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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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“Always Best Care comes in to help my dad a shower at night. When the”

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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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.”

Gloria285054
In-Home Care Waconia, MN

How does In-home Senior Care in Waconia, 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 Waconia, 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 Waconia, 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 Waconia, 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

Aid and Attendance 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 Waconia, 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 Waconia,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 Waconia, 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.

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Latest News in Waconia, MN

Minnesota community rallies behind family that lost their home in fire

WACONIA, Minn. -- A family of four in Minnesota were forced to make a dramatic escape from their burning home. The family is now recovering after losing their house and two dogs to the fire.Despite the devastating loss, the DeLange family couldn't be more grateful for the help of the community and the heroism of first responders."We're incredibly thankful to them. I mean, we can't ever repay it. They saved their lives," said Dee DeLange, the grandmother of the family.The DeLange family says they are counting al...

WACONIA, Minn. -- A family of four in Minnesota were forced to make a dramatic escape from their burning home. The family is now recovering after losing their house and two dogs to the fire.

Despite the devastating loss, the DeLange family couldn't be more grateful for the help of the community and the heroism of first responders.

"We're incredibly thankful to them. I mean, we can't ever repay it. They saved their lives," said Dee DeLange, the grandmother of the family.

The DeLange family says they are counting all of their blessings a day after a fire claimed their home, and nearly their lives.

RELATED: Home catches fire in Ukrainian Village, CFD says no injuries reported

Dru and Chrissy DeLange and their two young children were asleep when they awoke to a loud roaring sound.

"The smoke started pouring in, the smoke alarms and everything went off," Dru said. "So we couldn't get downstairs to either the front or back door exit. So we barricaded ourselves in the in the kids rooms, and then called 911."

As Deputy Thomas Roble raced towards their burning home, he saw the family sticking their heads out of the second story window, taking turns getting air.

"I saw him holding a small child and said, 'throw me the child and you guys are gonna have to jump,'" Roble said. "So he ended up throwing down to children to me and got them out of there. And then the two other adults are able to jump out and we were able to help out and we were able to help them to safety as well."

SEE ALSO: Chicago firefighter critically injured at house fire near O'Hare Airport recovering at hospital

Dru said it was a harrowing experience.

"It was second-story drops. So it was painful. But you know, we're alive. We're pretty thankful for it," Dru said.

Dru and Chrissy's sister-in-law, Faith DeLange, has setup a GoFundMe, which has already raised more than $27,000 to help.

"It is gonna be important, especially when they come home from the hospital," Faith said. "Drew and Chrissy are gonna be in back braces for about three months."

Dee said she is thankful for the outpouring support.

"I mean, the whole town of Waconia, you know, we just cannot say thank you enough, they've stepped up for us," Dee said.

The DeLange's children, just one and three-years-old, are out of the hospital and doing okay.

An update on that GoFundMe, it's now at more than $38,000.

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Family of four pulled from burning home in Waconia

WACONIA, Minn. — Four people, including two toddlers, are hospitalized after being pulled from the second floor of a burning home early Wednesday in Waconia.The victims - identified in a GoFundMe account and Facebook post as Dru and Chrissy DeLange and their children, 3-year-old Freya and 1-year-old Finn - were rushed to Hennepin Healthcare with "various" injuries, according to officials. Their conditions are unknown.Deputies with the Carver County Sheriff's Office were called to the home on the 400 block of Sou...

WACONIA, Minn. — Four people, including two toddlers, are hospitalized after being pulled from the second floor of a burning home early Wednesday in Waconia.

The victims - identified in a GoFundMe account and Facebook post as Dru and Chrissy DeLange and their children, 3-year-old Freya and 1-year-old Finn - were rushed to Hennepin Healthcare with "various" injuries, according to officials. Their conditions are unknown.

Deputies with the Carver County Sheriff's Office were called to the home on the 400 block of South Orange St. just before 12:15 a.m. on reports of a fully-involved fire. Arriving first responders learned there were a number of residents trapped on the second floor.

A news release from the Carver County Sheriff's Office says deputies used a window on the second floor to rescue all four family members. Body cam video captures a deputy pulling up on the scene and sprinting to the fully engulfed home, positioning himself under the window and then catching one of the children. After sprinting the tiny boy to safety he runs back to the home and catches his older sister as her parents dropped her to the waiting officer.

Two dogs were trapped in the fire and did not survive.

One deputy suffered minor injuries in the incident and was treated and released at Ridgeview Medical Center in Waconia. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

GoFundMe organizer Faith DeLange says the family is being treated for smoke inhalation and broken vertebrae in their backs. As of Thursday morning, donations to help have reached nearly $21,000, topping the original $15,000 goal. If you'd like to help the DeLanges, go here to donate.

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1860s baseball game takes over historic Waconia farmstead

WACONIA, Minn. -- Baseball took a page from the past Saturday, at the third-annual 1860s Baseball Game in Waconia.The game takes on a "Field of Dreams" feel, with players dressing in historic-style uniforms and playing by mid-nineteenth century rules.It's a trip back more than one-hundred-and-fifty-years at the Historic Andrew Peterson Farmstead in Waconia."We're an experienced club, we usually play about ten games a year, give or take," said Rich Arpi, Manager for the Quicksteps base...

WACONIA, Minn. -- Baseball took a page from the past Saturday, at the third-annual 1860s Baseball Game in Waconia.

The game takes on a "Field of Dreams" feel, with players dressing in historic-style uniforms and playing by mid-nineteenth century rules.

It's a trip back more than one-hundred-and-fifty-years at the Historic Andrew Peterson Farmstead in Waconia.

"We're an experienced club, we usually play about ten games a year, give or take," said Rich Arpi, Manager for the Quicksteps baseball club.

Their opponent this day: The Waconia Patriots.

From the uniforms to the equipment, it's clearly a different game. Players don't even wear gloves.

"They got teased quite a bit if they were wearing a glove," said Arpi.

Pitchers throw underhand from 45 feet. The ball is similar, slightly softer, but with a rubber core. There's also a one bounce rule.

"If the ball is caught on one bounce anywhere on the field, fair or foul, the batter is out," said Arpi.

More than one hundred people were at Saturday's game.

Dominic Kirkpatrick's husband is playing on the field. She and her kids Gehrig and Breslyn have now been here every year.

"It is kind of nostalgic to see baseball played in this way," said Kirkpatrick.

"It's just fun to get out there and hit the ball and field," said Arpi.

Arpi said he's here solely for the love of the game.

"I don't really care what the score is, it's just making a good play, making a hit, running the bases, just being active playing the game for the love of the game," said Arpi. "That's why I keep doing it."

Instead of making sale, couple gifts boat to family with mom battling cancer

WACONIA, Minn. – You've heard the phrase a thousand times: "Minnesota Nice." Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield has a story from Lake Waconia that proves it's a real and beautiful thing.Life can take you for a ride. Sometimes you catch a good day. And sometimes, a good day turns bad."I'll always remember it, Aug. 20th, 2020, one month after my daughter was born," said Lindsay Block, of Carver.To understand how bad this day was, you have to know how good life was. In 2006, on her last w...

WACONIA, Minn. – You've heard the phrase a thousand times: "Minnesota Nice." Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield has a story from Lake Waconia that proves it's a real and beautiful thing.

Life can take you for a ride. Sometimes you catch a good day. And sometimes, a good day turns bad.

"I'll always remember it, Aug. 20th, 2020, one month after my daughter was born," said Lindsay Block, of Carver.

To understand how bad this day was, you have to know how good life was. In 2006, on her last week of college, Lindsay met Joe.

What was it that drew him to her?

"Kindness, she's just super kind, super selfless," said Joe Block. "I bring her out and she keeps me grounded. We work well."

A team, and a love that multiplied: Will, Andrew, and baby Olivia.

"I felt the lump when I was pregnant but I didn't think anything of it," Lindsay said.

But it was something: stage 4 breast cancer. It had spread to a lymph node, liver, and her bones.

"Well, right away you think 'death.' I had a 1-month-old baby and two little boys, and hearing I had stage 4 breast cancer at 36 years old was just quite a shock," Lindsay said. "It's still a shock, it's still kind of surreal sometimes."

Joe really had to live out his marriage vows.

"In sickness and in health, and I think about it a lot differently, and I've thought about it a lot lately," Joe said. "I never thought of it as testing my vows, it was never Lindsay was sick. We were sick, you know, we have to get through this."

"As you can imagine, being a caregiver is really hard," Lindsay said. "He takes care of me, but he also has to take care of the kids."

So she decided to take care of him, despite the mounting medical bills.

"Joe has been wanting a boat for, I mean, as long as I can remember," Lindsay said. "When you have a cancer diagnosis, it's one of those, I mean, maybe it's cliché, but it's live life to the fullest, right? I'm not gonna wait, because who knows what's gonna happen. So let's just do it."

Joe found a boat on Facebook Marketplace, listed for $27,000. It was over their budget, but still, he thought it was worth a call to the owner.

"He talked, I talked, we asked questions, and I thought, 'I want to sell it to this guy,'" Kristine said. "I just thought I want this guy to buy this boat."

Joe was supposed to go look at it in person, but suddenly canceled.

"I text Kristine, 'I can't make it, my kid broke his arm.' And then she's like, 'OK I understand,'" Joe said.

He sent her a photo of Lindsay, who was wearing a chemo cap, sitting with their son. Kristine showed it to her wife, Valerie.

"Valerie came into the office, I was sitting there talking to Joe when we first found out and we both started crying," Kristine said.

"And she called me back and she goes, 'Does your wife have cancer?' I said, 'Yeah,'" Joe said.

"When he told me she has stage 4 cancer, I thought, we lost our best friend to that," Kristine said.

Their beloved friend was also a devoted mother to three.

"Julie was, she was another gift. She made everything happen," Kirstine said.

Kristine and Valerie decided to give Joe and Lindsay their boat.

"I just knew it was the right thing. I said, 'Live life.' That's really all that mattered," Kirstine said.

"Both Lindsay and I were in tears, very excited. Happy, joy, can't believe it," Joe said. "And she goes, 'We just want you to take the rest of the money that you're gonna spend on it and go live life to the fullest.'"

"This was truly just amazing, and we'll never forget it," Lindsay said. "I mean, it's impacted our lives in so many ways just to be able to have these adventures with the kids."

And with each other.

"Strangers for a minute, best friends quickly," Joe said.

Bonded forever by a vessel of love. The families regularly have dinner together and are planning a group vacation later this summer.

Lindsay is committed to fighting hard as she starts a new round of radiation. She says she's focused on all the adventures to come.

Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield

Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield loves sharing the good news. She hosts a show on Sunday mornings based on local "positivity and empowerment," leading right into CBS Sunday Morning.

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Generosity of strangers helps Minnesota family spend summer on the lake

Two strangers helped brighten the summer of a Minnesota family during a difficult time.WACONIA, Minn. — Lindsay and Joe Block finally decided to get a boat this year.It didn't happen overnight."He's been wanting a boat for years," Lindsay said, pointing to her husband. "All of a sudden, it was just like, 'OK, now's the time. We're not going to wait.'"Lindsay and Joe, who live in Carver with their three young kids, began the search earlier this year. They wanted to find a perfect fishing b...

Two strangers helped brighten the summer of a Minnesota family during a difficult time.

WACONIA, Minn. — Lindsay and Joe Block finally decided to get a boat this year.

It didn't happen overnight.

"He's been wanting a boat for years," Lindsay said, pointing to her husband. "All of a sudden, it was just like, 'OK, now's the time. We're not going to wait.'"

Lindsay and Joe, who live in Carver with their three young kids, began the search earlier this year. They wanted to find a perfect fishing boat to enjoy on Lake Waconia, where Lindsay's parents have a home with a dock.

"If a cancer diagnosis has taught me anything, it's, 'Live in the now,'" said Lindsay, who was diagnosed with Stage Four cancer in August 2020.

"Take advantage of it. They love fishing, so I wanted them to have something they could use all the time."

Credit: KARE 11

As the fishing opener approached this spring, the family researched diligently to find the right boat at a reasonable price. They searched online, compared prices and finally connected with a couple who had a boat for sale in the metro area.

Joe communicated frequently with one of the sellers in late April and early May. After negotiating the price, they finally came to an agreement and scheduled a meeting to see the boat on a Wednesday evening in advance of the fishing opener.

Hours before the appointment, Joe canceled.

His son, Andrew, had broken his arm, requiring immediate attention. Joe explained the situation over the phone, but he worried the sellers might get the impression that he was trying to back out of the purchase.

So, to prove that he remained serious about buying the boat, Joe sent a picture of his son with a broken arm in a cast. In the photo, he happened to be sitting next to his mom, Lindsay, who was wearing a hat to cover her head.

Credit: Lindsay and Joe Block

The owner of the boat texted back.

Does your wife have cancer?

That led to a long phone conversation.

"We just talked, not even about the boat, but about life, the cancer situation, and after going through it, she goes, 'You know, I really want to do something for you,'" Joe said. "From where we were negotiating, she offered us $10,000 less than what we talked about. I was just blown away."

Stunned by the incredible act of generosity, the Block family then traveled to St. Paul to pick up the boat and meet the sellers for the first time.

They had one more surprise for the Block family.

I'd like to gift you the boat, the owner said. Give it to you for free and then you can live life to the fullest.

The Blocks were getting the fishing boat they'd always dreamed about.

At no cost.

"The tears started flowing. We couldn't believe the kindness," Lindsay said. "I was just overwhelmed. I mean, I get teary just thinking about it. How amazing that two strangers wanted to do this for our family."

Joe described himself as nearly speechless at first.

"Everything now, as we go through... Lindsay has a Stage Four diagnosis, and we're working through a recent diagnosis where she has lesions on the brain and throughout the body. And, every moment or every incredible opportunity, when someone reaches out with kindness, it strikes a different level," Joe said. "It wasn't just getting the boat. It was really about the gesture and what two people are willing to do for us."

With the kids out of school now, the Block family will be using the boat almost every night this summer on Lake Waconia, where they'll make memories to hold and cherish forever.

Although the couple who donated the boat prefer to stay in the background of this story, Lindsay and Joe said that they've become close family friends in recent weeks. They text and communicate constantly.

"It's amazing, the kindness. We've been shown a lot of kindness through our diagnosis," Lindsay said. "This was just one example of how great people can be."

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