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Taking care of your Loved One Is What We Do BEST!

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

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Home Care In Saint George, UT

Home Care Saint George, UT

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 Brigham and Amelia Young Home 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 Saint George, UT is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.

 In-Home Care Saint George, UT

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The Always Best Care Difference

Since 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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TESTIMONIALS

“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”

Emily W.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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!”

Kaylee N.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Judy R.
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TESTIMONIALS

“They were wonderful watching my husband why I had to work stayed right with him so he didn’t fall”

Susan T.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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!”

Rachel J.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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!”

Frenchy
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TESTIMONIALS

“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!”

Cass C.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

shawn P.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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”

Haley S.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Great staff. Working around my schedule and always there when I need them.”

timeshare T.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Melissa M.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Anais G.
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TESTIMONIALS

“They really care about their clients and staff, fast turnaround and superb care”

St. G.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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!!”

Melissa H.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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!!!”

Katy S.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Anja K.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Great place to work. They are very helpful and also fast to respond to any questions that I have. Thank you ABC!”

Frances L.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Amy N.
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“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!!????”

M S.
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TESTIMONIALS

“The caregivers and staff at Always Best Care of St George are top notch. I highly recommend them for in home senior care services!”

Carrie W.
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TESTIMONIALS

“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.”

Amy N.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Friendly and knowledgeable staff!”

David E.

What is Non-Medical Senior Care in Saint George, UT?

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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.

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When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.

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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.

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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.

 Senior Care Saint George, UT

Types of Elderly Care in Saint George, UT

To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:

Personal Care

Personal 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:

  • Eating
  • Mobility Issues
  • Incontinence
  • Bathing
  • Dressing
  • Grooming

Respite Care Saint George, UT
Home Helper

Home Helper Services

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:

  • Medication Reminders
  • Meal Preparation
  • Pet Care
  • Prescription Refills
  • Morning Wake-Up
  • Walking
  • Reading
 Caregivers Saint George, UT
Companionship Services

Companionship Services

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 Pioneer Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.

Common companionship services include:

  • Grocery Shopping
  • Transportation to Appointments
  • Nutritional Assistance
  • Conversation
  • Planning Outings
  • Completing Errands
  • Transportation to Community
  • Events and Social Outings
Home Care Saint George, UT
Respite Care

Respite Care Services

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 Cliffside Restaurant or visit Ancestor Square, 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.

 In-Home Care Saint George, UT

Benefits of Home Care in Saint George, UT

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:

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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Aging in Place: The Preferred Choice for Most Seniors

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.

Here are just a few of the reasons why older men and women prefer to age at home:

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 Saint George, 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.

 Elderly Care Saint George, UT

Affordable 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:

If your loved one qualifies, Medicaid may help reduce in-home care costs. Review your UT's Medicaid program laws and benefits, and make sure your senior's financial and medical needs meet Medicaid eligibility requirements.
Attendance and aid benefits through military service can cover a portion of the costs associated with in-home care for veterans and their spouses.
Many senior care services like in-home care are included in long-term care insurance options. Research different long-term care solutions to find a plan that provides coverage for senior care.
Home care can be included as part of a senior's private insurance plan. Read over your loved one's insurance policy carefully or speak with their insurance provider to determine if in-home care is covered.
Depending on the life insurance plan, you may be able to apply your policy toward long-term care. You may be able to use long-term-care coverage to help pay for in-home elderly care.
 Senior Care Saint George, UT

Compassionate Care. Trusted Caregivers.

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 Saint George, 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.

Assisted Living Referral Services

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.


Respite Care Saint George, UT

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:

  • Housekeeping
  • Laundry
  • Recreational Activities
  • Social Outings
  • Emergency Medical Response
  • Medication Monitoring
  • Family Visitation
  • Personal Care
 Caregivers Saint George, UT

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:

  • Spring Gardens Senior Living St George
  • Ridgeview Gardens Assisted Living
  • Sterling Court An Elegant Assisted Living Community in Southern Utah
  • Southgate Assisted Senior Living
  • Beehive Homes of St George River Road Little Valley
  • The Meadows at Escalante
Home Care Saint George, UT

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.

 In-Home Care Saint George, UT

Taking the First Step with Always Best Care

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

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A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive

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Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider

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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 Saint George, 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.

 Elderly Care Saint George, UT

Latest News in Saint George, UT

New public bus route connects St. George to Zion National Park

Posted ST. GEORGE, Utah — In the planning stages for nearly 15 years, the first public bus from St. George to Zion National Park departed Friday morning. Other than Sundays, it will operate for the foreseeable future.Of all the people on one of the first busses out of St. George, Megan Sweidan had been on one of the longest journeys, going nonstop from Melbourne, Australia.“ I've taken a bus from San Diego to Zion, like all through buses,” Sweidan said.” I think it's amazing in such a big country...

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ST. GEORGE, Utah — In the planning stages for nearly 15 years, the first public bus from St. George to Zion National Park departed Friday morning. Other than Sundays, it will operate for the foreseeable future.

Of all the people on one of the first busses out of St. George, Megan Sweidan had been on one of the longest journeys, going nonstop from Melbourne, Australia.

“ I've taken a bus from San Diego to Zion, like all through buses,” Sweidan said.” I think it's amazing in such a big country.”

It takes an hour and 25 minutes for the Suntrans bus to go from St. George to Zion and vice versa, with seven stops in between that include the Red Cliffs Mall, Hurricane and Virgin before arriving at the Zion shuttle stop in Springdale.

As a transit service, Suntrans pales compared to the Utah Transit Authority in Salt Lake City with the Zion line being the eighth bus route.

And the scheduled July opening was delayed four months when it took time to hire enough drivers.

Cameron Cutler, the public works director for St. George, said there are two specific groups that will be served by the bus.

“ Workers, employees that live either in Hurricane, St. George, Washington, Virgin that work in Springdale,” Cutler said. “Visitors, we get millions of visitors at Zion National Park every year.

And this is an option where they can stay in St. George, Washington, Hurricane, in hotels. They can take this bus and go to Zion National Park and not have to worry about a vehicle, not have to worry about parking at the park.

Barbara Bruno, Springdale’s mayor, had her husband drive her into St. George just so she could be on one of those first buses.

“We have a lot of traffic that goes through the town of Springdale and does not stop and patronize our businesses,” Bruno said. “They're going to Zion National Park. So any cars that we can get off the road that allow traffic flow more freely through our town is always a win.”

There are also people who live in St. George who don’t often go to the national park in their backyard. Especially driving there only to find no parking.

“You don't have to drive. Don't have to worry about those crazy people on the road,” said St. George resident Tanisha Lee..” No road rage allowed, OK? Yeah, just sit back and relax.”

The project was funded by a $15 million grant from the Utah Department of Transportation and a sales tax in Washington County. $9 million of that funded a new maintenance facility and five new buses.

It is just one of those projects that came together because people work together to make it right,” UDOT Commission Chair Naghi Zeenati said. “UDOT's goal is to make every community accessible to the transit system, make roads drivable, move people from corner to corner and connect all the communities. So to UDOT it's important to have all the communities connected.”

“You know savvy travelers travel smart, find the cheapest, most efficient route,” Sweidan said. “Not maybe most efficient, like even if it takes double the time if you're spending half the price.”

A disabled woman who at a spur of the moment decided to do something she's never been able to do because she can't drive on her own. Come out and see the beauty of this place.

Cutler said the future of the St. George to Zion shuttle will come down to how popular it is.

“We've estimated low and high in the 50,000 a year up to 300,000 a year. It just totally depends on how well it's used, how easy it is to jump on and off,” Cutler said. “The amount of routes that we have scheduled today are 10 routes a day, 10 round trips. If it gets used a lot more, we will add more.”

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New paved trail is a welcome sight for St. George residents

Posted and last updated ST. GEORGE, Utah — A new paved trail goes from one side of St. George to the other.It will be a road of fun for cyclists, skaters, scooter riders and runners — but it's a necessity for others.Shirlee Draper was on hand Tuesday to take in the dedication of the south extension of the Virgin River Trail at the Crosby Family Confluence Park. Her disabled adult children can’t drive, making biking their main mode of transportation.“I have two special needs kids. My...

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and last updated

ST. GEORGE, Utah — A new paved trail goes from one side of St. George to the other.

It will be a road of fun for cyclists, skaters, scooter riders and runners — but it's a necessity for others.

Shirlee Draper was on hand Tuesday to take in the dedication of the south extension of the Virgin River Trail at the Crosby Family Confluence Park. Her disabled adult children can’t drive, making biking their main mode of transportation.

“I have two special needs kids. My oldest, John, has autism, and he is employed at the All Abilities Park here in St. George,” Draper said. “He is able to ride his bike all the way from my house to the park where he works. And then I have a daughter, Angel, she has cerebral palsy. She can't ride a bike or drive, and so she gets to come for rides with us in her adult-sized trailer. E-bikes are the great equalizer."

Connecting to the Virgin River North Trail and following the Old Spanish Trail, it’s now possible to go on foot or human-powered wheels from Sun River at the Arizona border to the northern limits of St. George while barely having to cross a street.

Draper lives in the Bloomington neighborhood of St. George. But she and others were touting how it will now be faster for them to bike ride to the Bloomington Walmart than drive.

“We're about a mile and a half from Walmart by the roads, but by the trail system, I think we're about three-quarters of a mile from Walmart,” Draper said. “And so we're able to hop on our bikes and run over to Walmart, have a good time in the process.”

There are now 72 miles of paved trails in St. George, exceeding Salt Lake City for the most in the state and third behind Henderson, Nevada and Los Angeles for the most in the Southwest.

Along with being a member of the St. George City Council, Dannielle Larkin has led the Southern Utah Bicycle Alliance, which has been long seeking such routes throughout Greater Zion.

“If we just keep widening our roads and we don't have other options besides driving cars, we will become an auto-centric nightmare like Los Angeles. It's the only option,” Larkin said “If we have other options that people can use, other modalities that people can use, then we don't have to keep widening our roads.”

The end result, Larking said, will be fewer cars on the road, meaning less need for costly widening and maintenance and ultimately saving the taxpayers' money. Larkin also mentioned that there are some who just can’t use a car for transportation. And that’s not just those with few economic means. It’s also the elderly and disabled like the Draper offspring.

“Opening up the opportunity for people to get out and be more active really increases the overall health in a community,” Draper said. “But opening up the ability for everyone, regardless of their abilities, to go out and enjoy nature and do it in a way that's completely accessible to all of the neighborhoods, Just the sheer amount of miles that the trail system covers here in St. George is mind-blowing."

Larkin added that the master plan is to work with neighboring communities to ultimately have paved trails continue on through Washington City, to Hurricane, and ultimately all the way to Zion National Park.

That’s music to the ears of 90-year-old biker Clarke Lium, who has clocked 7,000 miles on the three-wheel tricycle he calls his Mustang.

“For me, it's every day. I enjoy it,” said Lium, who has been trailing around on his bikes for 10 years. “I like being outside. I've always enjoyed being outside. I used to ski a lot. I do a lot of fly fishing, but now this is my thing.”

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kickoff to Christmas in St George utah

It's time again for Cat Country's Kickoff to Christmas with The City Of St George!I love this event every year. I had an idea years ago to sing Silent Night with a big crowd at Town Square in St George so I went to then Support Services Direc...

It's time again for Cat Country's Kickoff to Christmas with The City Of St George!

I love this event every year. I had an idea years ago to sing Silent Night with a big crowd at Town Square in St George so I went to then Support Services Director Marc Mortensen and pitched the idea and he made the partnership happen!

Now every year we have performances, caroling, hot chocolate and SANTA! It has been so fun to watch this grow and we are going to get even bigger and better. We have plans baby.

This year we are flipping the area where the performances will happen. The show will still go on at St George City Town Square but on the east side of the tower. We will also flip on the lights at the beginning of the program. I will start everyone singing Silent Night and them the Mayor and city counsel members will do the count down. We have Legacy Elementary, Dixie Middle and Ever After Events all performing this year and an Ugly Sweater Contest ( text Ugly to 435-674-7014 ) where you can win a pair of 2025 Tuacahn Season Passes!!!

Show up for FREE Hot Chocolate and Cookies courtesy of Hedgehog Electric and enjoy a night full of lights, treats and live performances for the family, and don't forget SANTA will be there!

Here's the Wrap Up: Come see the Christmas lights turn on at about 6:05pm, Enjoy FREE hot chocolate and cookies courtesy of @Hedghog Electric while supplies last, listen to musical performances from local schools, meet princesses Anna, Elsa, Kristoff & Olaf, enter to win the Ugly Sweater Contest for a chance to win a pair of 2025 season passes to Tuacahn and... meet Santa Claus at about 6:45pm!

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