It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting New Castle Italian Immigrant Memorial in New Castle, DE 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 New Castle, DE is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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“Here's what I posted on Google and Facebook: Life would have been a lot harder without Always Best Care in my life, I have COPD and I am on oxygen full time at level 4 so doing daily chores are out question without my caregiver Ricci Anthony who has been taking tremendous care of me for 3 years this August 2022 and I thank God everyday for him. Every time he arrives he immediately says Hi checks in with me to see how I am doing. As well as, every time he departs I thank him for all that he does for me and I tell him I love him Ricci replies in same likeness. Ricci and I are incredible friends, it’s closer to a dad and son relationship. We’re both strong Christian me. As for Chelsea who does Intake and is the Schedules for Always Best Care equally an amazing individual. Don’t let her young age fool you on the contrary she is a powerhouse. She’s highly a professional, she’s industrious, highly intelligent, she’s a great friend and you can always depend on her to be in support for you. Always Best Care is always best care.”
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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.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting New Castle Battery Park in New Castle, DE with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Zollies Jazz Cucina or visit Read House & Gardens, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in New Castle, DE, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in New Castle, DE understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in New Castle, DE 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.
A typically routine vote was not Tuesday night as New Castle County Council balked at a marijuana regulation bill passed in the General Assembly.County Council did not pass a measure to bring county rules in line with Senate Bill 75, which set new limitations on the county’s ability to regulate the operation and location of marijuana facilities.In response to Senate Bill 75, Councilwoman Janet Kilpatrick has a simple question for the General Assembly."When then does the alcohol group turn on the state and say ...
A typically routine vote was not Tuesday night as New Castle County Council balked at a marijuana regulation bill passed in the General Assembly.
County Council did not pass a measure to bring county rules in line with Senate Bill 75, which set new limitations on the county’s ability to regulate the operation and location of marijuana facilities.
In response to Senate Bill 75, Councilwoman Janet Kilpatrick has a simple question for the General Assembly.
"When then does the alcohol group turn on the state and say wait a minute, you overrode, the county regulations for marijuana. How about overriding them for us? And then we go in this circle, you know there's going to be a lawsuit and all of that," said Kilpatrick.
Kilpatrick notes the county classified marijuana along with alcohol, which is why she asked that question. She was among the seven on council not voting.
The county originally adopted rules in December 2024 based on the Delaware Marijuana Control Act of 2023, which allowed counties to set their own regulations regarding the operation and location of marijuana uses.
The new state code and the county ordinance voted down allow no portion of a proposed retail marijuana store building and signage located within half mile of an existing retail marijuana store.
It also reduces to 500 feet the buffer between a retail facility and a substance abuse treatment facility, compared to the 1,000 foot buffer previously passed by County Council.
That buffer also applies to a school or institution of higher education, a child care facility, governmental parkland, library and a residential treatment facility.County Councilman Kevin Caneco was among those rejecting the changes.
"I cannot allow the state to continue to trump us each and every time when they have no idea what they're doing with land use. They have no idea what they're doing,” said Caneco. “We've seen this time after time after time again. And I think we need to send a message. So I will not be voting for this. I'll be very clear on this. I've been very direct on this. If you want to pass bills in Dover at 4:20 in the morning and not talk to us then, you're going to have this situation."
The measure only received one ‘yes’ vote and three ‘no’ votes, with seven not voting and one voting present. There was also one absent.
Gov. Matt Meyer vetoed Senate Bill 75, but the General Assembly voted to override his veto.
Art on the Green returns Saturday, Oct. 3, with pottery, stained glass, jewelry, baked goods and more at Battery Park. Provided Courtesy/Greater Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau More than 200 artists, crafters and food vendors will gather along the Delaware River this weekend when Art on the Green returns to Battery Park in Historic New Castle.The annual show, organized by the New Castle Hundred Lions Club, was originally scheduled for Sept. 26 but was postponed because of the weather forecast. It will now ...
Provided Courtesy/Greater Wilmington Convention & Visitors Bureau
More than 200 artists, crafters and food vendors will gather along the Delaware River this weekend when Art on the Green returns to Battery Park in Historic New Castle.
The annual show, organized by the New Castle Hundred Lions Club, was originally scheduled for Sept. 26 but was postponed because of the weather forecast. It will now take place Saturday, Oct. 3, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The vendor lineup covers a wide range of handmade work, including wheel-thrown pottery, stained glass, jewelry, crochet, woodwork, candles, coastal art, photography and locally inspired prints.
There are also some less conventional finds mixed in. Vendors are bringing handbags made from upcycled jeans, bowls and notebooks made from old records and cassette tapes, book sculptures, hand-painted solar lanterns and crocheted plants.
Food vendors will also be set up throughout the event, with offerings including jams and jellies, baked goods, soft caramels, kettle corn, beef jerky, cakes, cookies and other sweets.
The show takes place at Battery Park along the Delaware River in Historic New Castle. Parking and shuttle service will be available at First Baptist Church, located at 901 E Basin Road, New Castle, DE 19720.
Date: Saturday, Oct. 3 Time: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Location: Battery Park, Historic New Castle, Delaware What to expect: More than 200 artists, crafters and food vendors Parking: Parking and shuttle service available at First Baptist Church
Have an event coming up? Let the PhillyVoice Events team know about it by emailing [email protected].
Why Should Delaware Care?Proposed data centers could have major impacts on electric bills and water use in New Castle County. Three primary races for New Castle County Council seats could shape the future of the debate over how to regulate the facilities beyond rules passed earlier this year.Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the district number that Syam Kosigi and Valerie George are running in. The story has been updated. The debate in northern Delaware over how best to r...
Why Should Delaware Care?Proposed data centers could have major impacts on electric bills and water use in New Castle County. Three primary races for New Castle County Council seats could shape the future of the debate over how to regulate the facilities beyond rules passed earlier this year.
Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the district number that Syam Kosigi and Valerie George are running in. The story has been updated.
The debate in northern Delaware over how best to regulate data centers has reemerged this primary election season between candidates for the New Castle County Council.
And whoever ultimately wins could have outsized influence over the future of data center policy in the county.
Two seats in contention this year are currently held by retiring council members Janet Kilpatrick and Penrose Hollins. Earlier this year, each voted against a narrowly rejected measure that would have retroactively imposed new data center regulations onto projects that had already been submitted to the county – including the controversial Delaware City data center project, known as Project Washington.
Another of the no votes on the measure, Valerie George, also is facing a primary challenger.
Now, each of the three races for those council seats includes one candidate who wants to impose the county’s new stricter data center rules onto Project Washington, as well as other existing data center plans.
The others argued that such retroactivity moves may not be legal or effective. The policy split also extends to a potential county moratorium on new data center land-use applications.
Primary ElectionDelaware’s primary election will be held from 7 a.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 15, with early voting running from Sept. 2 to 13. Polls are closed Sept. 6 and 7 for the Labor Day holiday. The new voter registration deadline for the primary is Aug. 22.
The debate, which has played out largely on social media, has grown testy this month, most recently from dueling posts by candidates Jason Hoover and Curtis Linton, who are seeking to replace Hollins.
Earlier this month, Linton accused his opponent of misleading the public about his stance on a previous county measure to regulate data centers.
“Jason Hoover is playing politics with the truth,” Linton said.
In response, Hoover said Monday that his critique of Linton’s stance on data center regulations was simply taken from comments he made about the measure last year.
“I have relied on primary sources: his own public comment before County Council,” Hoover said in his post.
Last March, New Castle County passed data center regulations that require new data centers to maintain buffer zones around them, and to use energy-efficient backup generators, among other regulations.
Councilman Dave Carter first proposed the rules last summer, after developers submitted their proposal for Project Washington, which would consume 1.2 gigawatts of energy – or roughly the same amount as a million homes.
What followed was a monthslong political fight that largely pitted the Delaware trade unions against an array of individuals concerned about the environmental and affordability impacts of data centers.
The fight hit its height in November when Councilman Tim Sheldon flipped the middle finger at Councilman Kevin Caneco, a data center opponent.
Shortly after that, the debate also veered into electoral politics when a union leader from the Delaware Building Trades announced what became a short-lived challenge to Carter for his seat.
Shortly after that, Linton announced his candidacy.
Although he is also a trade union leader, Linton at the time told Spotlight Delaware that he was not as staunch in his support for data centers as others in organized labor.
Over the months after Carter proposed the regulations, other data center proposals have also been submitted to New Castle County. If all are ultimately built, they collectively could double the state’s electric demand.
There are only three competitive primaries for New Castle County Council seats, and all of them are Democratic.
Syam Kosigi, a former nonprofit executive, is running against the incumbent Valerie George in District 5.
Kira Alejandro and Kyle Grantham are competing to replace Kilpatrick in District 3.
And in the three-way primary for Hollins’ District 4 seat, Helena Creamer is running against Linton and Hoover.
George and Creamer did not respond to requests for an interview.
Kosigi, Hoover and Alejandro all said they support a data center moratorium out of worries that the recently-passed regulations do not do enough to protect residents from potential effects of the facilies to the electric grid and the environment.
Hoover, an engineer and web designer, cited a study that suggested the proposed data centers in New Castle County could raise the wholesale electric rate in Delaware by 80%.
He said he supports the laws the Delaware legislature recently passed to try to put those costs onto the data center companies. But he said the scale of the proposed data centers are so unprecedented that the county needs more time to study their impacts.
“Our laws are clearly not ready for data centers,” Hoover said.
Alejandro, a barista and community advocate, also expressed concerns about electric bills rising, as well as potential environmental impacts of data centers.
A recent study suggested data centers could give off large amounts of heat from running the massive cooling systems needed for their server racks. And some data centers use hundreds of thousands of gallons of water per day.
“I think [a moratorium] gives us more time to learn about some of these consequences, which are still coming to light,” Alejandro said.
Kosigi, an IT professional, said a moratorium would allow the council to create additional regulations with more public input.
“The approach should be bottom up,” Kosigi said.
Kosigi, Hoover and Alejandro said they would use the moratorium to try to figure out a way to make the county’s existing data center regulations apply retroactively to data center projects currently in the pipeline.
Two of the opposing candidates, Linton and Grantham, also said they are worried about the effects of data centers.
Grantham said he personally dislikes the idea of new data center development and supports further regulations. He also wants the county to look closely at its code for any loopholes data center developers could exploit.
Linton said he is open to the idea of more regulations, but would need to hear the specific proposal and the reasoning behind it.
But Linton and Grantham were both hesitant about the idea of a moratorium, and both opposed making the current data center regulations retroactive.
Grantham, a documentary filmmaker and a former New Castle County communications staffer, said he doesn’t think the moratorium or applying the regulations retroactively would be legal moves.
“We’re probably going to wind up going to court, probably going to spend millions of dollars, and probably lose,” Grantham said.
But he said more regulations may act effectively as a moratorium.
“If we can change those things and make this an area where they’re going to pay their fair way … then this no longer becomes an attractive area,” Grantham said.
Linton, a local union leader, said he may support a moratorium, but he is concerned it may not be effective.
“If we do that, are we actually going to take a deeper dive and research … or are we just going to say we’re putting a freeze on them because we don’t want them here?” he said.
Linton said he would likely oppose making the regulations retroactive because it could discourage other industries from coming to Delaware.
“They might be saying, ‘OK, I don’t know if we want to invest in Delaware because we could be investing, and next thing you know, they change the rules on us,’” Linton said.
An independent quality control review conducted to strengthen New Castle County's property assessment process has identified challenges and improvement opportunities.Cushman & Wakefield conducted an independent quality control review of a sample of 50 non-residential properties as the County continues to address the outcome of the first property reassessment in some four decades. The review was authorized under Senate Bill 228.New Castle County Executive Marcus Henry said the county is being "purposeful" in its ef...
An independent quality control review conducted to strengthen New Castle County's property assessment process has identified challenges and improvement opportunities.
Cushman & Wakefield conducted an independent quality control review of a sample of 50 non-residential properties as the County continues to address the outcome of the first property reassessment in some four decades. The review was authorized under Senate Bill 228.
New Castle County Executive Marcus Henry said the county is being "purposeful" in its effort to improve the quality of assessment operations, make improvements, correct errors and build a better system moving forward.
“From the beginning, we wanted an independent review because we needed to know where improvements were necessary,” Henry said. “We cannot change the fact that New Castle County went more than 40 years without a comprehensive reassessment. But we can take responsibility and be purposeful in our efforts to improve the quality of assessment operations and outcomes through continuous improvement, correcting errors, and building a better system moving forward.”
The County administration outlined these near-term recommendations contained in the report:
-Verifying and addressing the 50 properties reviewed in the Cushman & Wakefield report.
-Improving the accuracy and completeness of property data.
-The County is working to strengthen property records by reconciling existing information with verified third-party sources.
-State legislation helps close two long-standing gaps: municipalities are now required to provide permit data on a regular basis, and the County now has subpoena authority to obtain the income and expense information needed to apply the income approach accurately.
-Proactively leading quality control of all property data.
The County will be directly involved in developing valuation models and approving them and have visibility into detailed records throughout the process that we did not have in the last reassessment.
-Advocating for lasting statewide reforms.
Delaware is one of only two states with no formal state role in property reassessment. We are actively participating in the Statewide Property Reassessment Working Group and will continue to work collaboratively with State leaders to advance reforms.
-Building a system that prevents future issues from arising.
Also according to the county:
Property owners who believe their assessed property value is incorrect retain the right to appeal through the County’s established process. Information about the appeal process, including the appropriate forms and instructions, is available through the New Castle County Board of Assessment Review. Property owners may also contact the County’s Assessment Office at 302-395-5520 for assistance. The next window for appeals to be reviewed opens on January 1, 2027. Since the Henry Administration began, staff have completed over 15 process improvements to appeals process, creating efficiencies for a process that needed to be built from scratch.
The County also is moving to accelerate the next comprehensive reassessment, originally planned for 2029. The timeline to complete it sooner will depend on a competitive bidding process.
“We asked for this review because we wanted an independent assessment of the work and an opportunity to make it better,” Henry added. “The report gives us information we can act on. Our responsibility now is to follow through, correct what needs correcting, and make sure the County is better prepared for the next reassessment.”
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