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 Raby Castle, Park and Gardens 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 Darlington, IN 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.
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“They offer a wide range of services with professional, organized individuals willing to help care”
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“Mr. and Mrs. Beach are the owners of this location, and they are some of”
“best people at there”
“Great staff!! Caring people!”
“I think it’s one of the best companies there’s always someone ready and willing to go help people with great attitudes! Anyone that wants to live at home but needs a little extra help should definitely get someone from this company at your home to help out!”
“Working for Always Best Care has been very rewarding for me to help others in need. Whatever my questions may be or any help I need as a health care provider for my client they have always came through with help.”
“Very compassionate caregivers!”
“Great staff. Well trained and kind people.”
“The Beache’s Family are great people and I would trust my mom’s well- bean in their hands”
“Natalia has experience taking care of people with Alzheimer and I would be very trust my dad’s safety if they taking care of him.”
“They offer a wide range of services with professional, organized individuals willing to help care for members of your family.”
“Exceptional staff and very caring. I know my loved ones are taken care of which gives me a peace of mind. Definitely recommend!”
“Mr. and Mrs. Beach are the owners of this location, and they are some of the most caring and dedicated people I have ever met. They truly want to help people get the best care for their loved ones. My grandmother would have loved to have care like this.”
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 Old School 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 The Bay Horse or visit Darlington Clock Tower, 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 Darlington, IN, 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 Darlington, IN 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 Darlington, IN 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.
Netflix is to increase the price of subscriptions, with the price of its most popular plan going up to £12.99.The most expensive Premium plan is going up to £18.99, an increase of £1 per month. It offers unlimited advert-free movies, TV shows, and mobile games on four supported devices at a time, with downloads on six supported devices.The most popular Standard plan is going up £2 to £12.99, with unlimited advert-free movies, TV shows, and mobile games on two supported devices at a time, with downl...
Netflix is to increase the price of subscriptions, with the price of its most popular plan going up to £12.99.
The most expensive Premium plan is going up to £18.99, an increase of £1 per month. It offers unlimited advert-free movies, TV shows, and mobile games on four supported devices at a time, with downloads on six supported devices.
The most popular Standard plan is going up £2 to £12.99, with unlimited advert-free movies, TV shows, and mobile games on two supported devices at a time, with downloads on two devices.
Netflix’s cheapest plan is getting its first price hike, also going up by £1 to £5.99.
The basic plan has been discontinued.
The changes in the UK follow similar increases in the US.
Users have taken to Reddit to voice their frustration at the changes, with one member saying: "It amazes me how much people complain, but continue to pay. Just stop using it. It's not even very good anymore."
Another added: "Their streaming quality is poor at best. You're paying more for a worse service... I guess that's the normal now, though."
Netflix: *Increases the price and starts making us pay extra to watch our favourite shows ad-free. Me: pic.twitter.com/ESIn2Utf6u
— Cinder ???? (@tori_the_menace) January 24, 2025
One user examined the problem with the service's model: "In a way, Netflix is a victim of its own success. Back in the early days Netflix didn't have to spend that much on content as the studios didn't really understand streaming and didn't really understand the value. Netflix got good deals on big name content. Over the years it got more expensive as the revenue grew. Studios now have their own platform and keep hold of their own content."
The issue was also highlighted with other providers of streaming services: "Yup, cancelled the last time this happened and genuinely haven’t missed it. Thinking of sacking off Amazon now too - the ads are just so jarring if you’re not used to them and I have zero interest in getting used to them."
Netflix has updated its website to reflect the changes, which will seemingly apply to both new and existing customers.
It isn't clear when the changes will come into effect, but it will notify members with news of the new prices, which will go into effect based on their billing cycle.
Account holders paying for additional members will also see an increase. An extra account outside your household now costs £5.99, up from £4.99. And, on the ad-supported plan, adding an extra person will now cost £4.99, an increase from £3.99.
This follows price hikes in the UK in October 2023. The basic, ad-free plan increased from £6.99 to £7.99 per month, while the premium plan rose from £15.99 to £17.99.
Landlords should foot a “significant” amount of the bill to meet energy efficiency standards outlined in Government proposals, Ed Miliband has said.Under the plans put out for consultation, all private landlords in England and Wales will pay a maximum £15,000 cap to meet energy performance certificate (EPC) C or above by the end of the decade.The Government says the proposals could save renters £240 a year on average on their energy bills, and lift up to half a million households out of fuel poverty, as ...
Landlords should foot a “significant” amount of the bill to meet energy efficiency standards outlined in Government proposals, Ed Miliband has said.
Under the plans put out for consultation, all private landlords in England and Wales will pay a maximum £15,000 cap to meet energy performance certificate (EPC) C or above by the end of the decade.
The Government says the proposals could save renters £240 a year on average on their energy bills, and lift up to half a million households out of fuel poverty, as they will not have to spend so much heating cold, draughty homes.
Landlords would not have to spend more than £15,000 and there is potential for a lower £10,000 cap if renters are charged lower rents or homes are in a lower council tax band under the plans.
EPC E is currently the required level.
Landlords have said a “realistic timetable” is needed to meet the higher rating after the Government announcement.
Energy Secretary Mr Miliband told BBC Breakfast on Friday that there are boiler upgrade and local grant schemes for support, but added: “I think landlords are going to have to foot at least some significant part of this bill.
“We think that’s fair and right to ask landlords to do that.”
He said that when standards were introduced previously, “landlords obviously stepped up and tenants benefited”.
Officials pointed to support for heat pumps from the boiler upgrade scheme and the Warm Homes: Local Grant programme, which will provide funding for measures including insulation, solar panels and air source heat pumps.
And with 48% of rented properties already meeting the EPC C grade, the Government wants to see the standard introduced across the board, and believes the move will not lead to increased rents for tenants.
It is estimated that the average cost to landlords of complying with the proposals will be £6,100 to £6,800 by 2030.
Previous proposals requiring landlords to meet EPC C standards for private rented homes by 2028 were axed by then prime minister Rishi Sunak, when he watered down a series of green policies in September 2023.
Then the move was welcomed by landlords, but drew criticism that it was locking in tenants to years of higher bills.
Announcing the new consultation on Friday, Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner said: “For far too long we have seen too many tenants plagued by shoddy and poor conditions in their homes and this Government is taking swift action to right the wrongs of the past.
“Through our plan for change we are driving up housing standards, improving quality of life, and slashing energy bills for working people and families.”
Mr Miliband said the plans would help tenants who have for years been “abandoned and forgotten”, as opportunities to deliver warm homes and lower energy bills “have been disregarded and ignored.”
New energy performance certificates are also planned, but homes that are already rated A-C under the current system will be considered compliant until they expire, the Government said.
But the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) said a “realistic plan” was needed to achieve the higher rating and warned of a “chronic shortage” of tradespeople to carry out the necessary works.
Ben Beadle, chief executive of the association, said: “We all want to see rented homes as energy efficient as possible, but that will require a realistic plan to achieve this.
“The chronic shortage of tradespeople to carry out energy efficiency works needs to be addressed, alongside a targeted financial package to support investments in the work required as called for by the Committee on Fuel Poverty and Citizens Advice.
“Importantly, a realistic timetable is needed if the 2.5 million private rented homes, which will not currently meet the Government’s proposed standards, are to be improved.”
Acting shadow energy secretary Andrew Bowie said: “This misguided announcement will do nothing to lower energy bills in this country.
“On top of the warnings that Angela Rayner is nowhere near meeting her house building targets, and her Renters’ Rights Bill reducing supply and raising rents, Labour are proposing burdening landlords with heavy costs, which will inevitably be passed on to renters, instead of working to deliver cheaper and more secure energy for this country.”
Ed Miliband has said he will “consider” fast-tracking a carbon capture and storage project in Scotland – adding the move could help secure a future for workers at the Grangemouth oil refinery.The site, which is Scotland’s only oil refinery, is due to close in the coming months, with owners at Petroineos having already sent out redundancy notices to some of the 400 workers there.But with a pipeline connecting the site there to the proposed Acorn carbon capture and storage project in Aberdeenshire, fast tr...
Ed Miliband has said he will “consider” fast-tracking a carbon capture and storage project in Scotland – adding the move could help secure a future for workers at the Grangemouth oil refinery.
The site, which is Scotland’s only oil refinery, is due to close in the coming months, with owners at Petroineos having already sent out redundancy notices to some of the 400 workers there.
But with a pipeline connecting the site there to the proposed Acorn carbon capture and storage project in Aberdeenshire, fast tracking that development could help secure a future for Grangemouth.
This would take climate damaging CO2 emissions from Grangemouth’s industrial processes, and transport them to Acorn – from where they would be sent to be stored in subsea rock formations underneath the North Sea.
The UK Government has already provided funding for two similar carbon capture clusters, in Merseyside and Teesside – with Scottish First Minister John Swinney criticising ministers in London for their lack of support so far for the Acorn scheme.
Asked on Friday if he would commit to fast-tracking the project to help secure “some sort of future for Grangemouth”, Mr Miliband said he would “obviously look” at such a proposal.
The UK Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary told Times Radio: “We are determined to have a future for that Grangemouth site and for the Grangemouth community.
“That’s what we’re working on, actually, alongside the Scottish Government, something called Project Willow, which is a whole project which will be published later this month or early next, on looking at how we can … make the most of the potential resources at Grangemouth.
“Carbon capture and storage could be part of it, sustainable aviation fuel could be part of it.”
Speaking about Grangemouth, Mr Miliband said: “There’s huge potential on that site, and we are absolutely determined, for the sake of that community, the Scottish economy, the UK economy, to to do that.”
His comments came after Mr Swinney told MSPs on Thursday he was “becoming increasingly impatient” about the lack of support given to the Acorn carbon capture and storage project by politicians at Westminster.
The First Minister said he had been “assured” by the previous Conservative government that the project would go ahead, but it “has not been taken forward by the Labour Government”.
He also recalled Labour had “promised” to help the Grangemouth workers during last year’s general election campaign, with Mr Swinney saying so far this had “not been fulfilled”.
Russell Borthwick, the chief executive of Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, meanwhile welcomed Mr Miliband’s comments.
Mr Borthwick said: “The Secretary of State is right to consider an accelerated timeline for Acorn, which is an economic imperative for both the north-east and wider Scottish economy.
“There is no better opportunity to deliver economic growth and clean power, two stated missions of the government, than progressing the Scottish cluster.”
He added: “Carbon capture technology is game-changing technology which can create tens of thousands of jobs across the country.
“However, if we are serious about decarbonisation, then we must move much faster and more comprehensively than we have to date.
“The UK will need all five of its proposed carbon capture clusters – and possibly more – if it is to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
“Therefore, the Government should be progressing all clusters at pace, in particular the Acorn project in Aberdeenshire, which the Prime Minister has seen for himself is shovel ready.”
Residents in a North Yorkshire village have spoke out about the condition of a busy road.People in Caldwell, near the County Durham border, are particularly concerned about a stretch of the B6274.Motorists who travel on the road each day say car tyres have been punctured and other damage to vehicles has been sustained over the last three years due to potholes and uneven verges.The road condition on the B6274 (Image: SUBMIT) They also fear that people riding motorcycles, horses and bikes could be at risk on uneve...
Residents in a North Yorkshire village have spoke out about the condition of a busy road.
People in Caldwell, near the County Durham border, are particularly concerned about a stretch of the B6274.
Motorists who travel on the road each day say car tyres have been punctured and other damage to vehicles has been sustained over the last three years due to potholes and uneven verges.
The road condition on the B6274 (Image: SUBMIT) They also fear that people riding motorcycles, horses and bikes could be at risk on uneven stretches of road.
Residents of Caldwell believe that the situation has been exacerbated by HGVs, which travel on the B6274, through the County Durham border and onto the Plasterboard Recycling Group, formerly Agricore, site in Winston, County Durham.
Bryan Johnson, chair of Caldwell Parish Council, who has lived in the village for four years, said: "While we must realise that the rural economy plays such a big part in our area, and the recycling group are a big employer, we can surely all live in harmony.
The B6274 near Caldwell (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) "I fear that the roads are getting worse. I have to admit that I sometimes have to pull into the side of the road and hold my breath when HGVs travel the other way.
"I walked along the roads the other day and the curbs and potholes are increasing - I'm very concerned about the whole thing.
The B6274 between Caldwell and Winston (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) "While there hasn't been a fatal crash yet, I would hate for tragedy and deaths on the road, especially when it's preventable by improving roads."
Another resident in Caldwell said that "the road was not built for that amount of HGV traffic" that the B6274 sees each week.
Plasterboard Recycling Group, based at Hilltop Farm at Winston, said it works with the community to ensure traffic is split between County Durham and North Yorkshire routes.
A deep pothole on the stretch of road (Image: SUBMIT) A spokesperson for the company said: "PRG has now been operating at this site for nearly 15 years.
"The B6274 is a freight route, which is used by several large agricultural, forestry, quarrying, fertiliser storage, animal feed and recycling businesses, all of which generate daily HGV traffic, as well as between them creating over a hundred local jobs, paying UK taxes.
"It is also frequented by HGVs traversing between the A66 and Bishop Auckland avoiding Barnard Castle and the myriad of LGVs and vans delivering Amazon parcels.
"The road itself has recently had significant maintenance by (North Yorkshire Council) and in my experience is no better or worse than those I encounter travelling the UK.
Road damage (Image: SUBMIT) "To mitigate our impact on the local amenity we avoid utilising the HGV deliveries we are allowed on a Saturday and advise our haulage companies to be courteous and especially cautious driving through local villages.
"In addition, we ask the hauliers to try to split their delivery routes between County Durham and North Yorkshire."
Residents have called for North Yorkshire Council to do more, but the local authority said it improved the B6274 between the North Yorkshire boundary and Forcett in 2023, followed by surface dressing last summer.
North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for highways and transport, Cllr Keane Duncan, said: “Keeping our 5,700-mile road network in the best condition we can is one of our key priorities."A programme of extensive patching and strengthening work is also being progressed.
“Our local highways officers regularly inspect this stretch of road, and repairs are carried out when they are identified. Our contractor is due to rebuild damaged verges very soon.
“This classification of road can be used by all vehicles. Anybody who feels that planning conditions are being breached should contact the planning authority, which in this case is Durham County Council.”
Damage at the side of the road near Caldwell (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) Mark Readman, Durham County Council’s head of highways, said: “The road running between Caldwell and Winston is a B class road which means it is suitable for use by all classes of vehicle, including agricultural vehicles and HGVs.
“To ensure daily traffic from the Agricore site is maintained at a reasonable level, the site adheres to a planning condition which limits the number of vehicles using it each day.
"As part of this condition, the operator is required to keep a record of all vehicles entering and leaving the site.
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A newly translated runic inscription has shed “compelling” new light on who might have owned the Galloway Hoard, experts have announced.The Viking Age hoard, which contains more than 5kg of gold, silver and other materials, was discovered by a metal detectorist in Balmaghie, near Kirkcudbright, in 2014.Since then the question of who owned the hoard has remained a mystery.A number of theories have been put forward, with some suggesting it might have been buried by four owners, based on four arm rings inscribed...
A newly translated runic inscription has shed “compelling” new light on who might have owned the Galloway Hoard, experts have announced.
The Viking Age hoard, which contains more than 5kg of gold, silver and other materials, was discovered by a metal detectorist in Balmaghie, near Kirkcudbright, in 2014.
Since then the question of who owned the hoard has remained a mystery.
A number of theories have been put forward, with some suggesting it might have been buried by four owners, based on four arm rings inscribed with Anglo-Saxon runes.
Three of the inscriptions feature Old English name elements, but the fourth and longest inscription has confounded experts, and remained undeciphered as there was no recognisable direct translation.
However researchers at National Museums Scotland (NMS) who have been studying the hoard have proposed a new translation for the fourth inscription: “This is the community’s wealth/property.”
Martin Goldberg, at NMS, said the translation marked a “significant development in our understanding of the Galloway Hoard”.
“The idea that the wealth this hoard represents would be communally held is fascinating,” he said.
“It does still leave us with unanswered questions around the circumstances in which a community’s wealth would come to be buried, and also which particular community.
“Some material within the hoard, such as the pectoral cross and the rock crystal jar made for a Bishop Hyguald, would support this being a religious community.”
The breakthrough came when researchers realised that the runic inscription carved inside the curved half of the arm ring, reading DIS IS IIGNA F, might be “technically ‘wrong'”.
The main issue, they said, was the word “IIGNAF”, which did not correspond to any language spoken in early medieval Britain or Ireland.
The discovery that the final rune, F, was marked out with puncts, or dots, to either side, indicating it could be understood as the name of the F-rune itself “feoh” (wealth or property), unlocked the new translation.
The researchers said “IIGNA” could then be interpreted as the Old English word “higna” (community) with the first letter spelled in an unusual but comprehensible way.
They added that the word “DIS” also seems to be misspelled – but that it likely means “this”, with the “Th” being pronounced as a “D” as is the case in parts of modern Ireland.
Despite these apparent mistakes, the researchers said the full inscription can therefore be translated as “This is the community’s wealth/property”, adding that the word “higna” is often used elsewhere in Anglo-Saxon documents to indicate a religious community.
Runologist Dr David Parsons, from the University of Wales, who has previously translated other runic inscriptions from the hoard, said the apparent mistakes could be accounted for by “variations” in the way runes were used.
“This is a difficult and unusual inscription, and the proposed translation is challenging,” he said.
“There are a number of things which are technically ‘wrong’ when we compare it with what we know about ‘correct’ runic writing.
“However, if we think about both spoken and written English today, there are a huge range of regional and idiomatic variations and, if we allow for this, then it becomes possible to accept this as a plausible reading.
“And in the context of what (we) can deduce about the Galloway Hoard it becomes really quite compelling.”
The new finding comes at the conclusion of a three-year research project called Unwrapping the Galloway Hoard, which was supported by the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).
Christopher Smith, chairman of the AHRC, said: “It has been fascinating to see the succession of significant discoveries over the life of the Unwrapping the Galloway Hoard project, from the exotic origins of some of its star pieces to the presence of named individuals and now this latest exciting discovery.”
The arm ring will be on display at the South Australian Museum in Adelaide as part of a new international touring exhibition, Treasures Of The Viking Age: The Galloway Hoard, which opens on Saturday.
Further venues for the international tour are set to be announced in due course, as well as plans for the hoard’s future display after the tour’s conclusion, including in Kirkcudbright, near where it was discovered.
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