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 the historic Fort Caroline National Memorial 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 Jacksonville, FL 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.
“I am really happy with my helper. She always has a smile every day. She”
“I wanted to reach out to thank you for your patience & continued help to”
“Always best care is a wonderful place to work!”
“Always best care is more than just an amazing place to receive care from, but”
“Always Best Care has a n awesome staff that’s caring and knowledgeable. I enjoy working”
“Always Best Care is quick to respond & care for families in need. They give”
“Always Best Care is an awesome Agency to work for they are the best .”
“Love the company. As an employee, I can say that the company is adept in”
“Always Best Care is a great company to work for. I'm able to give compassionate”
“Great company to work for.”
“Marlynn - Thank you so much to you and your team for your responsiveness support!”
“I am a current client of this provider ABC has been providing my father care 6”
“Doreesa is extraordinarily effective & successful in working with my husband. She takes his lead”
“Thank you for your excellent care of Dad during his time of need, and for”
“Always Best Care is caring for a dear elderly friend in Florida, and I live”
“Obviously I can only speak to my experience with this company but they have been”
“Ms. Elaine and the crew at Always Best - Thanks to each of you for”
“I just want to say thanks to all of you at ABC... if I say”
“I am a current client of this provider My wife was in hospital for 12 days,”
“I am a current client of this provider I have been a client of Always Best”
“I am a current client of this provider Thank you Always Best Care for sending quality”
“I am a current client of this provider The care we receive from Always Best Care”
“I am a current client of this provider I am delighted to share my heartfelt appreciation”
“I am a current client of this provider Our care was compassionate, and Professional. Every employee”
“I am a current client of this provider Always Best Care Jacksonville has provided in home”
“I am really happy with my helper. She always has a smile every day. She gets right to work wit her first question being about do I need help with my hair washing, then did I take my pills. Then she starts with cleaning. Always smiling.”
“I wanted to reach out to thank you for your patience & continued help to get Mom & Dad comfortable with starting the care process. I know it took longer than expected (and certainly longer than I had hoped), but you all have already made a big impact. In talking with Mom & Dad, they both really like Ja’kayla & it sounds like she is doing a wonderful job. I can hear the relief & realization of what it means in Mom’s voice when I talk to her each week.”
“Always best care is a wonderful place to work!”
“Always best care is more than just an amazing place to receive care from, but an amazing company to be a part of from day one. I’ve felt welcomed, valued and appreciated. I'd truly recommend this place to anyone looking for care for their family members and friends or companions looking to provide care to join the team.”
“Always Best Care has a n awesome staff that’s caring and knowledgeable. I enjoy working with them and their clients. I love helping assist the elderly and their families.”
“Always Best Care is quick to respond & care for families in need. They give personal attention & suggestions for the special needs of each client.”
“Always Best Care is an awesome Agency to work for they are the best . Have been there 7years and counting! What does that say? Answer Amazing..”
“Love the company. As an employee, I can say that the company is adept in good communication and competency. They are also very lenient with scheduling !”
“Always Best Care is a great company to work for. I'm able to give compassionate care that my client needs and It makes me feel good when the family feels good and knowing that their loved one has trust in me and feel Comfortable when I'm around. HHA/CNA, If you're looking for a company to work for, choose Always Best Care so you can be apart of the ABC Family.”
“Great company to work for.”
“Marlynn - Thank you so much to you and your team for your responsiveness support!”
“I am a current client of this provider ABC has been providing my father care 6 days a week for the last 3 months and I've been pleased with the close rapport the caregivers have established with Dad. The daily caregiver team has been very reliable and responsive to my requests. The online portal has been so useful in communicating scheduling tasks and other requests, and I always feel I have the ability to easily reach someone at the ABC office who is personally aware of our account. I'm 100% glad we made the switch to ABC from another local agency.”
“Doreesa is extraordinarily effective & successful in working with my husband. She takes his lead and fits the activity to suit "his mood." She's very understanding of his needs and issues. She reacts with a smile and is quite patient.”
“Thank you for your excellent care of Dad during his time of need, and for always being gracious when changes were needed. Thanks also for providing us with a caregiver "Tracy Ann" who really cared.”
“Always Best Care is caring for a dear elderly friend in Florida, and I live in Illinois. The quality of caregivers is amazing, superb. I can TRUST them and Marlynn and her staff to CARE for my dear friend/adopted family. ABC provides a whole range of medical and caregiving services for my friend/adopted family member. The caregivers always arrive on time and are wonderful people in addition to being competent caregivers. Our interactions with the caregivers have been appropriate. They are appropriately respectful of their client and my husband and me. At the same time we have enjoyed fun conversations with them and gotten to know them. Marlynn and her staff are very responsive to our requests. She is also able to explain when our request isn’t good for our friend. We would highly recommend using the people and services of Always Best Care and would be glad to answer questions that might be helpful in making that decision.”
“Obviously I can only speak to my experience with this company but they have been a saving grace for our family. Extremely helpful, efficient. “Our” Amanda, our caregiver for our elderly mother is thoughtful, thorough, encouraging, ever so patient and caring. She’s a gem to us!”
“Ms. Elaine and the crew at Always Best - Thanks to each of you for your kindness”
“I just want to say thanks to all of you at ABC... if I say names I may leave someone out but thanks. As God leaves in my heart you guys have helped me, around physically and mentally. May God just bless you all. Thank you all.”
“I am a current client of this provider My wife was in hospital for 12 days, and was released on a Sunday. The caregiver from Always Best Care arrived at our home as soon as we were there. She immediately made sure that we had everything my wife needed to be safe. She was extremely kind and was every time she was with us. The caregiver was always on time and responsive to all my wife's needs. I will recommend this agency to anyone that needs their service”
“I am a current client of this provider I have been a client of Always Best Care since 2020 and have had the most fabulous caregivers since I started some of who have become good friends. They help me with driving me to my hair appointments, showering and looking my best. Aretta, Sandra, and Rose come weekly and help me get ready for bed and dressed in the morning. They help keep me company since my husband passed away a few years ago. They are always on time and stay extra if I need it. If I need anything the agency responds immediately even if I call at night. I would highly recommend Always Best Care of Jacksonville to everyone.”
“I am a current client of this provider Thank you Always Best Care for sending quality caregivers for my husband. All caregivers have been good and some outstanding. I appreciate the fairness you exhibit in always making certain the caregiver and the care receiver are pleased and compatible. For the past 8 months Ola has been with us full time. She is the BEST and works well with me and my husband who is not always in a great mood because of Alzheimer's and memory loss. Ola is kind, patient, and now part of our family. I thank you and God for putting us together.”
“I am a current client of this provider The care we receive from Always Best Care is always compassionate, and Professional. Tracy Ann our Care Giver is so very dependable. She puts a lot of love and care in everything she does for my father. And he's very comfortable with her and that makes our life so much better. She's become a very important part of our life and we appreciate her so much. We are thankful and blessed to have her. I highly recommend Always Best Care. All calls are answered promptly and with care. Thanks for the service you provide”
“I am a current client of this provider I am delighted to share my heartfelt appreciation for the exceptional care that my mother has received from the dedicated team at Always Best Care. Since they began caring for my mother, we have witnessed compassion, professionalism, timeliness, and unwavering support. The caregivers at Always Best Care have shown genuine warmth and empathy towards my mother, and their commitment to her well-being is evident in every interaction. They take their role in providing care very seriously and with the utmost respect. They engage in meaningful conversations and provide companionship that provides a comfort to being so far away. This has also significantly impacted my mother's quality of life. Always Best Care's professionalism and communication have been exceptional. They inform us about my mother's health and any developments, allowing us to make informed decisions. The caregivers at Always Best Care have been a blessing and their dedication to providing top-notch care and compassion is exactly what my mom needs. I'm incredibly grateful!”
“I am a current client of this provider Our care was compassionate, and Professional. Every employee we worked with was very caring and understanding. They listened to our needs and we’re very patient with all of our questions. Thank you for making a true difference in my aunts quality of life.”
“I am a current client of this provider Always Best Care Jacksonville has provided in home care for my mother for the last 3 years who has late stage Alzheimer's. They have done a wonderful job providing the same caregivers, with a few exceptions, for this journey which makes it so much easier for us. We live out of town, but we know the ladies who are coming and have been coming consistently the last 3 years. They are always on time and know her better than she knows herself. This is especially helpful since she has no short term memory left. The office has always responded immediately if we have any additional needs and makes us feel like family. They have a family portal for us to log on to see what's going on with mom daily. We look forward to the photos the caregivers post there of what she's doing that day so we feel like we are there as well. They truly live up to their name of 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 Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park 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 Matthew's Restaurant or visit Walter Jones Historic Park, 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 Jacksonville, FL, 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 Jacksonville, FL 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 Jacksonville, FL 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.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In partnership with the University of North Florida, the Florida High School Track & Field State Championships will return to Visit Jax Track and the University of North Florida’s campus in Jacksonville. Set as a single day event for the competing classifications, competition will commence on Friday with ...
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In partnership with the University of North Florida, the Florida High School Track & Field State Championships will return to Visit Jax Track and the University of North Florida’s campus in Jacksonville. Set as a single day event for the competing classifications, competition will commence on Friday with Classes 2A, 3A & Para-Athlete Divisions, and will conclude Saturday with Classes 1A & 4A respectively.
All athletes are making their way to Jacksonville this weekend after qualifying and advancing throughout the District and Regional rounds that have taken place over the last few weeks. In addition to crowning individual state champions by classification and event, overall team championships will be awarded in each of the classifications as well.
Tickets are currently on sale and available through the University of North Florida Athletics Ticket Office for an advanced purchase rate of $14.00 per day, and a day of price of $17.00. A $3.00 parking fee has already included in each ticket of admission, with no parking fees being collected onsite. For a complete meet schedule each day, live event results and additional event information, please see below or visit the track & field sport page.
2024 Team Score State Champions
Boys Team Winners
Girls Team Winners
Know Before You Go: Where: Visit Jax Track at Hodges Stadium (Jacksonville) When: Friday, May 9th – Saturday, May 10th Host: University of North Florida Athletics Schedule & Information: Schedule | Venue Results: Live Results | Official Results Admission: $14.00 per day with advanced purchase & $17.00 day of (via UNF Athletics Ticketing) Parking: Map | No onsite sales. $3.00 cost of parking already included in each ticket of admission (all proceeds retained by the host) Championship Lodging: click here Official Merchandise: Team IP Webcast: NFHS Network via MileSplit
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Rock band Heart has canceled its June 24 concert in Jacksonville and booked another one for the same night in St. Augustine.The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame act had been scheduled to play at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. The ticket sales page for that event now reads ...
Rock band Heart has canceled its June 24 concert in Jacksonville and booked another one for the same night in St. Augustine.
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame act had been scheduled to play at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. The ticket sales page for that event now reads "CANCELLED."
The band is still booked for a Northeast Florida show that night, but now it will be at the St. Augustine Amphitheatre. Showtime is 7 p.m. and tickets, prices at $45-$175, go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, May 2.
The concerts are separate events, and tickets for the Jacksonville show will not be honored at the amphitheater. Fans holding tickets to the Jacksonville concert will receive refunds and were given a pre-sale code to the new St. Augustine date.
The band, which formed in the early 1970s in the Seattle area, is led by sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson and has sold more than 30 million albums.
(This story was updated to add a photo gallery.)
Mike Dragich went viral for capturing a 10-foot gator on I-95 barefoot. The gator wrangler also helps local veterans fight veteran suicide.JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A video of a Jacksonville man wrangling a 10-foot alligator is going viral on social media. Mike Dragich is the barefoot man who captured the gator in the median of I-95 on Sunday.However, Dragich is more than just a gator wrangler. He’s a man of faith who has a goal of not only protecting the community from gators but also saving the lives of our local veter...
Mike Dragich went viral for capturing a 10-foot gator on I-95 barefoot. The gator wrangler also helps local veterans fight veteran suicide.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A video of a Jacksonville man wrangling a 10-foot alligator is going viral on social media. Mike Dragich is the barefoot man who captured the gator in the median of I-95 on Sunday.
However, Dragich is more than just a gator wrangler. He’s a man of faith who has a goal of not only protecting the community from gators but also saving the lives of our local veterans.
Mike Dragich is also known as the blue-collar brawler.
As a nuisance alligator trapper for the Florida wildlife commission, Dragich got the call Sunday that a 10-foot alligator was in the median of I-95 and I-295.
“He was a fat alligator and he’s a male and he was out looking for a female,” Dragich said. “I’m shocked that he made it across the main road. Four lanes of 95 traffic in the heat of traffic.”
With no shoes on, and no hesitation, Dragich got the job done.
“I’m always barefoot,” he said. "I live life barefoot. It is better to catch alligators barefoot than with something on your feet.”
For the past three years, Dragich has been going toe-to-toe with gators.
On April 23, 2024, when he used his bare hands to wrangle this 8-foot gator in the road. Then in May of 2023, when he captured a 10-foot gator at an elementary school.
“These types of calls are like the gator signal in the sky just calling me to respond and save the city,” he said.
However, Dragich has felt called to more than just gator calls.
As a marine veteran and a man of faith, he shares his outdoor expertise with local veterans and first responders to help them combat veteran suicide.
“We truly believe that forging community, igniting purpose and defying darkness is the trick,” Dragich said.
Whether gator wrangling or sharing the love of outdoors to help his fellow veterans. The blue-collar brawler is protecting many in our community.
“That is what this whole thing is about, it doesn’t make any difference in the world if it doesn’t help somebody else,” he said.
Dragich's organization that helps fight veteran suicide is called Project Savior Outdoors. Their mission.
If you or anyone you know is a local veteran or first responder, you can click this link to go to Project Savior Outdoors website.
Students in programs that are ending are being notified in person Tuesday and faculty on Tuesday and Wednesday, JU President Tim Cost said.JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville University is laying off about 40 faculty members and retiring dozens of tradition-bound majors to focus on newer degrees in high demand, school officials said Tuesday.The change is meant “to do more of what we do well for our students,” JU President Tim Cost said in a written announcement, describing a transition also intended to help navi...
Students in programs that are ending are being notified in person Tuesday and faculty on Tuesday and Wednesday, JU President Tim Cost said.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Jacksonville University is laying off about 40 faculty members and retiring dozens of tradition-bound majors to focus on newer degrees in high demand, school officials said Tuesday.
The change is meant “to do more of what we do well for our students,” JU President Tim Cost said in a written announcement, describing a transition also intended to help navigate a widely forecast nationwide drop in college admissions.
Students in programs that are ending are being notified in person Tuesday and faculty on Tuesday and Wednesday, Cost said in an interview.
He said only about 100 of the school’s 4,200 students will be “impacted” and that existing students will be able to graduate in their fields. New students won’t be allowed to enroll for those degree programs in the fall.
The 91-year-old Arlington college had boasted more than 100 majors, minors and programs, but JU said that list is being pared back to 37 “in-demand” undergraduate majors and minors and 15 master’s and doctoral degrees.
The offerings will range from nursing and health care science to business administration, psychology, computer science, cybersecurity, marine science, aviation, finance, dance, visual arts and media arts, a JU release said.
The cutbacks won't include JU's College of Law or the university's partnership with the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, which is scheduled to open LECOM at JU, the city's first four-year medical school, in fall of 2026.
Cost said the university is focusing on fields that can feed graduates into Northeast Florida’s economy with skills that can land good jobs.
Much of JU’s student body already wants those fields, Cost said, with about 1,000 of the school’s 4,200 students enrolled in nursing or health care programs that have flourished during the past decade.
About another 1,000 undergraduate and graduate students are enrolled in 15 fields of study involving humanities, social sciences, education and math that are not affected by the changes.
But, Cost said the school also has “legacy” majors that might only graduate 10 students over four years and are harder to justify financially.
Studies in fields including glassblowing, music composition and world languages reflect courses the university launched a generation or two back.
Cost said the reduced list of majors and departure of some faculty will fit with a JU effort to curb "controllable expenses" by 10% starting this fall.
An "academic financial task force" of deans, administrators and veteran faculty members weighed choices and added input before plans for cutting majors were complete.
“These important academic decisions reflect hundreds of hours of analysis, consideration, debate and discussion among senior University leaders from all departments, including our faculty,” a JU release quoted Provost Sherri Jackson saying of the outcome.
This report was first published by The Florida Times-Union.
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