Learn more about in-home care options for your loved ones

Given the choice, most of us want to stay in our homes. Sometimes, people need help to remain at home. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.

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TESTIMONIALS

“Always Best Care comes in to help my dad a shower at night. When the guy came out to interview, he was really good and helpful, but it was just hard to find someone to help with dad been a little bit bigger and heavier. They like the person that they had come out a couple of times. The caregiver is good.”

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 In-Home Care Hastings, MN

How does In-home Senior Care in Hastings, MN work?

Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it's 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 ages, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.

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 Senior Care Hastings, MN

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.

In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a unfamiliar assisted living community, 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:

Comfort
Comfort

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, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old. With the help of elderly care in Hastings, MN, 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.

Healthy Living
Healthy Living

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.

Independence
Independence

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 an assisted living community. 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.

Cost and Convenience
Cost and Convenience

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 to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, can be 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 in Hastings, MN 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.

Empowers Seniors

Affordable Care Plans

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:

Veteran's Benefits
Veteran's Benefits

Attendance and aid benefits through military service can cover a portion of the costs associated with in-home care for veterans and their spouses.

Long-Term Care Insurance
Long-Term Care Insurance

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.

Private Insurance
Private Insurance

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.

Life Insurance
Life Insurance

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.


Respite Care Hastings, MN

During your Care Plan consultation with Always Best Care, your Care Coordinator will speak with you about in-home care costs and what options there may be to help meet your budget needs.

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 Hastings,MN 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.

 Caregivers Hastings, MN

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 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:

An assessment of your senior loved one

01

An in-depth discussion of the needs of your senior loved one to remain in their own home

02

Reviewing a detailed Care Plan that will meet your senior loved one's needs

03

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.

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.

Latest News in Hastings, MN

Hastings Creamery closes, leaving some dairy farmers without a place to process milk

Updated: 2:15 p.m.A dairy creamery in Hastings, Minn., that’s operated for more than a century has closed.Hastings Creamery was founded in 1913 as a butter manufacturer and began bottling milk in 1920. According to its website, it’s owned by a group of local farmers focused on sustainable farming methods. The creamery also operated a dairy store in Hastings.A person who answered the phone at the creamery on Tuesday confirmed that it’s closed, but did not disclose why.In June, the Metropolitan C...

Updated: 2:15 p.m.

A dairy creamery in Hastings, Minn., that’s operated for more than a century has closed.

Hastings Creamery was founded in 1913 as a butter manufacturer and began bottling milk in 1920. According to its website, it’s owned by a group of local farmers focused on sustainable farming methods. The creamery also operated a dairy store in Hastings.

A person who answered the phone at the creamery on Tuesday confirmed that it’s closed, but did not disclose why.

In June, the Metropolitan Council cut off sewer service to the creamery after it leaked thousands of gallons of milk and cream into the city of Hastings’ sewer system, resulting in several permit violations.

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In a statement, the Met Council said it spent several months working with the creamery, the city of Hastings and the state departments of labor and industry and agriculture to find a solution that supports local milk producers while protecting the community’s water supply.

“The Hastings Creamery is an important asset to the region, and we are committed to partnering on any future resolutions that supports the Creamery and the safety of the Hastings community,” the statement read.

Thom Petersen, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, called the news “disappointing, but not totally unexpected.” He said the aging creamery faced a number of challenges, including the wastewater problems and a tough dairy market.

“It kind of led to the perfect storm for this plant, and a lot of hurdles to overcome,” Petersen said. “We’ve worked really hard the last few months to try to help them get through and try to find solutions. But at a certain point, money and dollars become an issue.”

Lucas Sjostrom, executive director of the Minnesota Milk Producers Association, said the Hastings Creamery bought milk from about 45 producers, mostly in Wisconsin and some in Minnesota.

“That’s going to be the immediate and huge impact,” he said. “Most of us who are dairy farmers can’t imagine waking up and discovering we don’t have a place to ship our milk.”

The farms served by Hastings Creamery represent a tiny fraction of Minnesota’s 1,800 dairy farms, but for them, it’s “extremely devastating,” Sjostrom said.

Market factors also are making the situation more challenging. Overall, the dairy industry is struggling with low prices due to oversupply and decreased demand.

In the past, if a processor shut down, a dairy farm could simply find a new one. But for the last year or so, that’s been nearly impossible due to a shortage of processing capacity, Sjostrom said.

“Our best hope is that this plant gets bought quickly or sold quickly and is up and running fast,” he said.

Petersen said there’s a lot of community support for the plant, which has provided jobs for decades. He said he’s heard from several people interested in trying to restart the plant and from state legislators willing to help.

“We are just hoping and stand ready to try to see what we can do,” Petersen said.

State says children and certain women shouldn’t eat fish from Mississippi near Hastings

Some said the health officials should have acted sooner to warn anglers this summerState health officials announced on Monday that some people should avoid eating fish caught in the Mississippi River from St. Paul to Hastings and from Lake Rebecca — a popular shore fishing lake near Hastings — after 16 types of toxic man made chemicals were found in fish populations.But environmental scientists question whether health officials went far enough with their advisory in light of studies showing that even infrequent co...

Some said the health officials should have acted sooner to warn anglers this summer

State health officials announced on Monday that some people should avoid eating fish caught in the Mississippi River from St. Paul to Hastings and from Lake Rebecca — a popular shore fishing lake near Hastings — after 16 types of toxic man made chemicals were found in fish populations.

But environmental scientists question whether health officials went far enough with their advisory in light of studies showing that even infrequent consumption can increase levels of the chemicals in human blood.

The chemicals, whose staying power in humans and the environment has earned them the nickname “forever chemicals,” are linked to a range of human health problems and were made by corporate giant 3M.

The Minnesota Department of Health said that children under 15; people who are or could become pregnant and people who are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed should avoid eating fish from Lake Rebecca and that stretch of the river.

Dana Vanderbosch, assistant commissioner for water policy and agriculture for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, said the new guidance was prompted by a late June report by 3M that the department is still evaluating as part of a broader investigation.

The report found the fish had 16 types of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a family of chemicals that repel water and oil and remain stable under nearly all conditions.

Maplewood-based 3M has made the chemicals in Minnesota since the 1950s, and they’ve since become ubiquitous, used in a broad array of retail, industrial and technology products from microprocessors to non-stick pans. They’ve spread all over the planet, can be found in the blood of nearly all people and have been linked to low fertility, birth defects, suppression of the immune system, thyroid disease and various cancers. 3M has said it will stop making the chemicals and using them in products by the end of 2025.

Among the chemicals found in fish in the Mississippi River and Lake Rebecca was HQ115, a battery electrolyte that 3M produces and says is widely used as an additive to enhance battery performance. It has been detected in surface and waste waters in and around manufacturing facilities. The EPA recently published a toxicity assessment of the chemical, whose carcinogenicity has not been studied.

A standard doesn’t yet exist for most PFAS found in water and fish, but the number and level of chemicals found in Minnesota prompted the state to update its consumption guidance.

Sarah Fossen Johnson, a manager for the health department’s environmental surveillance and assessment section, said the “sheer number” of chemicals — some of which the department has little to no toxicological data on — is concerning.

“We were quite surprised by what we saw in the data so we felt it was more important to help people reduce their exposures now, while we continue to examine the data that we do have,” she said.

Asked why the state waited until now to alert the public if officials have known since June, Fossen Johnson said officials needed time to review the data and consider a variety of factors, including the health benefits of eating fish. She said the type of PFAS seen in fish generally don’t present immediate health threats, so people won’t get sick from eating a few fish over time. But health officials thought it was important to alert people in “sensitive life stages” so they could begin reducing their exposure.

MDH Assistant Commissioner Dan Huff said the advisory only applies to higher-risk people and is based on long-term exposure, “not the kind of short-term exposure you might have from a few meals.”

Huff said fish are a source of low-fat protein, and the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish may promote heart and overall health, but there can be risks associated with eating certain amounts of fish from some lakes and waterways.

A study by the Environmental Working Group found consuming just a single serving of freshwater fish per year could be equal to a month of drinking water laced with a forever chemical called PFOS at high levels that may be harmful.

3M recently negotiated a $10.3 billion settlement over contaminated U.S. drinking water systems with chemicals it made.

A scientist with the Green Science Policy Institute, Ariana Spentzos, is not part of any of the high-risk groups, but said, “Personally, I wouldn’t eat those fish.”

“That would definitely give me pause,” she said.

She’s also surprised it took the department so long to warn the public.

“One would hope that it would certainly be a lot faster than that,” Spentzos said.

Tasha Stoiber, senior scientist with the Environmental Working Group, said the level of PFAS in fish are “quite high” in that area of the Mississippi River, according to its map of water pollution in streams and rivers nationwide.

Anyone that consumes freshwater fish — especially those with higher levels of PFAS — can be impacted by just one or two meals, Stoiber said.

“This is quite a concern for everyone,” she said. State health officials previously recommended not eating certain types of fish in the lake and river due to PCBs and mercury, which have been detected in fish in Minnesota for decades.

DNR Regional Fisheries Manager Brian Nerbonne said people can still fish at Lake Rebecca and the river if they catch and release the fish.

This year, the Legislature passed what some have called the nation’s broadest limits on the chemicals, banning them from 13 products beginning in 2025, and all products in 2032. The new law requires manufacturers to disclose if the chemicals are in their products beginning in 2026. The Legislature also approved funding for more toxicologists and monitoring and research of the chemicals.

Hastings Co-Op Creamery likely total loss after overnight fire

Fire destroys Hastings creameryA fire started Wednesday at a creamery in Hastings, and residents were told to stay indoors over the co...

Fire destroys Hastings creamery

A fire started Wednesday at a creamery in Hastings, and residents were told to stay indoors over the concerns of possibly harmful chemicals being released from the fire.

HASTINGS, Minn. (FOX 9) - A fire started Wednesday at a creamery in Hastings, and residents were told to stay indoors over the concerns of possibly harmful chemicals being released from the fire.

Officials say the fire started around 10:30 p.m. at a Hastings Co-Op Creamery on the 1700 block of Vermillion Street. The fire quickly grew to a 3-alarm fire, but it has since been contained as of early Thursday morning.

Crews remain on the scene to extinguish hot spots and no injuries have been reported. The building was believed to be vacant at the time of the fire as the business closed in August, but it's likely considered a total loss. However, the biggest concern is the air quality.

Hastings Co-Op Creamery fire aftermath aerials

A fire started Wednesday at a creamery in Hastings, and residents were told to stay indoors over the concerns of possibly harmful chemicals being released from the fire. Officials say the fire started around 10:30 p.m. at a Hastings Co-Op Creamery on the 1700 block of Vermillion Street. The fire quickly grew to a 3-alarm fire, but it has since been contained as of early Thursday morning.

Residents were notified to stay indoors, close windows and air exchange systems due to smoke in the area potentially containing anhydrous ammonia.

There are no known threats to the community due to the fire. Multiple air samples were taken around the community, and they were registering clear of harmful contaminants.

Highway 61 was closed in both directions as crews battled the fire but has since been fully reopened as of 7:40 a.m.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Why did the Hastings Creamery close?

HASTINGS, Minn. -- After 110 years in business, the Hastings Creamery was closed on Aug. 21 for several industrial waste violations."The ongoing release of prohibited materials is putting the wastewater treatment plant in imminent danger and could compromise the health and safety of the Hastings community," said a statement from the Metropolitan Council, the entity that voted for the establishment's closure.According to a Notice of Violation from the Met Council, the creamery had received six notices ...

HASTINGS, Minn. -- After 110 years in business, the Hastings Creamery was closed on Aug. 21 for several industrial waste violations.

"The ongoing release of prohibited materials is putting the wastewater treatment plant in imminent danger and could compromise the health and safety of the Hastings community," said a statement from the Metropolitan Council, the entity that voted for the establishment's closure.

According to a Notice of Violation from the Met Council, the creamery had received six notices of waste violations in seven months. This initially triggered the Met Council to cut off the creamery's access to the Hastings Wastewater Treatment Plant until improper waste discharge was resolved.

This meant that the creamery had to find another way to dispose of the waste their milk processing was producing. The creamery — which was owned by four small farmers — struggled to find a solution for their waste problem, despite working with multiple state agencies, and ended up closing the operation.

Justin Malone, President of Hastings Creamery, confirmed it has ceased operations, citing "no permits from Met Council and the city of Hastings," per text.

However, the impact of the closure may be more far reaching than water contamination.

The creamery worked with farmers all over Minnesota and Wisconsin, processing 150,000 pounds of raw milk everyday. The closure sent these farmers into a scramble to find another manufacturer to send their raw dairy products to for processing.

The economic impact the closure may have on Hastings has been top of mind Sen. Judy Seeberger, who represents the area.

"After being open for 110 years, it's vital to find a path forward for the Creamery to reopen and continue its service to Minnesota farmers and the community," said Seeberger. "The Hastings Creamery is an institution for our community and is essential to processing dairy products from Minnesota farmers. Its closure is not just concerning, but potentially disastrous for our dairy industry."

Later in her statement, Seeberger as said that she was "in discussion with Commissioner Thom Petersen, Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Aric Putnam, and other partners in finding paths forward for the continued operation of the Creamery."

The push to bring the creamery back online may have been detoured even more after a fire broke out at the building on Wednesday night.

At one point, residents were told to take precautions as first responders were unsure if the air quality had been impacted by dangerous chemicals released due to the fire.

RELATED: As fire burns at Hastings Creamery building, residents told to take precautions

However, by approximately 6:45 a.m. on Thursday, all air qualities alerts were cleared. According to WCCO's Pauleen Le, who was at the scene Thursday morning, the area is still struggling with lingering smoke.

NOTE: The original air date for the video attached to this article is June 5, 2023.

WCCO Staff

The WCCO Staff is a group of experienced journalists who bring you the content on WCCO.com.

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Hastings Creamery, more than a century old, closes after milk leak in city's wastewater

Hastings Creamery closed its doors Friday, ending a 110-year run as a vital outlet for Minnesota and Wisconsin dairy farmers, at least for now.The company confirmed the closure Monday without specifying a reason.In June, the Met Council disconnected the creamery from the sewer system after it leaked thousands of gallons of raw milk ...

Hastings Creamery closed its doors Friday, ending a 110-year run as a vital outlet for Minnesota and Wisconsin dairy farmers, at least for now.

The company confirmed the closure Monday without specifying a reason.

In June, the Met Council disconnected the creamery from the sewer system after it leaked thousands of gallons of raw milk and cream into the city's wastewater plant. The creamery had been trucking wastewater to St. Paul while addressing the recurring issues, all while milk prices plummeted to a multi-year low amid excess supply.

Despite new management and some positive inspections this summer, the creamery could not stay afloat.

"I really thought things were looking up, but the cash situation was really tough," said Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. "Hopefully in the next couple of weeks we'll see if a buyer comes forward or if they're able to infuse some cash. It might be a longer-term closure of the plant."

Petersen said the department is working to secure new processors for the dairy farmers the closure has affected.

The Met Council said in a statement Monday the agency has been working with the creamery and other regulators "to find a solution that supports local milk producers while protecting the community water supply."

"The Hastings Creamery is an important asset to the region, and we are committed to partnering on any future resolutions that support the creamery and the safety of the Hastings community," the Met Council said.

Hastings Creamery opened in 1913 as a butter manufacturer at a time when Minnesota was becoming the nation's leading butter producer. The current milk plant, built in 1955, was capable of processing 150,000 pounds of milk a day.

In 2021, a group of small organic dairy farmers bought the creamery "to secure a direct way to market their milk while ensuring that their family farms can transition into the hands of the next generation," according to the company.

The creamery opened a new Dairy Store in Hastings in 2022 across the street from the longtime location of the community staple.

"Everybody loves the milk that comes out of the creamery and the shakes that come out of the store," creamery co-owner Justin Malone told Dairy Star last year. "Which is important because we really need Hastings and the surrounding communities to support us."

The creamery bought milk from several dozen farms across Minnesota and Wisconsin, which might have trouble finding new buyers given the current oversupply of milk.

"It's the hardest thing I do right now," Petersen said of the plight of the state's dairy farmers. "I've taken some tough calls."

As for the creamery, "I do think there's opportunity there," he said. "But if a new owner comes in, it's not as easy as flipping a switch."

Karen Altpeter of Prescott, Wis., said she had assumed Hastings Creamery had solved its problems since she had been buying "good milk on our weekly trips to the Dairy Store."

"We are saddened for a longtime business, the relatively new owners, the employees and more importantly all the farmers that now need to scramble to find an outlet for their milk," she said. "Tough times for all involved."

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