AA 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.

Personal Care Consultation

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TESTIMONIALS

“Kingsley, first may I say what a wonderful person Aggie has been during this week helping my wife on her return from Knollwood. She is most attentive, helpful and pleasant. It is hard to find a nicer person to have sharing ones home. We are very pleased you chose her to be with us.”

debi C.
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TESTIMONIALS

“I would like to thank you for your professional care and handling of my Mom’s extended home care. When I called you for assistance with Thelma’s home care needs you were such a good listener and I could feel your warmth and good spirit over the phone”

Olga D.
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TESTIMONIALS

“I would like to take sometime to commend our caregiver Holly for the wonderful job she is doing with my dad by providing in home care. She is caring, engaging , and provides professional services and the best companionship for my Dad !! Great job to Always Best Care !!!!”

lori L.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Our 85 year old mother needed overnight care following repeated hospitalizations over a 9 month period and ensuing hospice care. We called Kingsley, the Director, who was kind, gracious, professional, and knowledgeable. Flexible scheduling was also a priority and we always received immediate attention. The Director even brought over the PCAs personally to introduce them and would visit to ensure our mother’s needs were being met.The office staff and PCAs were kind and professional. Overall would highly recommend this agency.”

Kristin B.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Their professionalism and response to questions and concerns. They were the only agency that said they could help us for the care of my husband. The care takers are responsible, and really care for the person and caretaker. Their secretary is very professional and helpful and always gets back to me. Kingsley is fantastic, professional, caring, and goes over an beyond his call of his profession. We are very thankful for Always Best Care and I have recommended them to friends and rehab centers.”

Annette G.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Always Best Care of Greater Worcester is wonderful. The person who answers the telephone (her name is Donna), and she's older like we are. She has a clue about what we're talking about when we're asking for help and why, so it becomes a very personal conversation. I was introduced to the director. He is an RN, plus a few other things. When he comes in to do the assessment for what you need, he works really hard at putting together the right caregiver with the person asking. He was just absolutely lovely. We needed somebody who could drive to do errands, and then I needed help with the laundry and occasional meals. The caregiver picks up and tidies around. She does bathing for my husband, who is almost bedbound. She does other simple health-related things for him. For me, she helps with my bathing because I have a bad back and bad knees. She's nice, and she's sweet. She can be a little tough when she needs to be, which is what we wanted. Not to be abusive, but just someone with a firm hand. When you don't feel well, you tend to act like a 7-year-old; it doesn't matter how old you are. She is just lovely. We couldn't ask for anything better.”

Diane
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TESTIMONIALS

“It's a great company to work there. I have learned a lot from this company. I was not left on my own when I started working, everyone is friendly and pleasant.”

Boakye V.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Staff was very professional during consultation.”

chief M.
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TESTIMONIALS

“The Schedulers are very professional and respectful. they work with the caregivers very well and find them the right cases. The pay is also very great”

Emelia F.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Always Best Care is a great place to work where they really care about their clients and employees! Absolutely would recommend to anyone looking for care for themselves or a loved one, or a new job!”

Anna R.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Your loved ones will be in great care with Always Best Care of Worcester.”

Bobbi D.
 In-Home Care Fitchburg, MA

How does In-home Senior Care in Fitchburg, MA 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 Fitchburg, MA

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 Fitchburg, MA, 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 Fitchburg, MA 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 Fitchburg, MA

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 Fitchburg,MA 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 Fitchburg, MA

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

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

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

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Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.

If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.

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 Fitchburg, MA

‘America’s Got Talent’: Fitchburg woman earns coveted golden buzzer

6Fitchburg Woman gets Golden Buz...

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Fitchburg Woman gets Golden Buzzer on AGT

Dreams come true for thousands of contestants on “America’s Got Talent” every year and one woman from Central Massachusetts is one step closer to fulfilling hers after she blew the judges away with an unforgettable performance.

“I have a lot of dreams,” Lavender Darcangelo said during her audition that premiered on Tuesday, July 11.

“I want to build a school where the classes are based off of what kids are naturally curious at,” Darcangelo continued. “So, a school I would have thrived in.”

Lavender, who is blind and is autistic, has been singing since she was 3 years old, the Fitchburg native told the judges. But Darcangelo did not start talking until she was 4, she added.

Music also helped the 27-year-old find her forever family after she joined an afterschool program in 2010, according to her profile on the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism’s website.

While attending this program, Lavender met Wil Darcangelo who, along with his husband, Jamie, would become Lavender’s adoptive fathers in 2017.

“She asked me to adopt her, but I said, ‘Well I’m a member of the faculty and, you know, that’s just not how it works,’” Wil explained during the audition.

“But, you know, several years go by and she’s having struggles and before you know it she moved in with me and my husband Jamie the day we came home from our honeymoon and so a year after that she became our legal daughter,” Wil continued.

While Darcangelo’s story was enough to move the judges, her rendition of Irene Cara’s 1980′s song “Out Here On My Own” earned her the coveted golden buzzer from judge Heidi Klum.

“That was sensational,” judge Simon Cowell said. “We make the show because we get to meet people like you occasionally and I’m so happy that you’ve come on our show to share your talent with us because this is an audition I’ll never forget.”

With the golden buzzer, Lavender advances directly to the live round.

Darcangelo is also working on her debut album, expected to be called “Mosaic.” A GoFundMe campaign has been created to help the family make this possible. People interested in donating can click here.

AGT airs every Tuesday at 8 p.m. on NBC and streaming on Peacock TV.

Fitchburg School Uses Training Device to Help Students With Disabilities — But Fears Losing It

A school in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, that has intensive programs for students with disabilities is asking for help.The Keystone Educational Collaborative won a state-of-the-art gait trainer to help kids who have trouble moving around, but time is running out before they have to return it.Since coming here, she's a whole new kid," mom Kayla Morgann said about five-year-old Mia McGann. "This poor little girl has gone through more surgeries than I have in my entire life. Yeah, she's had open hip reduction three times. S...

A school in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, that has intensive programs for students with disabilities is asking for help.

The Keystone Educational Collaborative won a state-of-the-art gait trainer to help kids who have trouble moving around, but time is running out before they have to return it.

Since coming here, she's a whole new kid," mom Kayla Morgann said about five-year-old Mia McGann. "This poor little girl has gone through more surgeries than I have in my entire life. Yeah, she's had open hip reduction three times. She's had club feet repaired several times, tubes three times."

That's what brought Mia to the Keystone Educational Collaborative, where she was introduced to the Trexo gait trainer.

"It’s life-changing," Morgann said. "It's teaching her how to walk."

Lead physical therapist Amanda Costella said that gait trainers are basically fancy walkers that take multiple staff members to operate, but the Trexo takes it to a different level.

"It's a robot, it's an exoskeleton," Costella said. "It attaches to the user and it moves their legs through the gate cycle for them to lay down that pathway so that they can learn how to walk."

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It's already made a difference for two-year-old Myles LeBlanc, who suffers from a rare neurodevelopmental disorder.

"He went from doing like 100 steps," Kaitlin LeBlanc said. "He did a thousand steps one day."

The Trexo has a lot of special features, like uploading progress right into an electronic tablet.

“We'll start to see 10% initiation, 20% initiation, 30% initiation. So it tells us how much they're contributing to the process," Costello said.

It's been an amazing gift for students and surprise for the school when they won the gait trainer for one year at no cost in a Trexo contest giveaway.

The problem now is that the lease is coming up and in order to keep it, they need $75,000. The school doesn't have that funding, and is asking for donations.

"I desperately want to keep it," Costello said.

"Mia needs this," McGann said. "And unfortunately, health insurance doesn't cover it, so we can't get one at home."

If you want to donate to help, you can visit the school's website here.

Controversial Fitchburg homeless shelter to shut down

The only emergency homeless shelter in Fitchburg, which previously came under scrutiny over complaints of alleged mistreatment of guests, will shut down at the end of March.Judith Nest Pasierb, executive director of Our Father's House, which runs the shelter, informed Fitchburg Mayor Stephen DiNatale via email this week that the state will not renew the shelter's contract. She issued a similar statement to WBUR."Please understand, Our Father's House is closing the Shelter due to not being chosen with a new contract from th...

The only emergency homeless shelter in Fitchburg, which previously came under scrutiny over complaints of alleged mistreatment of guests, will shut down at the end of March.

Judith Nest Pasierb, executive director of Our Father's House, which runs the shelter, informed Fitchburg Mayor Stephen DiNatale via email this week that the state will not renew the shelter's contract. She issued a similar statement to WBUR.

"Please understand, Our Father's House is closing the Shelter due to not being chosen with a new contract from the MA Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) effective April 1, 2023," the statement said. "The closing deeply affects Our Father's House and the compassion that we have for sheltering homeless men and women, as well as providing case management, meals, clothing and personal care items."

DHCD funds adult emergency homeless shelters, but the state agency does not operate them. It does operate the state's family shelter system.

In 2021, Kevin MacLean stepped down as director of homeless initiatives for Our Father's House and overseer of the shelter's daily operations, amid longstanding allegations he abused guests. Police and independent investigations cleared him.

Tara Rivera, a community advocate who works with people experiencing substance use issues and homelessness in the Fitchburg area, said complaints of assaults, harassment and drug use by some workers at the shelter have continued over the last two years. She said she's largely relieved it's closing.

"The first thought that came to mind was, 'thank God,' because that means the abuse and neglect of our clients are going to end. ... You think about the word shelter. It's supposed to be a safe place. It's not a safe place. It's a toxic environment," Rivera said. "However, then there's a concern about all of those shelter beds and now where are these people going to go?"

Nest Pasierb, of Our Father's House, wouldn't answer questions about the shelter or its planned closure.

Mayor DiNatale said DHCD is working to increase capacity at an emergency shelter program it's been funding at a former Days Inn in neighboring Leominster since 2021. That program is run by a different nonprofit.

A DHCD spokesperson said the closure of Our Father's House will not result in a loss of shelter capacity in the region. The agency would not otherwise comment on the impending closure, but noted that last year was the first time it required shelter programs statewide to submit competitive bids for contracts.

The mayor said it's his understanding that the state has concerns about the Our Father's House shelter, but he hasn't spoken directly with DHCD officials about the decision not to renew the contract.

"All I do know is the operation wasn't running up to the standards that the state requires — in their mind," DiNatale said.

The shelter has played an important role in Fitchburg over the years, according to the mayor.

"This was a place where people could get out of a situation that they probably didn't, you know, seek," DiNatale said. "So this was always the go-to facility. I mean, they were the only go-to facility in the city."

Police were called to the shelter this week after an altercation between a staff member and an 18-year-old guest. Police filed a report but declined to charge anyone because, the report said, neither party wanted to press charges at the time.

Our Father's House said it will continue to operate its other programs, including transitional housing, a sober house and a food pantry.

Meet principal who helped save Massachusetts school from being shut down

FITCHBURG, Mass. —Linda Anderson's first-ever principal job was at a Catholic high school in Massachusetts that was facing a crippling deficit.In its heyday, enrollment at St. Bernard's in Fitchburg was 800 students. But by the time Anderson became principal, the student population was at 100 and dropping."I would be taking over in the spring of 2019 and it was announced later that spring that we would be closing. So, I hadn't started yet," Anderson said."It was scary. I remem...

FITCHBURG, Mass. —

Linda Anderson's first-ever principal job was at a Catholic high school in Massachusetts that was facing a crippling deficit.

In its heyday, enrollment at St. Bernard's in Fitchburg was 800 students. But by the time Anderson became principal, the student population was at 100 and dropping.

"I would be taking over in the spring of 2019 and it was announced later that spring that we would be closing. So, I hadn't started yet," Anderson said.

"It was scary. I remember I was deciding between here and the public high school in my town, and I didn't know whether or not to take the risk," said St. Bernard's senior Lily Kenney.

The Diocese of Worcester announced that if enrollment continued to decline, that St. Bernard's would close at the end of the 2019-20 academic year. Anderson said the school would also need to raise about $1 million to stay open.

St. Bernard's was able to win a bid to privatize and operate independently as of 2020, as well as raise nearly $1 million, but it wasn't enough.

While the school was fighting for its life, the St. Bernard's football team was able to win its second straight state championship in the fall of 2019.

"I remember sitting in Gillette Stadium saying: 'Wow! I can't believe this school of 100 kids just did something this big," Kenney said.

2019 Massachusetts high school Super Bowl champions crowned at Gillette Stadium

"The kids could feel it and they just fought hard, and they helped to rally for their school, too," Anderson said. "Then that inspired us and then we kept going. Then they saw that we were going and then they kept going. It really was like a baton passing.

"Each time we got more adrenaline, the money just kept coming in," the principal added.

By August 2021, St. Bernard's had surpassed its fundraising goal of $2.5 million and is still in operation. The school's comeback story is the subject of a documentary film: "All In: Miracle at St. Bernard's."

The student body, once predominantly male, is now a near 50/50 split of nearly 200 boys and girls with 30% of the student population made up of people of color.

"You've got to break the glass ceiling by just bumping right into it. Just take it down," Anderson said.

Anderson said St. Bernard's is still trying to raise a few more million dollars to help fund a new science lab, along with renovations for the 103-year-old school building.

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