selectmen previously approved for a water main replacement project on Greenwich Ave.The project is to replace aging water infrastructure under the roadway to prevent failures.The hours that Dept of Public Works and the Selectmen approved for the project are 10:00 pm until 10:00am, S...
Aquarion Water Company wants an extension to the 90 day window the Board of Selectmen previously approved for a water main replacement project on Greenwich Ave.
The project is to replace aging water infrastructure under the roadway to prevent failures.
The hours that Dept of Public Works and the Selectmen approved for the project are 10:00 pm until 10:00am, Sundays through Fridays.
The project kicked off a month ago on Feb 12.
At a dial-in public information meeting just before the project commenced, Donald Snyder from Snyder Civil Engineering, said, “We understand this will be a burden to residents and we sincerely apologize.”
“Yes, you may have gotten a few complaints, but it has impacted all of us on Greenwich Avenue. Unless you’re living there and seeing what’s going on at night, you can’t even comprehend what we’re going through.” – Theresa Santos, Greenwich Ave resident
At Thursday’s Selectmen meeting, Democratic board member Janet Stone McGuigan reminded the board their initial reason for a 90 day window had been to give an opportunity for feedback.
“We didn’t want to give a carte blanche approval, so it is working the way we wanted it to work,” she said. “We have had some feedback about night time noise and lights.”
Ken Petrini a project manager from Snyder Civil Engineering, specialists in water infrastructure, represented Aquarion at the Selectmen meeting.
He said ideally Aquarion would like to replace all the aging water infrastructure under Greenwich Ave from Rte 1 to Railroad Ave, but given the time frame the town approved, they identified the most risk-prone areas to move forward with.
First Selectman Camillo said he was aware of two complaints about noise from the night time work.
“It’s going to be worse in the summer with the windows open and with outdoor dining,” he said. “There’s a lot going on in the summer on the Ave – the store owners, the tenants and the people who live there – the quality of life, but also it’s prime time for business.”
“Anything you can do to get the job done in the right way, but to get it done in the most efficient, effective and timely fashion would be appreciated because we’re getting into the busy season now and we were hoping it would be done in the first 90 day period,” Camillo said to Mr. Petrini.
Republican Selectwoman Lauren Rabin said, “Some of the feedback we received was, why was it all being done at night? Is there a balance? You had mentioned multiple crews in multiple shifts,” she said. “How do we spread the impact?”
Mr. Petrini said his team was willing to re-evaluate hours of operation and that they would gladly talk with Greenwich Dept of Public Works about working outside the overnight hours.
“If you do it during the day you disrupt the businesses and it becomes a bigger problem,” Camillo said. “But we’re trying to look out for the (residents) at night too, and to keep repeating, we’re heading into the summer season – the biggest season for the merchants and windows are open, and for people who live there, and people visit there, the quality of life factor comes into play.”
The first 90 day window built in a hard-stop in mid-April.
If approved, an extension of 90 additional days would bring the project forward to mid-July.
Greenwich Ave resident Theresa Santos said she spoke for other residents on Greenwich Ave when she described how their quality of life was impacted by the night work, and asked if some of the work could be done during the day.
“Yes, you may have gotten a few complaints, but it has impacted all of us on Greenwich Avenue. Unless you’re living there and seeing what’s going on at night, you can’t even comprehend what we’re going through,” Ms Santos said.
“The trucks, the heavy equipment. We’re all working professionals who go to work, but a lot of people are experiencing headaches and lack of sleep because it’s literally underneath our windows.”
“It is very impactful to our health,” Santos continued, adding that one of her neighbors was considering renting an AirBnB. “I had even looked at a hotel one night. It’s unbearable.”
She added that due to the work, her toilet had been covered in dirt and when she turned on her shower dirt poured through.
Ms Santos said she had worked at the Apple store for 14 years, but repeated several times that she was not speaking on their behalf when she described Apple as an anchor store and suggested there would “not be a huge impact” to small businesses if the work was done during the day.
Mr. Camillo pushed back.
“You may think smaller businesses are not as impactful, but for those people that is their living,” he said. “We stand by them, and stand up for them. Small businesses make up the towns, and it makes up the state and the country.”
“Any business is going to be impacted during the day,” he added.
Ms Rabin asked, “Is there an opportunity to balance it? Maybe there’s one day a week that (the work is performed) during the day.”
“We’ve all gone through this,” Camillo said. “It’s painful to hear this stuff at night but we’ve all gone through it. The good thing is it’s not going to last forever.”
The proposal for an extension was a first read.
There is another meeting in March where the Selectmen can have a second read and potential vote on the proposed extension.
See also:
Greenwich Ave Water Main Replacement to Begin Monday: Expect Delays, Detours Feb 11, 2024
Submitted by Susan Bevan, Lawrence F. Codraro, Jr., and Sharon Phillips – Co-Chairs, Greenwich Library Peterson Business Award DinnerAs supporters of Greenwich Library and as co-chairs of the upcoming Peterson Business Award Dinner, we wish to underscore the critical role of community support for Greenwich Library, a gem in our town.Our library stands as a beacon of knowledge and culture, thanks in part to its unique public/private partnership with the Town of Greenwich. While municipal funding covers basic opera...
Submitted by Susan Bevan, Lawrence F. Codraro, Jr., and Sharon Phillips – Co-Chairs, Greenwich Library Peterson Business Award Dinner
As supporters of Greenwich Library and as co-chairs of the upcoming Peterson Business Award Dinner, we wish to underscore the critical role of community support for Greenwich Library, a gem in our town.
Our library stands as a beacon of knowledge and culture, thanks in part to its unique public/private partnership with the Town of Greenwich. While municipal funding covers basic operational needs, the vibrant array of more than 1,800 annual events—including educational programs, author talks, concerts, and more—are made possible solely through donations and philanthropic gifts. These offerings, all free to the public, showcase the library’s commitment to accessible learning for everyone.
A cornerstone of the Library’s fundraising efforts is the biennial Peterson Business Award Dinner, with this year’s event set for Thursday, April 4, 2024.
We are honored to celebrate Ray Dalio, founder and CIO mentor of Bridgewater Associates. Ray Dalio’s innovative mindset and leadership in both business and charitable endeavors exemplify the qualities the Peterson Business Award seeks to recognize. His influence extends well beyond financial markets, fostering conversations on economic and social advancement and mirroring the library’s mission to enrich our community’s intellectual and cultural landscape. We are also honored that Governor Ned Lamont will present the award to Ray Dalio at the April 4 Award Dinner.
The Peterson Business Award was established in 1997 by Greenwich Library and the Peterson Foundation, and recognizes and honors individuals whose innovative thinking, leadership and sustained record of achievement have had a profound impact on the national and global economy, and whose words and deeds have demonstrated a commitment to intellectual freedom and open access to information.
The Peterson Business Award is named in honor of Clementine Lockwood Peterson, whose 1992 bequest of $25 million made possible a new 32,000 square-foot wing at Greenwich Library.
Designed by renowned architect Cesar Pelli, this wing contains expanded business and music collections. Mrs. Peterson’s gift was made in memory of her son, Jonathan, and her husband, J. Whitney Peterson.
The Peterson Business Award was conceived in order to celebrate Mrs. Peterson’s extraordinary generosity and to recognize outstanding business leadership in the community.
Past recipients of Peterson Business Award include some of our community’s most prominent corporate leaders such as Indra Nooyi of PepsiCo, Cliff Asness of AQR Capital, and Chuck Royce of Royce & Associates, LP, among other business luminaries.
Greenwich Library, encompassing the Main Library and its Byram Shubert and Cos Cob branches, seeks to serve as the cultural and intellectual crossroads of the community, offering an extensive range of programs and services. The mission of Greenwich Library is to provide exceptional resources, programs and services that promote the joy of lifelong learning and discovery, and to offer a welcoming place to gather and share experiences. With 1,800 programs and events per year, the Library’s circulation is among the highest of public libraries in Connecticut and has been named a five-star library by Library Journal for 11 of the past 12 years for the high number of patron visits, circulation, use of public computers and program attendance.
As the Peterson Business Award Dinner approaches, we invite the entire Greenwich community to join us in celebrating Ray Dalio’s remarkable contributions to business and finance and support the ongoing success of our beloved library. Together, we can ensure it remains a center of learning, discovery, and inspiration for generations to come. Tickets are available at greenwichlibrary.org/peterson.
Thank you.
Susan Bevan, Lawrence F. Codraro, Jr., and Sharon Phillips Co-Chairs, Greenwich Library Peterson Business Award Dinner
BURTON-YOUNG HEALTH AND BEAUTY CENTERThe Greenwich Art Society is proud to continue their collaboration with the Burton-Young Health and Beauty Center to exhibit large artwork by current members. The current exhibition is by Vildan Starr. The artwork will be on display until April 20, 2024. Burton Young will host a reception to celebrate the artist on March 21st from 5:30 – 7:30 pm. Vildan Starr is a visual artist based in Westchester, NY. Although her formal training is in law, she never stopped painting from a...
BURTON-YOUNG HEALTH AND BEAUTY CENTER
The Greenwich Art Society is proud to continue their collaboration with the Burton-Young Health and Beauty Center to exhibit large artwork by current members. The current exhibition is by Vildan Starr. The artwork will be on display until April 20, 2024. Burton Young will host a reception to celebrate the artist on March 21st from 5:30 – 7:30 pm. Vildan Starr is a visual artist based in Westchester, NY. Although her formal training is in law, she never stopped painting from an early age and continued taking many art classes. Over the last four years her focus shifted from realistic landscapes to intuitive landscape inspired abstract paintings. Vildan's artwork is characterized by a bold and expressive approach, allowing her to capture the essence of nature through abstraction or dynamic geometric designs. She has shown her work in many juried group and solo exhibits. Website: www.vildanstarrart.comArtist’s StatementAs a painter, I create art that reflects the sensitivity, fragility, and uplifting emotions of life. My paintings are full of feeling and inner self, with structures that symbolize the cities and vistas that have inspired me throughout my life. Sometimes nature-based elements or shapes may appear in my art, sometimes not so much.
My process is highly intuitive, with no specific plan but a deep sense of feeling to guide me. I begin by drawing intuitive lines with different drawing materials to activate the canvas, adding layers of paint and mark making until I have a composition that feels right. Throughout the refining process, I go back and forth between intuitive painting and rational thinking, using both left and right brain to create a final product that reflects the joy, hope, and color that I want to bring into people's lives.Using archival and artist-quality materials, all of my work is varnished with UV protectant to ensure its longevity. I want my viewers to experience my art freely, beyond preconceived judgments of reality, and with their own internal interpretations. My goal is to give them a glimpse of joy, happiness, hope, and color to their life and surroundings, lifting them up with my authentic expressionist abstract paintings.
All works can be purchased by contacting the Greenwich Art society at 203-629-1533 between 10:30 am and 4 PM Monday through Friday or by emailing admin@greenwichartsociety.org
GREENWICH — Residents can take as many trips to the dump as they want for just $25 a year, and that strikes some in town as unfair.First Selectman Fred Camillo and others have said the town is not charging enough to access the dump since the fee was ...
GREENWICH — Residents can take as many trips to the dump as they want for just $25 a year, and that strikes some in town as unfair.
First Selectman Fred Camillo and others have said the town is not charging enough to access the dump since the fee was established in 2020, especially considering the prices that haulers charge to pick up trash.
“It is an unfair situation and for whatever reason the (Representative Town Meeting), four years ago, decided $25 was what they wanted to put on there,” Camillo said during the Board of Selectmen meeting on Thursday.
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James Santaguida, owner of Santaguida Sanitation, brought the idea of upping the permit cost, also known as a tipping fee, to the Selectmen Thursday. He did not have a specific new price he wanted to see, but he said it’s not right for his customers and others in town who use haulers to have to pay so much more than people taking out their own trash.
“I feel that's not fair. If you have a hauler, the resident… is actually being penalized because if they decide to take it down, they're only paying $25 through the tip fees,” Santaguida said.
The people who forgo a hauler can, in theory, dispose of unlimited garbage at the Holly Hill dump throughout the year for $25. Camillo, who owned a recycling business before entering politics, said town administrator Ben Branyan has referred to the facility as an “open bar” for people to dump as much waste as they please.
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The Board of Selectmen voted to increase the fee for commercial haulers from $112 per ton of garbage up to $119 per ton earlier this year, but the fee for residents is set by the RTM and it has not changed since it was enacted. The haulers’ tipping fee will increase to $119 per ton on July 1.
Haulers are not alone in seeking a change to the fee.
In a phone call after the meeting, Selectwoman Janet Stone McGuigan said she is open to raising the fee, but would like to see some sort of analysis before endorsing a new price.
Greenwich did not have a dump fee in place until 2020 and there was fervent debate before it passed. Haulers have complained about unfairness since the beginning of the discussion.
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Camillo initially wanted the town to adopt a “pay as you throw” program, where residents would buy trash bags from the town, but he changed to supporting the tipping fee proposal after pushback.
The other factor is the layout of the dump itself, which officials have been talking about reconfiguring for more than a decade.
“It’s hard to check people’s permits with the way it’s laid out,” Stone McGuigan said during the meeting.
Camillo said he knows some people sneak into the dump through the recycling entrance and that reconfiguring the site would be good, but getting funding from the Board of Estimate and Taxation is unlikely.
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“That's an issue that needs to be addressed," he said. "It's a big price tag and the BET, at least some members, have signaled that it's a non-starter for them.”
Any change to the $25 tipping fee would need to be approved by the RTM, though the Board of Selectmen could vote to recommend a new fee.
The Board of Selectman did not take any action on Santaguida’s proposal to increase fees, but he was asked to return at the next meeting on March 28 to further discuss the idea.
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March 15, 2024
GREENWICH — New Lebanon School Assistant Principal Lindsey Eisenstein said the Boys & Girls Club is a lifeline for families, so it was important for the school district help out the organization while its clubhouse is under renovation."Over the summer in August I had a family probably calling, one or two every single day, almost in tears," Eise...
GREENWICH — New Lebanon School Assistant Principal Lindsey Eisenstein said the Boys & Girls Club is a lifeline for families, so it was important for the school district help out the organization while its clubhouse is under renovation.
"Over the summer in August I had a family probably calling, one or two every single day, almost in tears," Eisenstein said. "People were in tears about how they were going to be able to put food on the table and continue to work at their jobs without the support that the club gave them."
The Boys & Girls Club is using three Greenwich Public School buildings for its after-school program — New Lebanon, Hamilton Avenue School and Western Middle School.
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Daily, New Lebanon hosts around 60 students from New Lebanon and Glenville schools, Hamilton Avenue houses around 20 first graders for a specialized educational program called Advance and WMS hosts 25 students for evening athletics.
"Many of our families rely on the Boys & Girls Club of Greenwich for aftercare," said Superintendent Toni Jones in a statement. "It is a vital program for our families. This year, because they are under construction, they were very tight on space. We partnered to make sure that the program could remain strong and that there was space available in a few of our schools so that they could still service our families."
The club is also using St. Roch's Church's education building to house an additional 135 students for the after-school program and the YMCA of Greenwich is allowing the club to have swim team practices at its pool for the 30 team members.
"Our kids were terrific. They embraced these new locations, even though they are not the clubhouse," said Cristina Vittoria, chief executive officer of the Greenwich Boys & Girls Club. "Of course they can't wait to get into the new clubhouse to be able to have swimming in one place and sports in one place and all the activities in one location. But, in general, the parents and the kids have been terrific."
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Vittoria said due to the change of space, not all of the club's enrichment classes can be offered this year.
"We're not able to offer as many of our technology enrichment classes, the coding and the programming, because we don't have our big computer lab that we had in the old building. ... We don't offer as many art classes as we had in the past, given that we don't have an art studio, an art room, for the kids," Vittoria said.
Eisenstein said the only concern her team had when it came to hosting part of the club's after-school program at New Lebanon was figuring out when the building would be cleaned, since her school hosts a variety of programs after school.
"Honestly, this could not have been done without our custodians. ... If they said they weren't going to work overtime, it wouldn't have been possible," Eisenstein said. "There's no way we could've done it."
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Since that has been figured out and the club has been using the school's space since Sept. 11, 2023, Eisenstein said "it's going to be sad to see (the Boys & Girls Club) go." She added that this partnership between the club and GPS has allowed the educators to "get a window" into what the club's programming looks like.
The Boys & Girls Club annual membership fee is $75 and the after-school programming is included in the fee, Vittoria said. Right now, she said there is a wait list of about 10 people for the after-school program and she said the hope is that the club will be able to accommodate those families when spring programming sign-ups finish.
"We never make cost a barrier to be part of our program because we know that we need to provide this option," Vittoria said. "It's much needed for hardworking families in Greenwich."
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Vittoria said the clubhouse renovation is expected to conclude in 2025. The project includes a 10,000 square-foot addition to the clubhouse that will add in new athletic spaces, a new teen center and an amphitheater, along with doubling the club's instructional spaces and more. A $6.5 million state bond is helping fund this project.
"We're so excited that (the kids) are going to be able to walk into a place where they feel really proud to come everyday after school," Vittoria said.
March 15, 2024
Jessica Simms is a reporter with the Greenwich Time. She attended Quinnipiac University, where she received both her BA and MS in Journalism. Jessica has previously worked at the Meriden Record-Journal and was an investigative reporting fellow with the News21 program at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism in the summer of 2021. When she’s not writing, Jess enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, reading fiction and catching up on popular TV.
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