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 Crystal Ball Cave 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 Garrison, UT 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.
“Emily and I (Nolan) are very grateful you all gave us the opportunity to work”
“I have used this company for a few of my residents. They take such good”
“I can’t say enough about Always Best Care. Henry and his staff was there from”
“They were wonderful watching my husband why I had to work stayed right with him”
“I work with Always Best Care and it's been an amazing experience for me. I”
“Amazing staff! I am so glad to have found Always Best Care, it is a”
“I’m so glad we found Always Best Care to help our family take care of”
“I have used the services of Always Best Care since Sept. 2021. I have been”
“Always Best Care is amazing! All of the caregivers are professional and provide the best”
“Great staff. Working around my schedule and always there when I need them.”
“Always best care has the most genuine team I’ve ever seen. They go above and”
“Always best care has the most genuine team I’ve ever seen. They go above and”
“They really care about their clients and staff, fast turnaround and superb care”
“The owners and staff at Always Best Care are so professional and friendly! With aging”
“The staff are exceptional and truly have their patients best interest in mind. Grateful to”
“Always Best Care Senior Services have organized and caring faculty and staff. They genuinely care”
“Great place to work. They are very helpful and also fast to respond to any”
“I'm so happy to have Always Best Care as a resource for us when we”
“Great to work with, caring, compassionate and willing to work with different situations! They take”
“The caregivers and staff at Always Best Care of St George are top notch. I”
“I'm so happy to have Always Best Care as a resource for us when we”
“Friendly and knowledgeable staff!”
“Emily and I (Nolan) are very grateful you all gave us the opportunity to work here. We had excellent experiences with management, caregivers, and our clients. We are thankful for your patience with our schedules and experience. We have learned a lot from being here, and we hope that our experiences from being here can be for our future benefit. We’d recommend working at ABC to our friends because of the great experiences we’ve had her. Emily and Nolan”
“I have used this company for a few of my residents. They take such good care of their clients and do such a good job at taking the time with each and every one of them. They go above and beyond for their clients. I’d definitely recommend them!”
“I can’t say enough about Always Best Care. Henry and his staff was there from the start to help me find a sitter. I was in a position where I needed immediate help and they came through. His staff was caring and responsible. They helped me through a very difficult time.”
“They were wonderful watching my husband why I had to work stayed right with him so he didn’t fall”
“I work with Always Best Care and it's been an amazing experience for me. I have learned so much about not only our patients we help, but the compassionate hard working people that are behind it all. I'm so grateful to work with such a caring, kind and helpful company they really do treat you like family❤. Not only are they giving back each day to patients who need them they are kind and caring to their employees as well. I love working for this company!”
“Amazing staff! I am so glad to have found Always Best Care, it is a blessing. I live 300 miles away from my elderly parents and cannot always travel, it’s comforting to know that my parents are in great hands and that I don’t have to worry about them. The staff is well trained and the management goes above and beyond to meet your needs. I think of them as angels in disguise!”
“I’m so glad we found Always Best Care to help our family take care of my grandpa! They have been amazing to work with. It’s such a relief to find a company that has open communication and cares about their clients and the clients family, too!”
“I have used the services of Always Best Care since Sept. 2021. I have been very pleased with the attentive care they have given my husband. They have been flexible, accommodating, and gone the extra mile helping with my husband's needs. As an example, I was away for the day and I was called by the caregiver that my husband was not doing well. I came home and we decided to take him to the emergency room. The caregiver came with us and stayed at the hospital for hours. He was released with the medication he needed for his recovery and she helped bring him home and get him settled before she left. This was way into the night and passed her normal working hours. One of my requests before hiring on a Senior Service was that the caregivers enjoyed their job and enjoyed working with challenging patients. I use their service six days a week and every caregiver has been kind, compassionate, and hard working. I really have been pleased.”
“Always Best Care is amazing! All of the caregivers are professional and provide the best care. I have tried multiple different agencies in the area for help with my grandmother and none have been as attentive and helpful as ABC”
“Great staff. Working around my schedule and always there when I need them.”
“Always best care has the most genuine team I’ve ever seen. They go above and beyond providing amazing care for the elderly with the help of trustworthy caregivers! They work as a team which makes the environment of there company so unique. Thank you always best care you have been amazing.”
“Always best care has the most genuine team I’ve ever seen. They go above and beyond providing amazing care for the elderly with the help of trustworthy caregivers! They work as a team which makes the environment of there company so unique. Thank you always best care you have been amazing.”
“They really care about their clients and staff, fast turnaround and superb care”
“The owners and staff at Always Best Care are so professional and friendly! With aging parents, it’s so nice to have the staff here to step in and help with caring for them. They are able to set everything up so quickly and provide the care when we need it! We are so happy we found out about them!!”
“The staff are exceptional and truly have their patients best interest in mind. Grateful to have found a company that will care for my loved ones in a way I would myself. Thank you!!!”
“Always Best Care Senior Services have organized and caring faculty and staff. They genuinely care for their clients and want to help them in the best way possible. We are so happy with the services they provide.”
“Great place to work. They are very helpful and also fast to respond to any questions that I have. Thank you ABC!”
“I'm so happy to have Always Best Care as a resource for us when we need more help with our aging parents. The office staff and owners are very professional and kind and they seem to be extremely careful in hiring staff that reflect the same values. I feel safe in trusting the caregivers. It's a huge relief to know that we have someone else who can help fill in when we can't be there or our parents just need more help than we can give.”
“Great to work with, caring, compassionate and willing to work with different situations! They take time to understand needs to accommodate the best way to help! They are trustworthy, dependable and a business you can count on!!????”
“The caregivers and staff at Always Best Care of St George are top notch. I highly recommend them for in home senior care services!”
“I'm so happy to have Always Best Care as a resource for us when we need more help with our aging parents. The office staff and owners are very professional and kind and they seem to be extremely careful in hiring staff that reflect the same values. I feel safe in trusting the caregivers. It's a huge relief to know that we have someone else who can help fill in when we can't be there or our parents just need more help than we can give.”
“Friendly and knowledgeable staff!”
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 Castle Rock 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 Spotlite Cafe or visit Site of First Log House in the Deer Lodge Valley, 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 Garrison, UT, 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 Garrison, UT 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 Garrison, UT 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.
Trails: Hickman Bridge Trail and Grand Wash Trail Location: Capitol Reef National Park Difficulty: Both easy with some steep sections on Hickman Bridge Trail Distance: Hickman Bridge Trail, two miles round trip; Grand Wash Trail, 4.5 miles round trip Average hiking time: Hickman Bridge Trail, about 1.5 hours; Grand Wash Trail, about two to 2.5 hours Kid-Friendly? Yes, for both hikesEncompassing nearly a quarter-million acres, Capitol ...
Trails: Hickman Bridge Trail and Grand Wash Trail Location: Capitol Reef National Park Difficulty: Both easy with some steep sections on Hickman Bridge Trail Distance: Hickman Bridge Trail, two miles round trip; Grand Wash Trail, 4.5 miles round trip Average hiking time: Hickman Bridge Trail, about 1.5 hours; Grand Wash Trail, about two to 2.5 hours Kid-Friendly? Yes, for both hikes
Encompassing nearly a quarter-million acres, Capitol Reef National Park is one of the least crowded of Utah’s five national parks. Capitol Reef features colorful cliffs, massive domes, serpentine canyons, miles of Slickrock wilderness, and a 100-mile bulge in the Earth’s crust. The western park entrance is about 220 miles from St. George. This is the first visit for my wife Deb and I to this relatively unheralded national park.
For our first exploration of Capitol Reef, we chose two easy hikes representative of the entire area. The first, Hickman Bridge Trail, features a massive arch with a 133-foot span. The second, Grand Wash, is a 4.5-mile round trip through a spectacular, deep canyon.
The Capitol Reef area has been a homeland to people for thousands of years. Archaic hunters and gatherers migrated through the canyons. Fremont culture solidified around 500 CE, from food foraging groups to farmers of corn, beans, and squash. Petroglyphs etched in rock walls and painted pictographs remain as sacred remnants of the ancient Indians’ saga.
We left St. George and headed north on Interstate 15. About 117 miles later (the actual mileage depends upon your exact starting point), we took Exit 132 near Sulphurdale onto Interstate 70/Highway 89 going east. We stayed on Interstate 70 for 36 miles and got off via Exit 37 near Richfield. We went about one mile east on 1300 S and then turned left (north) onto Main Street.
We proceeded approximately two miles and turned right (east) onto 300 North, which becomes Highway 119. After nine miles, we turned right (south) onto Highway 24. Highway 24 is a scenic route, and much of it runs between two separate sections of Fishlake National Forest. Another 51 miles and we reached Torrey, just outside the western entrance to the park.
We entered the park for our first hike, Hickman Bridge Trail. There is a $20 park entrance fee per vehicle. We have a senior pass: Pay $80 once upon reaching the age of 62 and you can enter any national park forever for no additional fee. For all outdoor-loving younger folks reading this, reaching 62 does have its benefits.
After arriving at the park, we stayed on Highway 24 (going east) and stopped at the visitors’ center. Back on Highway 24 heading east and about two miles past the visitors’ center is a parking area on the left (north) side of the road — the signed Hickman Bridge Trailhead, elevation 5,340 feet. The parking area is large, and toilets are available. The trail parallels the Fremont River for less than a quarter of a mile, then turns north up a steep hillside. The overall elevation gain for this hike is 400 feet, and most of it is climbing this section. We entered an open area, then down into a shallow, rocky canyon. Hickman Bridge is about half a mile up the canyon.
The setting is quite impressive because the orangeish 133-foot span arch is above most of its surroundings. The canyon is mostly eroded rock formations in various colors. We explored the arch and surrounding area for a while and headed back.
Hickman Bridge Trail, an easy two-mile roundtrip hike along a sometimes-rocky trail, took us about 90 minutes at a leisurely pace with many photo stops.
We spent the night in Torrey and headed for Grand Wash Trail the next morning. This time, we took the right fork, Scenic Drive (heading south), near the visitors’ center. About 3.1 miles past the visitors’ center, we came to a signed dirt road on the left (east). The 1.2-mile dirt road leading to the trailhead is decent (low-slung vehicles beware of the ruts) and twists through an open canyon to a parking area with pit toilets.
The trailhead elevation is 5,378 feet. There is a 200-foot elevation change during the hike, but spread out over more than two miles, it is hardly noticeable.
We began on a maintained trail following the north (left) side of the wash and stayed on the main trail, which soon merged with the rock-filled streambed. The mostly white-and-orange sandstone canyon walls soon rose to around 500 feet as we navigated several sweeping bends. Approximately 1.3 miles in, we entered the “narrows” section of the canyon. At its most confined point, the canyon constricts to about 20 feet across. It’s quite impressive looking up the massive walls in a slot canyon. The final half mile gradually opened as the wash ended at the Fremont River. It took a little more than two hours to complete the easy 4.5-mile round trip through Grand Wash.
While other Utah national parks receive more visitors and press coverage, don’t assume that Capitol Reef is something to bypass. Its grandeur is comparable to the queen of Utah’s national parks, Zion National Park, and worth a visit with its many trails, varied and spectacular landscape, and some visitors — but sans massive crowds.
Annelise Garrison: The University of Texas’s turtle pond has been students’ favorite study spot since the 1930s and is currently being used to conduct research on its inhabitants. The pond was built at the same time as the tower then becoming a memorial in 2004. However, it was not used for research until recently and today we are going to dive into what exactly that research is.I interviewed the three team leaders of the Turtle Pond Project, Anastasia Kuzmina ( whom you might hear her peer leaders refer to as &ldqu...
Annelise Garrison: The University of Texas’s turtle pond has been students’ favorite study spot since the 1930s and is currently being used to conduct research on its inhabitants. The pond was built at the same time as the tower then becoming a memorial in 2004. However, it was not used for research until recently and today we are going to dive into what exactly that research is.
I interviewed the three team leaders of the Turtle Pond Project, Anastasia Kuzmina ( whom you might hear her peer leaders refer to as “Ani” during their interviews), Meredith Winfield, and Colby Seitze and am excited to offer you a deeper insight and a little bit of the behind the scenes work of the research being conducted on the pond.
Meredith Windfield: So its Meredith Winfield.
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Anastasia Kuzmina: So my name is Anastasia Kuzmina.
Colby Seitze: Yeah so I’m Colby Seitze.
Garrison: The turtle pond, though small in size, hosts over one hundred turtles and requires multiple teams to run effective research. I am honored to have these three research leaders share more with us today.
Garrison: And tell me if I’m understanding this correctly. Are there three teams?
Seitze: Yeah, there’s, there’s three of us. We’re in charge of different things. So Meredith is in charge of DNA extractions we get from the samples. Ani is in charge of actually getting the samples. And usually I’ll go down and help her out too. I’m in charge of going in and entering all the data.
Garrison: Colby talks about how there are three different groups that do research, but makes it out to be a team effort. Even though the tasks are delegated it sounds not only do the members share them but they want to share them. So what fuels this passion? Meredith shares a little bit on how the sense of familiarity guided her to today.
Windfield: When I was a kid, my brother and I, we had these turtles that would always eat our fish, and we were like I kinda hate this. So, we would catch them, put them in a literal Home Depot bucket, and throw them in our neighbor’s pond. So, hopefully they never listen to any of this. But, yeah, that’s how I already knew, kind of, how to handle turtles. So, yeah, this will be fun. And now l’ve been doing it for over a year and now I’m one of the team leaders, so.
Garrison: Colby tells me something similar about how familiarity and some sort of exposure guiding him.
Seitze: always loved biology. I actually didn’t start out as biology. I started as, um, biochem, but I’ve always really liked turtles. I had turtles growing up, and especially coming here, I’ve really grown fond of, you know, herps, amphibians or reptiles.
Garrison: Anastasia, whose colleagues refer to her as “Ani” in this podcast describes the root of her passion deriving from her parents…
Kuzmina: My dad worked at the CDC for forever doing zoonotic diseases. So it sort of came naturally to me.
Garrison: So we know that the turtle pond is being targeted by these researchers, but what is the turtle pond project really about? I asked Anastasia And Colby to summarize it for me and they were happy to explain…
Kuzmina: So the Turtle Pond Project, um, it started as a way to sort of just have a research project for ecology, evolution, behavior students and sort of make the Turtle Pond a living lab.
Since everyone says, oh yeah, it should be used for research, it’s being used for research when it wasn’t. So, it was initially just a project sort of making the Turtle Pond a living lab. What we do is we study the turtle microbiomes, they’re microbial communities on, you know, their bodies.
Seitze: We’re studying not just the turtles, but the microbiome that’s inside of them. So the bacteria that is inside of them and on them and in the environment. And the reason why we want to do that is because it’s actually a really useful indicator for the overall health of the ecosystem in the turtle pond. And we’re also measuring how it changes within the turtle pond. So we’re trying to figure out how it’s affecting their health and the overall health of the environment of the turtle pond as well.
Garrison: I questioned Meredith on the current state of the research.
Winfield: We’re presenting at, the undergrad research seminar, it’s where a lot of FRI people do their presentations, and so now I’m working on an abstract for that as well. And we have some preliminary results, so hopefully we’ll look at those soon. And it’s just analyzing that, talking to Havard, and Mary Angel, she’s the, um, PhD student also working with us, and she kind of helps us interpret what we’re getting back data wise.
Garrison: With all the research that the students do, and the amount of time spent by students and staff at the turtle pond, I assumed there would be an up keep team or somebody in charge of maintaining the cleanliness of the pond, especially for the Turtle Pond Project. Upon asking Meredith this I was proven wrong.
Garrison: So the Turtle Pond it’s really important to y’all obviously and obviously the culture surrounding UT, everyone likes to go there. What is the upkeep? Is there a team or a group of students maintaining the upkeep? Does it even need any upkeep?
Windfield: I don’t think there needs to be. I mean lakes and ponds dont need new water. Which I mean thankfully we did get it refilled so it’s a lot clearer and you can see all the turtles while they’re swimming. I mean maybe it might be different because it’s a concrete pond. But no i really dont think there’s any upkeep on it, and i mean for that i mean it looks great.
Garrison: As I mentioned before the UT Turtle pond is a popular study spot for students, but I was interested if it was strictly viewed as the living lab it is to the researchers or if they also thought it served a deeper emotional role for the university.
Garrison: So do you think the turtle pond in general adds to any culture at UT?
Kuzmina: For sure i think its a big part of UT life just because its right there, its a landmark. I know people go hangout and study there all the time. I always see people coming up and you know just watching the turtles you know taking pictures of them yup people enjoy the turtles love to see them. You know, just cute little critters swimming around.So yeah I think it’s a big part of UT culture all the tours, all the tourists just saying “this is a big part of UT” so yeah I just think its kind of sort of a little landmark at UT.
Garrison: This turtle pond is enriched with culture because of its newfound and impressive duality of serving as a living lab and a memorial. The important question is what is its future now?
Seitze: Um, I think right now the future is just It’s continuing to monitor how things change over time, and also I think this project is a really good way to get involved with people with research because it’s very, it’s very, it’s not as high commitment as other research projects here on campus, but I think it’s a lot of fun. So I think the future is just hopefully we get bigger and we get more people so we can come out and sample more turtles.
Garrison: For those of us who do have connections to the Turtles but aren’t entirely involved in the whole background and research part of it, is there a way that they can be?
Kuzmina: Yeah, so the Turtle Pond, so this project always, um, is accepting new people. Um, we definitely have a lot of people with, no research experience at all joining the project all the time, especially now that it’s sort of out on news outlets. Um, so, I think the best way to do that is just to contact Dr. Havard at j havard at utexas dot edu and sort of just contact him and just, I guess, express interest. Hey, I heard about this Turtle Pond Project, stuff on the news, you know.
Garrison: Okay, I have to ask, do you name the turtles? or how do you like-
Windfield: There’s one ginormous one he’s, so old you can just tell. Um, we call him Grandpa. Hes so heavy though. And like, I feel bad putting him on the scale because I’m kind of I’m like, Oh, sorry.
Garrison: You’re perfect just the way you are!
Garrison: This was a production of The Daily Texan Audio Department. If you liked this episode, make sure you subscribe to The Daily Texan Audio on your streaming platform of choice and follow us on Twitter @texanaudio. This episode was reported and edited by me, Annelise Garrison Music by Blue Dot Sessions. Cover credits go to Alex Luevano and Madison Tran, Thank you for listening!
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