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 Rocky Ridge Farm Historic District in Chapel Hill, NC 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 Chapel Hill, NC 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.
“good service. help was thoughtful and kind. used for several days.”
“Kelly Klein at Always Best was a godsend. She helped us out during a truly”
“Karla Dixon is a wonderful asset to the community and to Always Best Care in”
“Karla dixon is truly a great person for the community. She is compassionate and very”
“Thank you, Carver Living Center (CLC) for the wonderful care the staff provided for my”
“From the outside looking in, you don’t always see the care, patience, and dedication that”
“Always Best Care is hands down your go to for all in home care needs!”
“Seeing the care they provide, I’d highly recommend them to any family in need of”
“Reliable, caring, and professional—Always Best Care is awesome!”
“The staff here are compassionate, professional, and truly go above and beyond. You can tell”
“5 stars all the way—professional, compassionate, and reliable. You can tell they genuinely care!”
“Always Best Care provides excellent services to their community. Impeccable staff and care givers who actually”
“Not only is the care they provide outstanding, but the support from the front office”
“It’s rare to find a company where both the caregivers and the office staff are”
“I had a wonderful experience with Always Best Care Senior Services. Kelly Klein was incredibly”
“Kaitlyn Jones is absolutely the best. Hands down!”
“Quick responses, clear communication, and a very friendly admin team. Everything was handled efficiently and”
“Kelly was super helpful at a time i needed help she had all the answers to my”
“Always Best Care Senior Services is a premier organization.”
“Always Best Care will not disappoint! They truly provide the best service for all of”
“Always Best Care Services has been a wonderful experience, and Leslie Christian was especially helpful”
“These people were amazing.”
“Working with Always Best Care has been an absolute pleasure. As the director of Pathway”
“I Live in Durham, North Carolina. I have low vision and other limitations. I’ve been”
“I recently joined the company as a caregiver! The company itself is amazing the best”
“good service. help was thoughtful and kind. used for several days.”
“Kelly Klein at Always Best was a godsend. She helped us out during a truly scary time for our family and connected us with exactly what we needed. Can't recommend her highly enough!”
“Karla Dixon is a wonderful asset to the community and to Always Best Care in Chapel Hill, NC.”
“Karla dixon is truly a great person for the community. She is compassionate and very helpful.”
“Thank you, Carver Living Center (CLC) for the wonderful care the staff provided for my mother! All of the staff ( nurses, CNAs, PT & OT Staff), administrative staff and food service staff were very kind, caring and respectful. I would recommend CLC to anyone looking for a care facility for their family member(s).”
“From the outside looking in, you don’t always see the care, patience, and dedication that goes into what they do—but it’s there every single day. Truly grateful for a team that goes above and beyond, even when no one’s watching.”
“Always Best Care is hands down your go to for all in home care needs! Top tier team!”
“Seeing the care they provide, I’d highly recommend them to any family in need of in home care! Lots of options, flexibility and accommodations made for those that need it!”
“Reliable, caring, and professional—Always Best Care is awesome!”
“The staff here are compassionate, professional, and truly go above and beyond. You can tell they genuinely care about their clients and their families.”
“5 stars all the way—professional, compassionate, and reliable. You can tell they genuinely care!”
“Always Best Care provides excellent services to their community. Impeccable staff and care givers who actually care!”
“Not only is the care they provide outstanding, but the support from the front office is just as impressive. It’s comforting knowing you can call and talk to someone who genuinely cares and helps guide you through everything.”
“It’s rare to find a company where both the caregivers and the office staff are this compassionate. From day one, the entire team made us feel comfortable and answered so many of our questions with guidance.”
“I had a wonderful experience with Always Best Care Senior Services. Kelly Klein was incredibly supportive. She helped us find the right resources and solutions, and we truly felt supported every step of the way. We’re so grateful for her help.”
“Kaitlyn Jones is absolutely the best. Hands down!”
“Quick responses, clear communication, and a very friendly admin team. Everything was handled efficiently and professionally.”
“Kelly was super helpful at a time i needed help she had all the answers to my questions and made me feel heard I can move forward with the decisions i need to make in the future Thank You for the support”
“Always Best Care Senior Services is a premier organization.”
“Always Best Care will not disappoint! They truly provide the best service for all of your in home care needs!”
“Always Best Care Services has been a wonderful experience, and Leslie Christian was especially helpful throughout the process. She was kind, professional, and took the time to answer questions and make everything feel easy and comfortable. It’s clear that she truly cares and wants to provide the best support possible. I would definitely recommend Always Best Care Services to anyone looking for dependable and compassionate care.”
“These people were amazing.”
“Working with Always Best Care has been an absolute pleasure. As the director of Pathway Community Living, I’ve had the opportunity to work with them when coordinating housing for clients, and every interaction has been nothing short of excellent. Their team is incredibly professional, organized, and easy to communicate with. I work most closely with Karla and Leslie, and I can’t say enough good things about them. Their communication is top tier, they’re always responsive, and they make the coordination process smooth and stress free. It’s rare to find partners who are both this professional and this genuinely kind. I truly appreciate the partnership and look forward to continuing to work with this amazing team.”
“I Live in Durham, North Carolina. I have low vision and other limitations. I’ve been working Always Best for a couple of months now. Jordyn is doing a wonderful job! She is able to clean to cook to go through the mail with me. Recently, she filled out some challenging forms. She’s taking notes for me at a medical appointment. She also has a generous nature! Always, Best chooses well and is reliable!”
“I recently joined the company as a caregiver! The company itself is amazing the best part is being able to give amazing care and meet amazing people. From the family to the furry friends! If I could choose any other company I wouldn’t I will always choose always best care !”
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 Homestead Park in Chapel Hill, NC 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 Elements Restaurant or visit Old Well, 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 Chapel Hill, NC, 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 Chapel Hill, NC 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 Chapel Hill, NC 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.
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Artificial intelligence is already changing the way people work, and UNC Chapel Hill is preparing students for a workforce where AI may be part of the job.“It is intended to train them into using AI responsibly, to be able to build skills, to assess the output of AI,” said Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and AI minor developer Rei Sanchez-Arias.The new 15-credit-hour minor is part of UNC’s School of Data and Information Sciences, but it’s not just for computer science student...
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Artificial intelligence is already changing the way people work, and UNC Chapel Hill is preparing students for a workforce where AI may be part of the job.
“It is intended to train them into using AI responsibly, to be able to build skills, to assess the output of AI,” said Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and AI minor developer Rei Sanchez-Arias.
The new 15-credit-hour minor is part of UNC’s School of Data and Information Sciences, but it’s not just for computer science students. Students from fields including political science, psychology, nursing, business, biology and physics are already taking AI-related courses. The curriculum covers everything from using AI for writing, research and data analysis to understanding its limitations, reliability, safety and ethics.
“With the way that AI is kind of shaping the industry nowadays, it's really important for students of all backgrounds and majors to be able to understand how to incorporate got into their everyday life, into their studies,” UNC graduate student Daniel Zhang said.
And that cross-discipline approach is intentional. Data sciences student Zhang says he’s happy all majors can incorporate studying artificial intelligence because it’s all around us.
“It's really helpful that we allow that to be open to all students, wherever they might be,” Zhang said.
That’s why computer science major Graham Dickey says this new minor is going to be beneficial
“It's really more tailored towards people from other disciplines. So that they have a chance to really harness the AI in the workforce,” Dickey said.
Sanchez-Arias agrees.
“It's important that we hear the perspectives from folks that have a specific plan in their careers, that understand that impact of this technology within their specific fields, and that can have an educated conversation with anyone that is developing AI systems,” Sanchez-Arias said.
For these Tar Heels, AI education is becoming part of preparing for whatever comes next.
UNC says the new minor is part of its broader effort to prepare students to use AI “for the public good.” The university says students will also help shape how the program evolves as the technology continues to change.
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — At UNC Chapel Hill’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media, students are getting a new kind of help with their reporting. The school created Rameses, an artificial intelligence chatbot designed specifically to help student journalists with research and reporting.“We wanted to figure out where can we deploy AI to help improve the storytelling process, reduce the manual work that journalists are having to go through to, to gather information for that story and then also help them on the technical s...
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — At UNC Chapel Hill’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media, students are getting a new kind of help with their reporting. The school created Rameses, an artificial intelligence chatbot designed specifically to help student journalists with research and reporting.
“We wanted to figure out where can we deploy AI to help improve the storytelling process, reduce the manual work that journalists are having to go through to, to gather information for that story and then also help them on the technical side, distribute that to a wider audience of folks,” UNC professor Anthony DeHart said.
DeHart says the goal isn’t to have AI do the journalism for students. It’s to give them another tool to help them get started, whether they’re researching a topic, brainstorming questions or working through information.
“It's not just receiving a message and then returning a message back. It's actually able to go through and do complex tasks,” DeHart said.
For journalism students, Rameses is becoming part of the reporting process.
“It's not that it's changing any part of our news gathering, our journalistic process. It's just speeding up a lot of the research and the back end stuff,” UNC student Charlie Coastal said.
But students still have to do the work AI can’t replace, finding sources, conducting interviews and making sure the information they publish is accurate.
“So we know that the tool that it has and the information that's getting given to us can be as verified as possible. And then also how we can use Rameses,” UNC student Emma Kane said.
And that’s an important lesson as AI becomes more common in newsrooms. Rameses is still in its beta stage, giving students and faculty a chance to figure out where AI can actually help journalists and where human judgment still matters most.
“If you attempt to engage with it in a way that is outside of journalistic ethics, it's actually going to flag and say, 'hey, this is not something that I'm programmed to do. This is something that you should be doing on your own,'” DeHart said.
For these future journalists, the technology may be new, but learning how to use it responsibly could soon be part of the job. The Hussman School says Rameses is currently being used as a beta resource, meaning students and faculty are also helping determine how the chatbot can best be used in journalism education.
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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Carolina volleyball heads north for two matches in Virginia this weekend. The Tar Heels enter the weekend sitting at 9-3 overall and 4-0 in ACC play.No. 25 Carolina at Virginia Tech Oct. 9 | 6 PM LIVE STATS | WATCHNo. 25 Carolina at Virginia Oct. 11 | 1 PM LIVE STATS | WATCHNEWS & NOTESA WIN WOULD... - Be better than a loss - Third straight 5-0 start in ACC play - Second straight 6-0 start in ACC play - Be the 4th straight win against Virgi...
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Carolina volleyball heads north for two matches in Virginia this weekend. The Tar Heels enter the weekend sitting at 9-3 overall and 4-0 in ACC play.
No. 25 Carolina at Virginia Tech Oct. 9 | 6 PM LIVE STATS | WATCH
No. 25 Carolina at Virginia Oct. 11 | 1 PM LIVE STATS | WATCH
NEWS & NOTES
A WIN WOULD... - Be better than a loss - Third straight 5-0 start in ACC play - Second straight 6-0 start in ACC play - Be the 4th straight win against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg - Mark the 12th consecutive win against Virginia in Charlottesville, last loss at UVA was Oct. 14, 2007 MATCH OF THE YEAR - After going down 2-0 to Georgia Tech, UNC trailed 24-20 in the third - Georgia Tech had what it thought was the match clinching block, but after Head Coach Mike Schall successfully challenged a net fault the Tar Heels had new life - The Tar Heels fought off six match points to take the third set - Carolina led wire-to-wire in the fourth set to force a fifth - In the fifth the last tie was at 2-2 and then Carolina pulled away to complete the reverse sweep - Some fans on social media have dubbed the match saving third set challenge the "Schallenge" THE SAFI AND JACKIE SHOW - Through 12 matches Safi Hampton leads the Tar Heels with 148 kills and 3.36 points per set - Hampton has tied her career-high with 22 kills in two different matches this year, against Wake Forest she had 22 kills while hitting .373 and then a week later against Georgia Tech she had 22 kills while hitting .313 to go with three aces - Jackie Taylor leads in both blocks and service aces with 67 and 15 respectively - She currently has 22 more blocks than anyone else on the team - Taylor ranks 3rd in the ACC in blocks per set and 6th in total blocks - Eight matches into her third season, Taylor entered the top 10 in program history in block assists - The Miami native is nearing the top 10 in total blocks as well, just two away from 10th place DRESS LIKE MIKE DAY - Sunday's match against Georgia Tech was 'Dress Like Mike Day' - With the arena full of bald caps to match Mike, UNC pulled off a magical reverse sweep sparked by a clutch challenge in the third set to keep the Tar Heels alive AFTER ALL... IT IS THE TAR HEEL STATE - Since Mike Schall took over in the 2024 season the Tar Heels are 16-4 against in-state opponents and winners of the last 11 matches - He holds a 4-0 record against Duke, 3-0 against Wake Forest, 2-1 against NC State, and 1-0 records against App State, ECU, Davidson, UNCW, and Western Carolina - All-time, UNC is 426-142 against in-state opponents, with winning record against all but two schools (Barton and St. Andrews, last played both in 1974) BIG RED. BIG IMPACT. - Bridget Malone had the match of her career against Colorado State on Sept. 4 - She had a career-high 23 kills and she tacked on four blocks to carry the Tar Heels to a five set win LUCKY NUMBER... 19? - Carolina was ranked No. 19 for five consecutive AVCA polls between Nov. 24, 2025-Aug. 31 - Before this stretch the Tar Heels had only been ranked No. 19 twice in the history of the AVCA Top 25 (Nov. 4, 2013, Aug. 10, 2016) - Five straight polls at the same ranking is the longest stretch since Carolina was ranked No. 7 in five consecutive polls between Nov. 17, 2014-Aug. 12, 2015 OPENING WEEKEND MASTERCLASS - Carolina swept opening weekend while being extremely efficient on offense and lockdown on defense - The Tar Heels hit an insane .470 against UNCW on Sunday which is the most efficient offensive performance since Nov. 11, 2016 - UNC also shut down the UNCW offense, holding them to a -.010 hitting percentage, the lowest since Boston College hit -.010 on Oct. 21, 2016 - Through two matches the UNC defense is holding opponents to a stellar .055 hitting percentage which is second best in the nation early on RETURNING FIREPOWER - Carolina didn't lose anyone to the transfer portal for the second consecutive year and it's allowing a lot of production to return - Out of the 1536 kills last season, 1535 (99.9%) of those are back on the 2026 roster, 100% of the 342 blocks are back, 90.2% of aces are returning, and 69.7% of digs - Safi Hampton and Chelsea Thorpe were both named to the Preseason All-ACC Team ahead of the 2026 season O CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN - The 2026 leadership team consists of Zoe Behrendt, Chelsea Thrope, and Sadie Swift BEHIND THE SCHEDULE - The Tar Heels will square off with eight different teams who made the NCAA Tournament last season - They will face National Runner-Up Kentucky, National Semi-Finalist Pitt, and 2025 overall No. 1 seed Nebraska all on the road this season. - UNC will also travel to SMU, host Stanford and Georgia Tech, and play Louisville and Miami both home and away. - Carolina will square off against six teams in the AVCA Preseason Top-11 over the course of seven matches throughout the season, five on the road and two at home THE CLUB CONNECTION - Laynie Smith and Emily Bobbitt will have a connection before they ever play in Carolina blue together - The two played together at Triangle Volleyball Club - Triangle is also where Erin Curtis, Lindley Miller, and Carly Markham played club prior to college - Erin Curtis' father, Jason, co-founded the club - Head coach Mike Schall served as an associate director at Triangle before arriving in Chapel Hill YEAR FOUR OF THE SCHALL ERA - Entering year four, Coach Schall looks to build off the momentum of the first three seasons - Carolina is ranked in the preseason AVCA Top-25 Coaches Poll for the first time since 2017 and was picked fifth in the ACC Preseason Coaches Poll - In year one he went 13-14 and turned that around with a 23-8 record in 2024 with the first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021, followed by a 22-9 campaign in 2025 with another first round victory in the NCAA Tournament - UNC is now chasing three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances for the first time since it went to seven in a row between 2010-16 ATHLETIC PEDIGREE - Jackie Taylor's father, Sean, played football for the University of Miami from 2001-2003 and was a member of the 2001 BCS National Championship team. He was the No. 5 pick in the 2004 NFL Draft to the Washington Redskins where he was a two-time Pro-Bowl Selection (2006, 2007) -Her mom, Jackie García, was a midfielder on the women's soccer team at the University of Miami - Erin Curtis', father Jason was a captain on the Santa Clara men's volleyball team, sister Emily was a setter at Villanova and sister Maggie was a defensive specialist at Santa Clara - Julia Bohlinger: Father Rob played football at the University of Wyoming (1993-98) and professionally in the NFL for the Carolina Panthers as a left tackle - Carson Overbeck's mom, Carla, was a three-time All-America and four-time NCAA Champion on the UNC soccer team from 1986-89. She captained the 1995 U.S. World Cup squad that advanced to the semifinals and also served as captain of the 1996 U.S. Women's Soccer Olympic Team that won the gold medal. She is currently an assistant coach for the Duke women's soccer team
Generations of Tar Heels have walked into a little brick space on Franklin Street for brunch, unaware that their great-grandparents may have gone there to pick up their mail.Long before it served cornflake French toast, the spot was a student post office for the University of North Carolina. In 1922, it became a soda shop, and today it's Carolina Coffee Shop in Chapel Hill, the oldest restaurant in North Carolina. The Chapel Hill Historical Society calls it the oldest continuously operating business in the state.For more than a...
Generations of Tar Heels have walked into a little brick space on Franklin Street for brunch, unaware that their great-grandparents may have gone there to pick up their mail.
Long before it served cornflake French toast, the spot was a student post office for the University of North Carolina. In 1922, it became a soda shop, and today it's Carolina Coffee Shop in Chapel Hill, the oldest restaurant in North Carolina. The Chapel Hill Historical Society calls it the oldest continuously operating business in the state.
For more than a century, it has been the meeting place where students, townspeople, and returning alumni cross paths, and it's still in the exact same spot.
More than a century of campus memories live in this booth-lined room, which makes it a fitting companion to a tour of North Carolina's oldest towns. If you know a Tar Heel, bring them along.
Plenty of the original space has stayed the same. The old soda counter now serves as the bar, and the wooden booths, which date to the 1960s, give the dark, cozy room a sense of privacy.
Framed newspapers by the front door display old menu prices, and the original brick walls remain exposed, making it easy to imagine the room in its soda-shop days.
The menu focuses on Southern brunch, with classics like cornflake French toast, and most dishes are under $16, making it a favorite with students and families alike.
Next door, the owners opened a cafe called 1922 by Carolina Coffee Shop to celebrate the centennial, a relaxed spot for coffee, conversation, and study sessions.
Before the restaurant arrived, the space is believed to have housed a UNC student post office and, in 1914, the University Athletic Shop with a soda fountain.
It opened as the Carolina Confectionery in 1922, became the Carolina Coffee Shop in 1928, and operated as a soda shop until the 1950s, when it began serving full meals.
Byron Freeman owned it from the 1950s to 1999, and UNC football legend Charlie Justice was a regular during his student days. Today, a group of UNC graduates owns it, including Olympic soccer gold medalist Heather O'Reilly.
The building has a quiet connection to campus, too. John Sprunt Hill bought the block in the 1920s and donated it in parcels to UNC between 1947 and 1951, on the condition that the rent fund the library's North Carolina Collection, which it still does.
Carolina Coffee Shop is at 138 East Franklin Street in downtown Chapel Hill, across from UNC's campus. Hours change around the academic calendar, so confirm before you go.
Expect a crowd on football Saturdays and graduation weekends, when Franklin Street fills with fans and families.
The surrounding area is full of things to do. Try a Durham rail-biking adventure, see one of North Carolina's oldest buildings, or spend a day chasing North Carolina's waterfalls on a hike.
Go for a Southern brunch favorite like the cornflake French toast. Grab a seat at the old soda counter, now the bar, for the most nostalgic experience.
Chapel Hill is in Orange County, part of North Carolina's Research Triangle, and the restaurant sits on the town's main drag directly across from the University of North Carolina's campus.
It opened in 1922 as the Carolina Confectionery and took its current name in 1928. No restaurant in North Carolina has been open longer, and it celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2022.
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – No. 25 Carolina volleyball (11-3, 6-0 ACC) picked up its seventh consecutive victory on Sunday afternoon with a 3-0 sweep over Virginia (25-13, 25-16, 25-15). The Tar Heels dominated the entire match, once they took the lead in every set they never allowed Virginia to regain the lead.Safi Hampton led the way with 10 kills, Chelsea Thorpe and Laynie Smith each had eight, and in her first career start Addison West had seven. Smith, Jackie Taylor, and Lauren Schutter all had five blocks on th...
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – No. 25 Carolina volleyball (11-3, 6-0 ACC) picked up its seventh consecutive victory on Sunday afternoon with a 3-0 sweep over Virginia (25-13, 25-16, 25-15). The Tar Heels dominated the entire match, once they took the lead in every set they never allowed Virginia to regain the lead.
Safi Hampton led the way with 10 kills, Chelsea Thorpe and Laynie Smith each had eight, and in her first career start Addison West had seven. Smith, Jackie Taylor, and Lauren Schutter all had five blocks on the day.
The first set was all Carolina. Sitting at a 6-5 lead, the Tar Heels went on a 5-0 to give themselves some distance. A 6-1 run made it 21-11 and then a 3-0 run ended the first frame. The block for Carolina was the story of the set with UNC racking up five.
The second set was much of the same for the Tar Heels, they put up another five blocks and only allowed the frame to be tied up twice. Taylor went off for five kills in the second with Hampton and Thorpe not too far behind with four. A 6-0 run closed the set out and UNC took a commanding 2-0 lead in the match.
The depth of UNC showed itself in the third frame with West leading the team with four kills on seven swings. West was thrust into the starting lineup after some injuries and the level of play remained the same. The Omaha, Neb. native finished the week with 14 kills with a .367 hitting percentage.
UNC's defense was outstanding on the week with neither opponent ever breaking 20 points in a set. Virginia Tech scored the most with 18 in set two on Friday.
UNC now takes its seven-match win streak to Notre Dame and No. 3 Louisville next Friday and Sunday.
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