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, sometimes they cannot live independently without someone by their side to provide care. Unfortunately, some 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 in the comforts or their home rather than in an assisted living community. Home care in Llano, TX is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Since 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they age. We are proud to have helped tens of thousands of seniors to maintain a higher level of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of 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.
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 care services in Llano, TX. Always Best Care is here to help.
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.
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 or Parkinson's or Alzheimer's.
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.
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 activities and hobbies while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
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 other activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress helps reduce the risks of caregiver burnout.
When it comes to non-medical home care, 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:
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for clients 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.
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.
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 Llano, TX, 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 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.
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 Llano, TX 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.
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.
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 Llano,TX 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.
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
An in-depth discussion of the needs of your senior loved one to remain in their own home
Reviewing a detailed Care Plan that will meet your senior loved one's needs
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.
The city of Llano began installing wooden boards on the Llano River Dam on June 18 in accordance with the city’s drought contingency plan. Extreme drought conditions have dropped the flow rate of the Llano River to less than 1 cubic-foot per second.The reduced flow of the river affects more than the city of Llano. Downstream communities in the Highland Lakes are also feeling the drain. The Llano River merges with the Colorado River in Kingsland, feeding into lakes LBJ, Marble Falls, and Travis.The Colorado River flows int...
The city of Llano began installing wooden boards on the Llano River Dam on June 18 in accordance with the city’s drought contingency plan. Extreme drought conditions have dropped the flow rate of the Llano River to less than 1 cubic-foot per second.
The reduced flow of the river affects more than the city of Llano. Downstream communities in the Highland Lakes are also feeling the drain. The Llano River merges with the Colorado River in Kingsland, feeding into lakes LBJ, Marble Falls, and Travis.
The Colorado River flows into the Highland Lakes from Lake Buchanan, which is also suffering from extreme drought. Lake Buchanan was 98.6 percent full on June 22, 2021. As of Wednesday, June 22, 2022, it was 78.6 percent full, according to the Texas Water Development Board.
According to the National Integrated Drought Information System, 2022 is the driest year on record for Llano County and Burnet County. Both counties are down more than 7 inches of rainfall from normal.
The wooden panels are being installed along the length of the dam to raise its overall height, allowing for more water to be captured. The measure was approved by the Llano City Council in a special meeting on June 14.
According to Llano’s drought contingency plan, the wooden structure is to be put in place if the flow rate of the Llano River drops below 80 cubic-feet per second after March 1. By March 11, 2022, the river’s flow rate was consistently less than 80 cubic-feet per second, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The boards were not installed sooner because they were either lost or destroyed in the historic flooding of 2018, Llano City Manager Erica Berry said. New ones had to be built.
Llano is permitted to hold 700 acre-feet of water behind the dam by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. Installing the boards will help reach that number, Berry continued.
City workers are using a barge to install the barrier. The project is expected to be completed within a week.
The Llano County Commissioners Court voted to formally request a contested case hearing on a private recreational dam proposed on the South Llano River. The vote came during a special meeting Monday, June 6. The deadline to request a hearing or comment on the application is Friday, June 11.The Llano City Council is expected to discuss a similar vote at its June 6 meeting, which is at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall, 301 W. Main St. in Llano.Waterstone Creek LLC filed Application No. 13524 with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quali...
The Llano County Commissioners Court voted to formally request a contested case hearing on a private recreational dam proposed on the South Llano River. The vote came during a special meeting Monday, June 6. The deadline to request a hearing or comment on the application is Friday, June 11.
The Llano City Council is expected to discuss a similar vote at its June 6 meeting, which is at 5:30 p.m. in City Hall, 301 W. Main St. in Llano.
Waterstone Creek LLC filed Application No. 13524 with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality requesting authorization to construct and maintain a dam and reservoir that would impound 12.02 acre-feet of water in Edwards County. Waterstone Creek, which lists a Houston address, also submitted a firm water contract with the Lower Colorado River Authority.
“This is the most important thing we’ve seen in front of the Commissioners Court,” said Precinct 4 Commissioner Jerry Don Moss. “The Llano River affects the town, not only Llano, but all the way down to the city of Horseshoe Bay. It runs all the way from one end of the county to the other.”
Commissioners brought up current drought conditions, pointing out that Lake Buchanan is down by 5 feet.
“In 2015, we were looking at trucking water into the city of Llano,” said Precinct 2 Commissioner Linda Raschke. “This is the hottest May we’ve had; it’s the driest May we’ve had. We’re in dangerous territory right now.”
The resolution approved by commissioners includes opposition to the construction of any private dams for recreational purposes on the Llano River.
“If someone needs to build a dam for a city or for people to drink, it’s different than recreation,” Moss said. “I think everyone here understands and knows how serious this is for Llano. If they build one, what’s to stop someone from building another or several?”
The Llano River Watershed Alliance is also generating opposition to the dam. The organization put up a website with detailed information on the TCEQ application and instructions on how to submit comments.
The group also expressed displeasure with how the public notice was handled.
“Public notice was published in the The Texas Mohair Weekly May 12,” reads a document on the website. “Once the notice comes out in the paper (note doesn’t say what paper) TCEQ allows 30 days to submit public comment and request a public hearing.”
The group questions the use of The Texas Mohair Weekly as an adequate publication for public notice. The Weekly is part of The Rocksprings Record. Together, the two publications have a paid circulation of 1,100. Rocksprings is 125 miles southwest of Llano.
“This may be the most important thing that involves Llano County,” Moss said. “Without water, we don’t have a town. I hope to see that these people do not get their permit issued and that they don’t get to build a dam.”
To submit a comment online, you must have the TCEQ permit number, which is WRPERM 13524. Comments also may be sent by mail to: Office of the Chief Clerk, MC 105, TCEQ, P.O. Box 13087, Austin, TX 78711-3087.
Once a hearing is requested, TCEQ staff forward the information to TCEQ commissioners, who will consider it at a scheduled meeting. The next four commission meetings are set for June 29, July 20, Aug. 10, and Aug. 24.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — On March 9, Suzette Baker was fired as head librarian at the Kingsland Branch Library in Llano County.“This is the final warning and termination,” Baker said, as she pointed out why she was removed from her position. “For creating a disturbance, insubordination, violation of policies and failure to follow instructions.”Baker said she was given the warning to remove books by her boss, but she did not comply.“The books in my library in Kingsland were not taken off the she...
AUSTIN (KXAN) — On March 9, Suzette Baker was fired as head librarian at the Kingsland Branch Library in Llano County.
“This is the final warning and termination,” Baker said, as she pointed out why she was removed from her position. “For creating a disturbance, insubordination, violation of policies and failure to follow instructions.”
Baker said she was given the warning to remove books by her boss, but she did not comply.
“The books in my library in Kingsland were not taken off the shelves, we did not move them, I told my boss that was censorship,” Baker said.
According to Baker, a group of people had reached out to the library system about books that they said were “inappropriate” or “pornographic,” and they wanted them removed, but she disagreed. She claims one of the books was about life as a transgender teen.
“It is her biography of her life growing up as a transgendered teenager and obviously this group thought that was too much for their children to read,” Baker said. “Which no one is forcing their kids to read anything.”
“I always thought she was extremely professional, very knowledgeable, has a strong character, and did her job well to the best of my knowledge,” said Leila Green Little, a patron of the Llano County libraries.
Little said the library system has seen recent changes and there has been no transparency. She said the library advisory board meetings are now closed to the public, and said there was also a change to the library system’s online reading services which moved from OverDrive to Bibliotheca.
“I have now counted 12 books that I know have been removed from Llano County Library, and I can’t get clarification from the library system on why,” Little said.
According to the Texas Tribune, the library staff conducted a thorough review of every children’s book in the library to assess their content.
“There are very clear rules that should be followed with regards to censorship to books in the public library, those rules were not followed,” Little said.
“It may not be my book, it may not be your book, but it could be someone else’s book and we have no right to take that book away from them,” Baker said.
KXAN reached out to multiple Llano County officials looking for answers over the last week, but we haven’t heard back.
The Llano County HR department told KXAN it had no comment about the situation.
The city of Llano voted Monday, Sept. 19, to trade the John L. Kuykendall Event Center and Arena to the county for Badu and Grenwelge parks, the Girl Scout Hut, about 3 acres of land off of Post Oak Road, and several lots surrounding the hospital parking lot.In exchange, Llano County will receive Ray House, 80 acres of land on which the event center sits, and a 3-year-old New Holland Tractor with a drag attachment.The vote authorizes Llano Mayor Kelli Tudyk to engage city attorneys and move forward with the deal. The target dat...
The city of Llano voted Monday, Sept. 19, to trade the John L. Kuykendall Event Center and Arena to the county for Badu and Grenwelge parks, the Girl Scout Hut, about 3 acres of land off of Post Oak Road, and several lots surrounding the hospital parking lot.
In exchange, Llano County will receive Ray House, 80 acres of land on which the event center sits, and a 3-year-old New Holland Tractor with a drag attachment.
The vote authorizes Llano Mayor Kelli Tudyk to engage city attorneys and move forward with the deal. The target date for completion is Jan. 1, 2023.
The Llano County Commissioners Court must approve the trade at an upcoming meeting before an exchange can be made.
“I think it’s a good deal for the county and the city,” Commissioner Jerry Don Moss told DailyTrib.com. “I do agree with the proposed properties.”
Moss has been negotiating the trade with the city on behalf of the county since Aug. 8. He said he needs more time to work with county attorneys before a final decision can be made. The matter will not be on the Commissioners Court’s agenda at its next meeting, which is Monday, Sept. 26. Moss expects it to be on the agenda for the following meeting on Oct. 10.
Tudyk appointed Llano aldermen Wayne DeCesaris and Larry Sawyer to negotiate the trade on behalf of the city. Valuations have not been established for the county properties, but the event center is expected to be about $4.5 million. The city sought the trade because of the strain the center has put on its budget.
“The whole reason we started this was because we had the JLK (Event Center), and we were continually seeing a loss and did not see a path to breaking even,” DeCesaris told DailyTrib.com.
The city has been losing money operating the event center for the past several years and predicted a 2022 operations deficit of $133,000, he said.
Neither side wants to see the center sold to a private entity. Both also agree the county is better equipped to manage the center using hotel occupancy tax money.
“The goal was to remove the burden from the citizens but still allow them to benefit from it,” DeCesaris said.
The original proposed property list from a Sept. 6 council meeting included the Llano County Library building and the District Attorney’s Office, but both of those were later removed. The library was removed from the deal on Sept. 14 after vocal opposition from residents, who feared a trade would mean its permanent closure.
The Llano County burn ban was lifted as of 7:49 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, by order of Llano County Judge Ron Cunningham. The burn ban had been in effect in Llano County since January due to severe drought conditions.Recent storms deposited inches of rain across Llano County and more rain is projected to be on the way, according to the National Weather Service. Llano County is also on an active...
The Llano County burn ban was lifted as of 7:49 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, by order of Llano County Judge Ron Cunningham. The burn ban had been in effect in Llano County since January due to severe drought conditions.
Recent storms deposited inches of rain across Llano County and more rain is projected to be on the way, according to the National Weather Service. Llano County is also on an active flood watch until Wednesday, Aug. 24.
The county has been under exceptional drought conditions throughout the summer, reaching the most critical drought rating given by the U.S. Drought Monitor.
The Llano County Commissioners Court discussed the burn ban at its regular meeting on Aug. 22 and voted to reinstate it for up to 90 days. Judge Cunningham lifted the ban after revisiting the subject early the next day.
“We felt like we’ve got enough rain to lift the burn ban for a few days,” Cunningham said. “The minute we think conditions are worsening, we’ll put it right back on.”
Cunningham consulted with fire chiefs in Llano County prior to the decision. The main factor in lifting the ban was the amount of rainfall over Llano County on Aug. 22-23. The LCRA hydromet shows the county receiving between 0.62 inches and 1.9 inches of rainfall, depending on the location.
Those wanting to conduct outdoor burning must still contact the Llano County Sheriff’s Office at 325-247-5767 and give their name and address. Only organic material can be burned and fires must be out before nightfall.
The Burnet County Commissioners Court decided to continue the Burnet County burn ban at its regular meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 23. A burn ban was not on the agenda, but county judges can use their emergency powers to lift or place burn bans without commissioners’ votes when needed.
Director of Burnet County Development Services Herb Darling said it would be at least another two weeks before the county should consider lifting the ban.
“Even if we did get two inches in the next few days, it would take a week to green up,” Darling said. “When the sun comes out we won’t be any greener than we were.”
The Keetch-Byram Drought Index measures daily water balance and soil-moisture to determine the severity of drought conditions in a given area on a scale of 0-800, with 800 being the driest conditions. Darling noted that Burnet County is still at 652 on the KBDI. Llano County sits at 683 on the KBDI.