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 Howard Lake, MN

How does In-home Senior Care in Howard Lake, 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 Howard Lake, 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 Howard Lake, 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 Howard Lake, 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 Howard Lake, 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 Howard Lake,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 Howard Lake, 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 Howard Lake, MN

Howard Lake to get Minnesota’s first net-zero library

Energy usage has long informed the design of libraries in Howard Lake, a Wright County city of 2,125 residents. But the design approach has changed dramatically in the last four decades as illustrated by the current and future libraries in the city.A new 7,000-square-foot library under construction in Howard Lake’s Central Park will generate as much or more energy on site as it consumes, according to BKV Group, the building’s designer. The Minneapolis-based design firm says it will be the first net-zero library in the Uppe...

Energy usage has long informed the design of libraries in Howard Lake, a Wright County city of 2,125 residents. But the design approach has changed dramatically in the last four decades as illustrated by the current and future libraries in the city.

A new 7,000-square-foot library under construction in Howard Lake’s Central Park will generate as much or more energy on site as it consumes, according to BKV Group, the building’s designer. The Minneapolis-based design firm says it will be the first net-zero library in the Upper Midwest and one of a handful in the country. When the library opens next year, it will replace an outdated, 44-year-old library built in a hillside — a trendy response at the time to the 1970s energy crisis.

The 1970s design was valid in the sense that it insulated the building well. But with little natural light coming in, it also turned the building into a “bunker,” said Susan Morgan, BKV Group’s library design leader.

“With the technology we have today, we are hyper-insulating our envelope and we can do that above the ground. We’re achieving the same outcome. It’s the same as any good Minnesotan putting on their winter coat. It’s 30 below and you’re toasty inside,” Morgan said.

A project team that includes BKV Group, Contegrity Group Inc., of Little Falls (construction manager) and Minneapolis-based Precipitate (net-zero consultant) recently broke ground on the new library. The city of Howard Lake will operate the library, which will offer collection areas for adults, teens and children, reservable study rooms, a community room, and children’s programming areas.

Funding sources for the $5.7 million project include loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development, a grant from the Minnesota Department of Education, and cash from the city, according to city documents.

“Candidly, the mission was to build a new library facility and not necessarily build a net-zero library,” Nick Haggenmiller, Howard Lake’s city administrator, said in an email. “That said, Howard Lake is small and rural and with that comes smaller and tighter budgets. We knew we had to be as creative with financing and as aggressive as possible with seeking outside funds to support the project.”

Haggenmiller said the city received a $730,000 Minnesota Department of Education grant toward construction costs. The grant requires the city to follow state “B3” guidelines that include enhanced requirements for energy savings and renewable energy.

“Our design team realized the difference between adhering to B3 guidelines and fully obtaining the net-zero distinction was possible due to our design and site characteristics,” Haggenmiller said. “As the mayor and city council learned more about the various options forward, the idea of sustainability became one that was logical in terms of the long-term operational costs of the facility as well as the right thing to do in terms of sustainability.”

The new library is well under construction at the corner of Eighth Avenue and Ninth Street. The footings and foundation are in, interior rough-ins are complete, structural steel is up, and the first slab-on-grade is going in Friday morning, said Pete Filippi, project manager for Contegrity Group.

Filippi said government clients account for about 95% of Contegrity Group’s workload. Though Contegrity has done numerous projects that follow the state’s B3 (Buildings, Benchmarks and Beyond) guidelines for sustainability, the Howard Lake library is the company’s first net-zero project.

“For the most part, it’s just a little more awareness of the building envelopes, the products that are selected, along with the insulation values. A lot of high-performance materials are going in with regard to the glass, insulation thicknesses and the building envelope,” Filippi said in an interview.

“It is a 7,000-square-foot library, but it’s a pretty complex and compact building. I think it’s really going to look attractive when it’s all put together and done.”

Net-zero libraries are rare. In fact, there are “just a small handful” of such libraries in the U.S., and those tend to be “sub-15,000-square-foot profiles in large urban areas,” Morgan said. Barriers to construction include perceptions that net zero is unattainable or too expensive, especially in cold-weather climates.

But Morgan said the long-term energy savings outweigh the slightly higher “first costs” of a net-zero library. Smaller projects like the Howard Lake building are more challenging in part because they don’t have as much roof area to generate renewable energy. But in this case, the investment makes sense because the payback period falls within the library’s loan period, she said.

As for climate, more than a third of the current net-zero libraries are in temperate areas, such as California, which are perceived to be a better fit for this type of design, Morgan said.

“One of the reasons we’re proud of this building is that we’re able to demonstrate that with a balance of simple design techniques, and only a modest augmentation of the renewable energy, this is achievable [in a northern climate],” Morgan said. “It doesn’t take a lot of extra hoops and steps. But our clients just generally don’t have that knowledge and architects are continuing to grow in their familiarity with these resources.”
BKV Group says the new building will be “optimally efficient” with design features that range from rooftop-mounted photovoltaics to highly insulated foundations, walls and roofs. The project complies with Minnesota’s B3 Sustainability Building Guidelines, which consider the building’s site, water, energy, indoor environmental quality, materials and construction methods.

Problems with the existing building, in addition to feeling like a bunker, include the absence of a functioning elevator. Morgan said the building also has issues with mold and moisture. By the 1990s, studies showed that the building lacked the capacity to provide the “type and size of library program spaces commensurate with its peers in the Great River Regional Library System, BKV Group notes.

With federal incentives for renewable energy through the Inflation Reduction Act, Morgan expects to see more net zero and “net zero carbon” projects moving forward.

“You achieve net zero carbon by simply ensuring that you have sufficient renewable energy to offset the entire operations and construction of the building for the lifespan of the building, so you’re going a little bit farther and you’re doing a few more calculations,” Morgan said. “We’re seeing both within local jurisdictions, but also state to state.”

Neighbors in Howard Lake hit hard by Saturday storms

From trees on homes to downed powerlines, linemen worked strategically through the evening restoring power.HOWARD LAKE, Minn. — The peaceful sounds of birds chirping on a summer afternoon were silenced by the sounds of chainsaws Saturday after heavy winds and rain ripped through the small town of Howard Lake Saturday."...

From trees on homes to downed powerlines, linemen worked strategically through the evening restoring power.

HOWARD LAKE, Minn. — The peaceful sounds of birds chirping on a summer afternoon were silenced by the sounds of chainsaws Saturday after heavy winds and rain ripped through the small town of Howard Lake Saturday.

"The sirens went off, and the hail was coming sideways down the street, branches in the backyard," said Howard Lake resident, Dawn Gjertson.

From trees on homes to downed powerlines, linemen worked strategically through the evening to restore power to those who had lost it.

"We’re always ready for it, make sure we’ve got an alternative way to be ready for a storm," said one resident while grilling dinner in his backyard.

Neighbors worked effortlessly to pick up the pieces.

"This block seems to get hit pretty hard," said Gjertson.

It was the same block where Tina Dorn returned to find a tree stretching across her family's driveway.

"That’s shattered. Our boat is kind of tipping over a little bit, the hood of his car is completely smashed and actually in front of his truck we have another car, so I haven’t even been over there to see what the damage is," explained Dorn.

Neighbors say it was all an inconvenience, disrupting peace those across the town have come to know and love.

"It wasn’t very long, it was over pretty quickly," said Gjertson.

While counting their blessings after the storm.

"I'm glad we weren’t home, we weren’t outside, it didn’t fall on the house," said Dorn.

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Fire marshal: 7-year-old started fire that damaged century-old church, 2 homes in Howard Lake

The marshal released its findings from the investigation into the May 28 fire, alleging the child had been playing with a lighter when the blaze broke out.HOWARD LAKE, Minn. — An investigation into a Howard Lake house fire that later spread to another nearby home and church revealed a 7-year-old unintentionally started it while playing with a lighter.On Tuesday, the Minnesota State Fire Marshal released its findings from the investigation into ...

The marshal released its findings from the investigation into the May 28 fire, alleging the child had been playing with a lighter when the blaze broke out.

HOWARD LAKE, Minn. — An investigation into a Howard Lake house fire that later spread to another nearby home and church revealed a 7-year-old unintentionally started it while playing with a lighter.

On Tuesday, the Minnesota State Fire Marshal released its findings from the investigation into the May 28 fire, alleging the child told his father he used a "lighter to light a stick on fire" before he tried to "stomp it out" with his shoe. The incident report said the child was near or inside the family's storage shed — which contained firewood and cardboard — when the fire started.

The report said embers then spread to the family's detached garage, before extending to their house, another home and the nearby 121-year-old St. James Lutheran Church. Officials said they believe wind gusts played a factor in the fire's quick spread.

According to the fire marshal, the family's detached garage was considered a total loss while both their home and a neighboring home sustained some amount of fire damage. Investigators also said the church sustained water and smoke damage to its interior, with a limited amount of additional damage to its steeple.

No injuries were suffered as a result.

KARE 11's Lou Raguse spoke with the child's father the day after the incident, who said he jumped into action after the child alerted his family to the flames engulfing their shed.

"Kind of went into panic mode a little bit," Richard Block said.

Block not only got his own family and pets to safety but realizing his neighbor wasn't home at the time, also helped save her pets from the spreading flames.

"I really think I was on autopilot more than anything. Just do what needs to be done. Don't even think about it. Just go do it," he said.

In its report, the fire marshal indicated the child does not have a previous history of firesetting.

To help the families whose homes were affected, St. James Lutheran Church is currently collecting toys and clothing.

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Homeowner saves neighbor's pets from burning home as fire spread in Howard Lake

Two homes were lost but firefighters saved the St. James Lutheran Church after an ember ignited the steeple.HOWARD LAKE, Minn. — Alerted to a garage fire by his 7-year-old son, Richard Block had to act fast."Kind of went into panic mode a little bit," he said.As the flames spread to his house in Howard Lake, Block made sure his f...

Two homes were lost but firefighters saved the St. James Lutheran Church after an ember ignited the steeple.

HOWARD LAKE, Minn. — Alerted to a garage fire by his 7-year-old son, Richard Block had to act fast.

"Kind of went into panic mode a little bit," he said.

As the flames spread to his house in Howard Lake, Block made sure his family was safe — he, his girlfriend, and the six kids between them — as well as his four dogs and his lizard.

But then the fire spread to his next-door neighbor.

"I did hear her little Chihuahua bark, then it kind of kicked in — she's not even home. I looked in the driveway and sure enough she wasn't home," Block said.

Flames and smoke coming through the back — he got her three dogs out of the kennels in the front.

"I really think I was on autopilot more than anything. Just do what needs to be done. Don't even think about it. Just go do it," Block said.

And then, an ember from the two burning homes floated over the house next door and landed on the St. James Lutheran Church steeple.

"To turn and see the steeple on fire, for a moment, my heart sunk," said Pastor Mark Loder.

His parsonage had been mostly spared but he feared the church was about to burn down. Firefighters were able to prevent that and contain the flames to the top of the steeple -- saving the church.

"But more importantly, there's two families that have lost their homes," Loder said.

Pastor Loder has been directing all attention to the families now in need.

"It's nice to see the community come together when you really need it the most. I couldn't be more grateful for everybody. The church, the community, even the shoes I'm wearing are from some random person that helped me out with shoes. I didn't have any shoes on. It's amazing to see the overwhelming support everyone gives us," Block said.

St James Lutheran Church is collecting toys and clothing to help the two families that lost their homes.

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Howard Lake fire damages historic church and two homes

HOWARD LAKE, Minn. -- A fire in Howard Lake Sunday damaged two homes and a historic church, the chief of the town's fire department said.Chief Keith Bobrowske told WCCO News his crew responded to a call in the late afternoon that a detached garage was burning. At least six surrounding departments -- all volunteers -- arrived on scene to battle the flames, which took a few hours.It eventually spread to the two homes and the steeple of St. James Lutheran Church, which is more than 100 years old. One home sustaine...

HOWARD LAKE, Minn. -- A fire in Howard Lake Sunday damaged two homes and a historic church, the chief of the town's fire department said.

Chief Keith Bobrowske told WCCO News his crew responded to a call in the late afternoon that a detached garage was burning. At least six surrounding departments -- all volunteers -- arrived on scene to battle the flames, which took a few hours.

It eventually spread to the two homes and the steeple of St. James Lutheran Church, which is more than 100 years old. One home sustained smoke damage but was not burned.

"We're just happy that all four buildings are still standing, and nobody got hurt," Bobrowske said. "That's the main thing."

Jack Sawyer lives across the street and saw the fire start. He described it as spreading "in a New York minute." In an instant, he said the garage was engulfed in flames.

"[The firefighters] did a fantastic job," Sawyer said. "It could've been a whole heck of a lot worse. It could've spread through the whole block."

Bobrowske said the fire marshal and investigators would be on the scene in the coming days to determine what caused the Sunday evening blaze. Sawyer said he had seen a bonfire before the fire started.

This comes as parts of Minnesota are under a red flag warning from the National Weather Service, which means there's a heightened risk of fire danger. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is discouraging campfires on Memorial Day, as people wrap up the long weekend.

Bobrowske reiterated that people should be careful.

"Try to use as much common sense as you can. No open flames -- try to keep them down," he said.

Caroline Cummings

Caroline Cummings is an Emmy-winning reporter with a passion for covering politics, public policy and government. She is thrilled to join the WCCO team.

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