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 Bradbury Building in Los Angeles, CA 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 Los Angeles, CA 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 feel incredibly lucky to have found Always Best Care South Bay. We used a”
“I was desperately trying to find a spot for my mom here in the south”
“We have always been completely satisfied with the professional and high-quality personnel and services provided”
“I am the General Manger at Always Best Care and have been with the company”
“I have never been disappointed in the quality of the care, the professionalism and the”
“My mother is 87 years old and is challenged with Alzheimer's and Dementia. We were”
“I wanted to share that Ashley at Always Best Care Senior Services is an Angel!”
“I can't speak highly enough of Dr. David Hart, he is a treasure. He”
“Dr. Hart has been volunteering his time and expertise for many years for our participants”
“I, Gary GOERINGER, Found the services and counseling invaluable in caring for my”
“We have had the privilege and fortunate opportunity to participate in a support group led”
“I have Been working with always best care for more than 10 years. I have”
“I feel extraordinarily grateful to have connected with this agency, specifically with Dr. Hart, during”
“I highly recommend Always Best Care for every aspect from the ones seeking care for”
“Always Best Care absolutely saved us when my father needed immediate assistance. Maria and team”
“I cannot say enough good things about Always Best Care in the South Bay. I”
“Always Best Care agency has been wonderful to work with. The caregivers they have provided”
“The senior in-home care was top notch. The caregivers were caring, comforting, and always available”
“I attended the free family caregivers seminar presented by Dr. David Hart. The seminar was”
“Dr David Hart has given me security to know that I can do it. He”
“My experience with ABC Senior Services has been uniformly positive, starting with participation in their”
“This is a long overdue review and endorsement of Always Best Care-Torrance. My family is”
“I attended one of their monthly caregiver essentials workshop and found it incredibly informative. I”
“Carrie, David, and their team are terrific to work with. Carrie has been a lifesaver”
“From the moment I first spoke to Mark Wecker at Always Best Care, he was”
“My son and I have received family counseling from Dr. Hart for nearly two years.”
“I'm glad I attended Dr. Hart's caregiver support workshop which focused on Alzheimer's disease. I”
“Experienced people, excellent service.”
“I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Dr. David Hart for your elder-care needs. Dr. Hart is an incredibly”
“Dr Hart knows so much about dealing with issues that Alzheimer's creates for those who”
“Best in home care company in the South Bay & LA”
“Mark Wecker provided us with invaluable help both in terms of finding appropriate board &scare”
““ I have been very happy with the excellent professional and loving care services ABC”
“My widowed 80-year-old mother who has Alzheimer's disease has been living alone for 3 years.”
“I want to express how helpful Mark Wecker was to me and my family as”
“Thankful and grateful don’t seem quite good enough to express how I feel about Always”
“The attitude and professionalism of the management of a company is especially important in the”
“Its always a pleasure working with a team that has their hearts and minds on”
“Always best care saved my life they have a great staff ready to assist 24/7”
“I am a current client of this provider This company is very professional. All the staff”
“I am a current client of this provider Very professional staff. Also my caregiver was awesome”
“I am a current client of this provider Best In Home Care Company in the Southbay”
“I am a past client of this provider Helpful, compassionate, and always available to assist. I”
“The staff are friendly and professional every step of the way.”
“Mark Wecker provided us with invaluable help both in terms of finding appropriate board &scare”
“Dr. Hart has been of monumental assistance to our family during a very difficult time.”
“I want to let you know how fortunate I feel that our lives intersected with”
“I am so very fortunate to be a part of a professional, caring and supportive”
“I've worked for four agencies over the last 16 years but this is the best”
“Great place to work”
“Ms.Carrie Bianco (owner) is very friendly and accomodating. Ms.Rhona (staffing) is very nice, easy to”
“I feel incredibly lucky to have found Always Best Care South Bay. We used a different agency when my father needed care, so I know firsthand how much agencies can vary. The difference has been night and day. Everyone at Always Best Care makes me feel like my mom and our family truly matter. Our social worker is absolutely wonderful. She is caring, trustworthy, responsive, and always willing to work with me. Most importantly, she makes me feel confident that my mom is being looked after by someone who genuinely cares about her well-being. We have also been so impressed with every caregiver they have sent. Each one has been a great match for my mom, and it's obvious that they put thought and care into pairing caregivers with clients. The caregivers are kind, dependable, and treat my mom with patience and respect. Having a loved one with Alzheimer's can be stressful and emotional, but Always Best Care has given me something priceless: peace of mind. I truly feel that my mother is in the best possible hands. I trust this team completely, and I am so grateful for the compassion, professionalism, and support they provide every day. I highly recommend Always Best Care South Bay to any family looking for quality care for a loved one.”
“I was desperately trying to find a spot for my mom here in the south bay and feeling so lost. I was referred to Colin at Always Best Care and he had a location scheduled for me within an hour. The property is amazing and we love the care my mom receives. Colin was a hero, I appreciate him so much!”
“We have always been completely satisfied with the professional and high-quality personnel and services provided by Always Best Care. The caregivers they assign us learn quickly and are very attentive to our specific case by applying and adapting their skills as required. They have met our needs without fail, and we look forward to continuing to work with them in the future.”
“I am the General Manger at Always Best Care and have been with the company for over five years. This company has changed my life- the lives of countless clients, caregivers, and employees. It’s a great, caring organization that truly puts people first, and I am proud to be part of a team that embodies that spirit daily. What stands out? Transformative, compassionate care that keeps families at ease. A clear dedication to dignity, safety, and excellence! This role has empowered me to feel truly accomplished and successful every day. If you are seeking meaningful compassionate care or a rewarding place to work, Always Best Care is the answer.”
“I have never been disappointed in the quality of the care, the professionalism and the compassion of Always Best Care. Our family has been clients for both my grandmother and mother for nearly 3 years. We are beyond grateful for the care provided by the caregivers, the counsel provided by Dr. Hart and our care manager Julia. This agency is organized, professional and compassionate. We couldn't ask for more. If you are looking for the gold standard for your loved ones care, Always Best Care is it.”
“My mother is 87 years old and is challenged with Alzheimer's and Dementia. We were referred to Always Best Care Senior Services by her physicians to allow a bit of rest for her fulltime family caregiver as well as give my mother an opportunity to experience a change for her cognitive stimulation. We were so blessed to have an amazing Care Manager, Ashley who coordinated all appointments and visits. Ashely's intake included vital questions about my mother's personality, likes and dislikes to match her with the appropriate caregiver. It worked! My mother was matched with Ms. Chyrlene. She is vibrant, and a burst of energy which was a great match. We are assessing the needs of my mother to either increase hours and or days. The companionship and time spent was thoroughly enjoyable by all.”
“I wanted to share that Ashley at Always Best Care Senior Services is an Angel! Everyone on her Team has made such a positive impact in not only my Dad's life, but in mine as well. She is always so positive and thoughtful! I cannot tell you what an absolute Blessing this experience has been for us. A shout out to all the caregivers. You make a difference, you are incredible humans! Thank you”
“I can't speak highly enough of Dr. David Hart, he is a treasure. He is knowledgeable, empathetic and has supported me getting through many rough patch!”
“Dr. Hart has been volunteering his time and expertise for many years for our participants at Cancer Support Community South Bay. We are grateful to have such a dedicated and dynamic expert to empower, support, and educate our participants on a wide array of topics! He does a great job of connecting with our participants while sharing about difficult topics in a clear and understandable way. Thank you Dave!”
“I, Gary GOERINGER, Found the services and counseling invaluable in caring for my husband,, Bill schwartz, In his last days. I was given. Much needed coping skills.Oz and re assurance that I was doing the right thing For his best interest. They were always there when I reached out to them. Their professionalism and caring was beyond expectations. I continue to reach out and they are always available . The air services are beyond reproach.. I would recommend them to anyone who is in need of their services.”
“We have had the privilege and fortunate opportunity to participate in a support group led by Dr. David Hart of Always Best Care. He has become our most trusted counselor and advisor and friend, and we trust, value and appreciate the kindness, wisdom and support he offers each and every session.”
“I have Been working with always best care for more than 10 years. I have been impressed with the quality of their staff and caregivers. They have gone above and beyond for my patient s. I highly recommend them”
“I feel extraordinarily grateful to have connected with this agency, specifically with Dr. Hart, during a time in my life when my husband of 60 years was a victim of that horrible illness-Alzheimers. Dr.Hart provided a support system that helped me identify my strengths, handle my despair, and be present for my husband in a way that nurtured and uplifted him. I have continued to meet with Dr. Hart periodically when I feel the need to clarify my progress without a mate. He is so sensitive and perceptive that I always leave our meetings with a plan. I'm also grateful for the positive and loving environment created by his staff so every visit to the office is nurturing. Of course, the services available provide me the comfort of knowing when and if I find myself in need of elder care, Always Best will be my first and only choice.”
“I highly recommend Always Best Care for every aspect from the ones seeking care for a loved one or themselves, all the way to the ones seeking an opportunity to care for a senior. I personally worked for ABC, and throughout my years with them I had the pleasure of interacting with the seniors as well as with the amazing caregivers. From the stories of a much more simpler time in the elders life to the reasons from a caregiver wanting to truly care for the seniors. (Most reasons are personal to them that have impacted their life and heart). This is truly a caring company with exceptional professional staff. It's hard to find a company that demonstrates both of those traits....”
“Always Best Care absolutely saved us when my father needed immediate assistance. Maria and team were extremely compassionate, responsive, informative and truly wanted us to feel comfortable with every small detail. The caretakers were all amazing and dependable. I truly cannot say enough positive things about the level of service provided by ABC as they helped us navigate this truly impossible time.”
“I cannot say enough good things about Always Best Care in the South Bay. I was lucky to be referred to ABC when my Father suddenly needed in-home care several years ago and I hired ABC again a few months ago when my friend needed in-home care. The learning curve is steep when a family member is no longer independent. Having reliable, caring and professional caregivers is invaluable in getting through these challenges. Hiring the caregivers from ABC allowed me to be the "daughter" again. I absolutely could not have cared for my beloved Father or my dear friend without ABC by my side!”
“Always Best Care agency has been wonderful to work with. The caregivers they have provided to stay with my dear friend, who has dementia, have been outstanding. My husband, an MD, and I, an RN, have rather high standards and have found all of the caregivers to be professional, caring and extremely reliable (24/7 care in this case) They go above and beyond expectations. I have felt safe with the caregivers,as they are also down-to-earth; caring people. Dr. David Hart is the main point person in this family-run agency and he is not only a very caring person, he is extremely intelligent in his communication, yet very down-to earth at the same time. He is responsive to any issues that arise immediately…not only for the client, but also to his caregivers, who he genuinely cares about. That is perhaps why he attracts and retains such stellar employees, We feel very lucky to have found ABC Senior Care services. Ilene Watson, RN and Dr. Walter Watson,MD, Manhattan Beach, CA”
“The senior in-home care was top notch. The caregivers were caring, comforting, and always available even with our requested schedule changes. Definitely would recommend to others in our family.”
“I attended the free family caregivers seminar presented by Dr. David Hart. The seminar was both informative and practical. Dr. Hart is very knowledgeable and practical as he cared for his grandmother with Alzheimers. He is an unusually caring person who is very approachable. I am grateful to know him and to know he is available whenever he might be needed.”
“Dr David Hart has given me security to know that I can do it. He has such a caring and approachable demeanor. I feel I can call on him at any time for help with either one of us. Thank heavens he came along in our lives.”
“My experience with ABC Senior Services has been uniformly positive, starting with participation in their Memory Club several years ago. My wife has Alzheimer's and the challenges are severe. ABC, notably Dr. David Hart, has been a terrific source of support and advice. They take the time to understand your individual needs and circumstances. This is a great resource for those of us in the South Bay.”
“This is a long overdue review and endorsement of Always Best Care-Torrance. My family is forever grateful for all the care given to my father for more than four years. From our initial meeting with Carrie and David to selecting the most wonderful caregiver that was with Dad to the end of his days. The love and support from everyone at ABC was so appreciated especially during some very difficult times. May God bless you always - You are truly special angels. Thank you all!”
“I attended one of their monthly caregiver essentials workshop and found it incredibly informative. I now have a much better understanding of the disease progression, and have walked away with so many helpful resources. Attending made me aware that I do not have to struggle alone through this, there are support groups and resources available to assist me. Dr. David Hart is a compassionate person who is genuinely willing to help others navigate the path of caring for a loved one with dementia.”
“Carrie, David, and their team are terrific to work with. Carrie has been a lifesaver by helping us to quickly find a wonderful 24/7 board and care facility for our loved one who is suffering from both advanced dementia and a broken, severe arthritic neck. They have provided very capable temporary care givers to us to help with taking our loved one to doctor's appointments and during the time our loved one was being treated in the hospital. David has thoroughly educated us on all aspects of dementia and counseled the family members to help sort out their emotions during these difficult times. We strongly recommend Always Best Care South Bay to anyone needing advise, help, and services to find care facilities, care givers, and/or counseling.”
“From the moment I first spoke to Mark Wecker at Always Best Care, he was kind, caring and extremely knowledgeable. He made sure to ask all the right questions to help my siblings and me find the perfect place for our father who had very advanced Parkinson's Disease. He took us to places that fit the high quality we were looking for and in our budget range. Mark showed genuine concern for us and my father. And he helped us navigate through a challenging situation. We made a great decision based on his expert advice. Unfortunately, my father passed away before we could bring him to LA. But I will always be grateful for the detailed attention we received from Mark and Always Best Care.”
“My son and I have received family counseling from Dr. Hart for nearly two years. We both suffer from PTSD, among other mental disabilities, and have been seen by a number of therapists over the years. We have found Dr. Hart’s care to be among the most helpful. He is kind, understanding, and patient. Rather than employing long term, traditional psychotherapy or other limited methods exclusively, he uses different approaches to break through a person’s natural resistance. He suggests interpretations of feelings and actions, asks questions that show real insight, and then gives practical and usually appropriate advice that can be accepted or discussed further. He has treated us with respect and even with a non-intrusive, kind of professional affection. We would recommend him to friends and family without hesitation.”
“I'm glad I attended Dr. Hart's caregiver support workshop which focused on Alzheimer's disease. I knew then Always Best Care would be the right agency to handle my Dad's care. From the beginning to the end the staff were professional and courteous. My dad unfortunately decided to end services because of his stubbornness. Mark was understanding and expressed his concern for my Dad's wellbeing. He didn't push for us to continue services. I would work with ABC again if my father agrees to resume services. They definitely have your loved ones best interest in mind.”
“Experienced people, excellent service.”
“I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Dr. David Hart for your elder-care needs. Dr. Hart is an incredibly knowledgeable and caring person who helped our family beyond measure to provide the best level of care for our mother who has Alzheimer's Disease. We engaged Dr. Hart to 1) conduct his own periodic assessments of our mother; 2) create a forum for our broader family, including our mom, to communicate and ask questions; 3) provide training and resources; and 4) help our family evaluate and implement an interim and long-term care plan for our mother. DR. HART EXCEEDED OUR EXPECTATIONS ON EVERY LEVEL. Prior to meeting Dr. Hart we had received a lot of conflicting information and our broader family was experiencing a very high level of stress and frustration. Thankfully, after engaging with Dr. Hart for several months, our family became knowledgeable, we communicated well with each other, and we just implemented a long-term care plan that addresses all of our mom's needs and one that she really enjoys. DR. HART IS THE BEST AND HE TRULY CARES ABOUT HIS PATIENTS AND THE FAMILIES HE WORKS WITH. Thank you Dr. Hart for all of you have done for our family. Words cannot express our gratitude.”
“Dr Hart knows so much about dealing with issues that Alzheimer's creates for those who have the disease as well as those of us who are caretakers.”
“Best in home care company in the South Bay & LA”
“Mark Wecker provided us with invaluable help both in terms of finding appropriate board &scare homes for our loved one, and explaining how this whole senior placement business works. It turns out we were quite naïve about it being a "service" as it is very territorial! That made us all the more impressed with Mark's unselfish and caring approach to helping us meet our needs. He also took time to really listen to our criteria, asked great questions when he accompanied us to look at the homes, and only showed us places that met our standards. We recommend him highly to anyone!”
““ I have been very happy with the excellent professional and loving care services ABC has provided for Kathleen who suffers from Alzheimer’s Dementia and the Andreoli family who cares for her. ABC is a full service provider that has also offered free seminars, consultation and information to me and my daughter who are Kathleen’s primary care takers. These have helped us greatly in this daunting task. THANK YOU – Leo Andreoli, Torrance, CA””
“My widowed 80-year-old mother who has Alzheimer's disease has been living alone for 3 years. She has been extremely resistant to having caregivers in her home and my brother and I had all but given up. We have been amazed at the progress we've made since enlisting the help of Dr. David Hart at Always Best Care. In a little over a month, Mom has accepted a caregiver and is considering a move to an assisted living facility. Equally important, the support and assistance we have received in making both large and small decisions has been invaluable and a huge relief. I also highly recommend the Caregiving Essentials class taught by Dr. Hart, which covers everything you need to know in a single 3-1/2 hour "bootcamp" session, including brain science, communication tips, and resources. (GPS shoe insert, who knew?!) The class would benefit anyone who has a friend or family member suffering from dementia.”
“I want to express how helpful Mark Wecker was to me and my family as we were looking for a place for my father to live. We needed to quickly move him from Kansas City to Los Angeles. Mark spent time with us to hear our needs and then appropriately guide us through this new challenging stage in our lives. His advice and dedicated time was so valuable and personable to us, I don't how we would have managed without him. Thank you again, Mark!”
“Thankful and grateful don’t seem quite good enough to express how I feel about Always Best Care South Bay and all the good work they do. They offer a support group run by Dr. David Hart. That group was my lifeline while I was caring for my husband. When it came time to place him in a memory care facility, they assisted me with that decision also. Dr. Hart and his team are extremely knowledgeable, always professional but most of all genuinely caring.”
“The attitude and professionalism of the management of a company is especially important in the field of elder care. I can think of no better way to express my experience with Always Best Care then to say the management and their hands on approach with the care givers they hire is 5 stars”
“Its always a pleasure working with a team that has their hearts and minds on the patient’s wellbeing. ABC is the way to go.”
“Always best care saved my life they have a great staff ready to assist 24/7 always available and reliable I highly recommend Always best care.”
“I am a current client of this provider This company is very professional. All the staff is very experenced. They provide top notch care..The caregivers are also so professional on time and experenced.”
“I am a current client of this provider Very professional staff. Also my caregiver was awesome”
“I am a current client of this provider Best In Home Care Company in the Southbay”
“I am a past client of this provider Helpful, compassionate, and always available to assist. I appreciate Always Best Care so much!”
“The staff are friendly and professional every step of the way.”
“Mark Wecker provided us with invaluable help both in terms of finding appropriate board &scare homes for our loved one, and explaining how this whole senior placement business works. It turns out we were quite naïve about it being a "service" as it is very territorial! That made us all the more impressed with Mark's unselfish and caring approach to helping us meet our needs. He also took time to really listen to our criteria, asked great questions when he accompanied us to look at the homes, and only showed us places that met our standards. We recommend him highly to anyone!”
“Dr. Hart has been of monumental assistance to our family during a very difficult time. We first learned of Dr. David’s practice when mom was first diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). His support groups for families and patients offered comfort and practical advice from others going through the same experience. He provided essential information—facts about dementia and lifestyle changes to slow the process—based on the latest research findings, sparing us the time and frustration of navigating the web and sorting facts from myths. But most important to me has been the emotional support Dr. David has personally provided to my sister and I, and the trusting relationship he established with mom. His professional empathy and experience with human behavior as well as his expertise in the field of geriatrics and cognition combine to provide an array of servicesthat will truly make the difference toward a successful transition for elders and their families. I could not recommend Dr. Hart more highly!”
“I want to let you know how fortunate I feel that our lives intersected with your company and with those who work there. When I realized that we would be needing a company that provided caring care-providing services, I was hoping and praying that I would find a company like yours. We could not have asked for better with the service Always Best Care provided. Even when the chemistry and/or the timing wasn't quite right, adjustments were made and reasonably so. Carrie, that introductory talk you and I first had and why you started ABC -- I want to let you know that what you created and why you created it is evident. Some of Dad's caregivers go the extra mile and above and beyond and really give of themselves. They are really top notch people. I have heartfelt gratitude for your company and for your employees who cared for my dad during our time of need. Thank you not only for providing the service that your company does, but also and in particular, for the high quality of the service that some of your employees provided.”
“I am so very fortunate to be a part of a professional, caring and supportive company. We are all family here trying our very best to be a family for all the clients we work with. Our caregivers and staff try our best to help those families in need live a peacefully, fulfilling and loving life. If you want to have a dependable, reliable and gratifying career come and work with Always Best Care South Bay!!”
“I've worked for four agencies over the last 16 years but this is the best by far! Personable, supportive, compassionate, knowledgeable, and the greatest staff!”
“Great place to work”
“Ms.Carrie Bianco (owner) is very friendly and accomodating. Ms.Rhona (staffing) is very nice, easy to approach...I would say this company is wonderful to be part of a team...Great people, great company. ABC is the answer for your help! more power!!!Ed”
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 Griffith Park in Los Angeles, CA 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 Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar or visit Hollyhock House, 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 Los Angeles, CA, 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 Los Angeles, CA 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 Los Angeles, CA 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.
It’s not unusual for a public meeting to be canceled for lack of a quorum.But there isn’t even a word for what happened Friday when a once-obscure board canceled a meeting to decide the future of homeless services in Los Angeles because too many people came to vote.More than 1,500 potential voters signed up for a meeting of the Los Angeles Continuum of Care board to pick a replacement for the core duties of the beleaguered Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. Under the board’s unusual charter, they all wer...
It’s not unusual for a public meeting to be canceled for lack of a quorum.
But there isn’t even a word for what happened Friday when a once-obscure board canceled a meeting to decide the future of homeless services in Los Angeles because too many people came to vote.
More than 1,500 potential voters signed up for a meeting of the Los Angeles Continuum of Care board to pick a replacement for the core duties of the beleaguered Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. Under the board’s unusual charter, they all were eligible to vote merely because of their interest in homelessness.
The onslaught was organized by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who sent out a blast message through her communications networks urging people to join the meeting via Zoom to vote down the board’s recommendation that Los Angeles County assume those duties.
The response was overwhelming, but it didn’t work.
Over cries of foul from those who came in person, the board’s attorney Shayla Myers announced the meeting was canceled because the Zoom channel had a capacity of only 1,000.
Later, the board issued a formal statement saying, “The vote had to be continued today to ensure that all LA CoC members would be able to participate, given an unexpectedly high number of individuals who joined the online meeting.”
Bass and four City Council members then put out a statement lambasting the board for a failure that disenfranchised members.
“Without collaboration and transparency, management of this complex issue will continue to falter, and worse, our unhoused neighbors will continue to suffer,” the statement said.
The cancellation deepens a crisis over the region’s federally mandated homelessness functions. At stake is control over the annual homelessness count, the database that tracks every interaction with homeless people, the matching system that determines who receives housing and the responsibility for submitting applications for federal funding on behalf of dozens of local agencies.
The Trump administration touched off the crisis in June when it suspended LAHSA as the agency performing those functions, citing a history of mismanagement and possible fraud. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development said local homeless service providers would have to apply directly to it for funding.
LAHSA contested the move in federal court. U.S. District Judge David O. Carter temporarily stayed the suspension, keeping LAHSA in place for now but allowing 60 days to choose a replacement to assume its duties.
That decision, upheld on appeal, put the onus on the Continuum of Care, an amorphous entity with a board and open membership that had long functioned as an appendage of LAHSA but actually had the statutory power to hire or fire the agency.
Carter ordered the CoC, as it is commonly called, to report on its recommendations Tuesday and set Oct. 27 as the date to name the new agency.
The CoC board, which includes representatives of homeless services contractors, hired outside consultants to set up an emergency bidding process and score the applicants. The City of Los Angeles applied for two of LAHSA’s functions, the homeless database and the matching system, but scored below Los Angeles County in both. The county applied for all four functions and won the recommendation.
The final step was a vote of the membership on Friday. The meltdown was foreseeable.
A member of LAHSA’s governing commission predicted it in an August LinkedIn post.
Noting that membership “consists of persons and entities interested in collaborative, solution-oriented planning to address homelessness in LA County,” Justin Szlasa concluded, “that could arguably include tens or even hundreds of thousands of people. No comprehensive list of general members currently exists,” and it would be almost impossible to compile one.
“As the LA CoC takes on more authority and moves out of the orbit of LAHSA, effort should be made to broaden and deepen engagement with stakeholders in our homeless response system ... who are all, by definition, members of the LA CoC,” Szlasa wrote.
Bass turned that advice into a crash course. As enrollment in Friday’s Zoom passed the 1,000 mark, Myers, the CoC attorney, told those present in the downtown meeting room that “because we have reached capacity on Zoom and CoC members are not able to participate, we have to continue this.”
The board is now working to upgrade its Zoom account and has yet to set a new date.
Bass and the council members blamed the CoC for not planning adequately for a large audience. “Angelenos want a voice in the future of homelessness services, and they were silenced today. The current proposal for County-only administration, recommended by the LA CoC Board, leaves no room for those voices to be heard,” the statement said.
Ben Kay, chair of the CoC board, countered that it could not have anticipated the mayor and City Council using their “immense communications infrastructure to push public turnout” to defeat the recommendation.
“Suggesting the board was unprepared for the city’s unprecedented actions plays directly into the hands of HUD, which started all of this by saying the L.A. region shouldn’t be allowed to make its own decisions about homeless services,” Kay said.
In a statement Saturday, Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said that, “failing to hold yesterday’s meeting is unacceptable and erodes public trust.”
Horvath said the county is prepared to partner with every city in the county to “listen to their concerns, and work toward solutions that address them.”
The county has committed that the City of Los Angeles would “at a minimum” maintain its access to the database and matching system, Horvath said.
Times staff writer David Zahniser contributed to this report.
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A season of tropical storms and hurricanes with record-breaking energy in the Pacific Ocean is battering the Southern California coastline.Researchers at Colorado State University confirmed Monday that storms this summer have generated a higher level of accumulated cyclone energy than ever recorded, surpassing the prior seasonal record set in 2018. The metric is a measure of the total wind energy, intensity and duration of tropical storms and hurricanes.“It’s been a wild season,” said Daniel Cayan, a climate r...
A season of tropical storms and hurricanes with record-breaking energy in the Pacific Ocean is battering the Southern California coastline.
Researchers at Colorado State University confirmed Monday that storms this summer have generated a higher level of accumulated cyclone energy than ever recorded, surpassing the prior seasonal record set in 2018. The metric is a measure of the total wind energy, intensity and duration of tropical storms and hurricanes.
“It’s been a wild season,” said Daniel Cayan, a climate researcher at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, noting that parts of Southern California‘s coast already have experienced significant damage ahead of any winter storms in store for the region amid the strongest El Niño on record.
The historic Long Beach boardwalk buckled after a barrage of storms over the last month. As Tropical Storm Rachel approached the coast over the weekend, powerful waves slammed into oceanfront homes, leaving some on the verge of collapse.
In Newport Beach, water from a massive swell — double the size that was initially predicted — blasted through 20-foot berms erected at the beach and inundated roads with about a foot of sea water ahead of Rachel’s arrival.
Elsewhere along the coast, the continuous battering from higher-than-normal ocean levels and strong waves this summer has washed away sand, profoundly altering the Wedge in Newport Beach, as well as beaches in San Onofre, Laguna Beach and San Clemente. The coastal damage has been so significant that Orange County declared an emergency last month.
The exceptionally active hurricane season in the Pacific is influenced by several factors including a long-term ocean heating trend caused by global warming, and higher nearshore ocean temperatures and a decrease in wind shear from El Niño, which can significantly weaken hurricane activity, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources climate scientist Daniel Swain explained during a recent webinar.
“El Niño in the Pacific Basin decreases wind shear, so it removes the inhibitive storm-decapitating effect of wind shear at the same time that it amplifies water temperature,” Swain said. “So it adds more fuel and it makes that fuel more likely to take advantage of its environment.”
Typically, once storms enter the cooler water in the eastern tropical Pacific, they weaken significantly. But the marine heat wave and El Niño conditions — bringing ocean temperatures 10 to 13 degrees higher than normal — have provided a more conducive environment for hurricanes such as Rachel to get close enough to affect the California coast.
These storms, combined with high tides and the Kelvin wave, which can add 6 to 12 inches to background sea levels, have resulted in significant damage and a reshaping of the coast over the summer.
And it’s not over yet, experts say.
Hurricane Simon, currently spinning along Mexico’s west coast, is expected to make landfall there this week, and forecasters say there’s roughly a 90% chance of another cyclone formation in the next seven days.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw a couple more hurricanes or tropical systems forming in the Central Pacific, South Pacific area,” said Kristan Lund, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
Southern California also is bracing to see what El Niño has in store this winter.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center said last week that there was virtually a 100% chance that the El Niño this season will be categorized as “very strong.” There’s also an 83% chance that this El Niño will be the strongest on record, going back to 1950, up from a 75% probability forecast last month.
Even if it doesn’t result in torrential rain, El Niño can wreak havoc on the coastline.
Beaches typically go through a seasonal cycle with powerful winter waves dragging sand out to sea and more mild summer waves depositing the sand back onshore. But El Niño winters generally bring even stronger waves, resulting in more sand loss and erosion.
“There’s likely to be pretty profound influences along the coast,” Cayan said of the months ahead. “There [are] also cliff failures and other impacts when you get these big waves that are higher and more active than normal, so there’s a lot of concern about that.”
Two of the strongest El Niños in the last 75 years, in 1982-83 and 1997-98, were associated with extensive damage to the Southern California coast, battering homes, flooding streets and damaging piers.
Another one — in 2015-16 — did not result in above-average rain but did cause record coastal erosion. During that winter, researchers determined that the more extreme waves were about 50% larger than usual and the level of beach erosion was 76% higher than normal.
“Since that really big winter in 1983, we’ve had several occasions of pretty active winter storms, but we’ve sort of dodged bullets because those storms, in general, didn’t fall upon the highest tides,” Cayan said. “So this winter, again, it’s going to be sort of a luck of the draw.”
This winter, if El Niño-fueled storms arrive during king tides, it’s likely that California will see significant coastal erosion, flooding and damage, Cayan said. King tides, which can push water levels past 7 feet, or higher during El Niño, are expected around Thanksgiving, Christmas and late January.
“Those periods are really critical for the fate of the California coastline and infrastructure this winter,” Cayan said.
Line up all fifty states by population and 40 of them still fall short of a single California county. That county is Los Angeles County, home to 9,694,934 residents according to the Census Bureau's 2025 estimate. The count sits ahead of New Jersey, only slightly behind Michigan, and about 1.1 million above the population of New York City. Los Angeles County is far more than an oversized version of the city that shares its name. Its 4,059 square miles hold 88 incorporated cities alongside mountains, national forest, and long stretches of high...
Line up all fifty states by population and 40 of them still fall short of a single California county. That county is Los Angeles County, home to 9,694,934 residents according to the Census Bureau's 2025 estimate. The count sits ahead of New Jersey, only slightly behind Michigan, and about 1.1 million above the population of New York City. Los Angeles County is far more than an oversized version of the city that shares its name. Its 4,059 square miles hold 88 incorporated cities alongside mountains, national forest, and long stretches of high desert.
Los Angeles County is by far America's most populous county. Its nearly 9.7 million residents outnumber the populations of entire states such as New Jersey, Virginia, and Arizona. The City of Los Angeles itself accounts for only part of that total. Its estimated 2025 population of roughly 3.87 million represents about 40 percent of the county's residents. The rest are spread among 87 other incorporated cities and a large collection of unincorporated communities.
That makes Los Angeles County unusual among America's major population centers. Places including Long Beach, Pasadena, Glendale, and Santa Monica are separate cities, even though the wall-to-wall development often reads as one continuous urban area. About 1 million residents live outside any incorporated city at all. In those communities, the county government handles many of the municipal services a city would normally provide.
The county's population is enormous, but so is the territory containing it. Los Angeles County covers about 4,059 square miles of land, an area larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined. Its geography is far more varied than the skylines and freeways usually associated with Los Angeles. The county reaches from the Pacific coast across mountain ranges and into the high desert. Much of its northern territory bears little resemblance to downtown Los Angeles or the densely developed communities closer to the coast.
More than 65 percent of Los Angeles County's land is unincorporated, totaling about 2,654 square miles. Much of that territory is mountains, desert, open space, and comparatively lightly populated communities. One otherwise surprising statistic follows from it. Los Angeles County averages roughly 2,400 people per square mile, high but not extraordinary for a major urban area. Cook County, Illinois, for example, has more than twice that density. The county's mountains and open land pull the average down, while the developed portions are packed far more tightly.
The difference between Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles is easy to overlook. Los Angeles is the county's largest city by a huge margin, but it occupies only part of the county. The remaining 87 cities include major population centers as well as much smaller municipalities. Long Beach is itself one of California's largest cities, while places such as Beverly Hills, West Hollywood, and Culver City keep separate governments despite being closely tied to the broader Los Angeles urban area.
Other cities sit considerable distances from central Los Angeles. Lancaster and Palmdale occupy the Antelope Valley in the county's northern high desert, separated from much of the Los Angeles Basin by the San Gabriel Mountains. As a result, the landscape can change dramatically within a relatively short drive. Dense urban neighborhoods give way to mountain roads, while communities along the Pacific bear little resemblance to those across the mountains in the Mojave Desert.
Los Angeles County's first-place ranking is especially notable because its population has actually declined in recent years. The 2020 Census counted 10,014,009 people in the county, making it one of the few counties in American history to surpass 10 million residents. The Census Bureau's 2025 estimate puts the county about 320,000 residents below that mark. Compared with the Census Bureau's April 2020 estimates base, the decline is approximately 3.2 percent.
Even after that loss, LA County's position at the top is not close to threatened. Cook County, Illinois, ranks second with about 5.19 million people, while Harris County, Texas, has about 5.05 million. Los Angeles County still holds roughly 4.5 million more residents than its nearest competitor. That gap is itself almost equal to the entire population of Maricopa County, Arizona, which ranks fourth nationally.
Sheer size is only part of the county's demographic story. Generations of immigration and migration have shaped Los Angeles County into one of the country's most varied populations. About one-third of county residents were born outside the United States, according to Census Bureau figures covering 2020 through 2024. More than half of residents age five and older speak a language other than English at home.
Hispanic or Latino residents make up just under half of the population, while Asian residents account for roughly one-sixth. Those broad figures cover communities with distinct histories and identities spread across dozens of cities and neighborhoods. In a county this large, no countywide average holds true from one neighborhood to the next. Two communities only a few miles apart may have very different histories, languages, and cultural institutions.
Perhaps the easiest way to understand Los Angeles County's scale is to remove California from the comparison entirely. If Los Angeles County were treated as a state, its 2025 population would place it 11th in the nation, just below Michigan and just above New Jersey. Forty states have fewer residents. It is also more populous than New York City, despite New York being the largest city in the United States. LA County exceeds New York City's estimated 2025 population by about 1.1 million people.
No other American county comes anywhere near this scale. Cook County and Harris County both hold populations above 5 million, yet neither is close to Los Angeles County. Even after several years of population decline, America's most populous county stands in a category of its own.
In an earthquake, falling and flying objects injure far more people than collapsing buildings do. Ahead of the Great California ShakeOut on Oct. 15, this room-by-room checklist covers what tends to fall, from bookcases and top closet shelves to china cabinets and garage racks, and how to secure each one, mostly with free or low-cost steps.Key TakeawaysAt 10:15 a.m. on Oct. 15, millions of people will drop to the floor, take cover under a sturdy table and hold on for one minute. It is the Great California ShakeO...
In an earthquake, falling and flying objects injure far more people than collapsing buildings do. Ahead of the Great California ShakeOut on Oct. 15, this room-by-room checklist covers what tends to fall, from bookcases and top closet shelves to china cabinets and garage racks, and how to secure each one, mostly with free or low-cost steps.
Key Takeaways
At 10:15 a.m. on Oct. 15, millions of people will drop to the floor, take cover under a sturdy table and hold on for one minute. It is the Great California ShakeOut, the state’s annual earthquake drill. Last year, more than 10.4 million Californians took part, including more than 5.4 million K-12 students and staff, according to the California Department of Education.
The drill rehearses the first minute of an earthquake. The more useful question for most households comes before that minute: What in this room would fall? ShakeOut organizers put it plainly. In an earthquake, people are “much more likely to be injured by falling or flying objects” than by a collapsing building.
That is what played out in June, when a magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck Mendocino County. At Redwood Valley Market, about seven miles from the epicenter, televisions fell, and workers closed the business to clean debris from the floor, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. At a resort in Ukiah, wine bottles in the gift shop shattered when they hit the ground, and at a liquor store in Willits, a large humidor toppled. “It was really violent,” Danielle Sanders, who was pumping gas near the epicenter, told the Chronicle. “The whole place just shook.”
Homes took the same jolt. “It shook everything in our house, like stuff everywhere,” Ana Sanchez of Willits told ABC7 News. In Kelseyville, about 40 miles from Ukiah, Holly Woods was home with her dogs when the shaking hit. “Stuff flew down. It was very scary,” she told KTVU. Daniel Alonzo of Ukiah told KTVU it felt “almost like a freight train was running right through our house.”
Most quakes are reminders, not disasters. On Sept. 27, a magnitude 3.6 earthquake struck about 4 miles west-southwest of Hermosa Beach, with no initial reports of damage or injuries, KTLA reported. Southern California records about 10,000 earthquakes a year, but “only several hundred are greater than magnitude 3.0, and only about 15-20 are greater than magnitude 4.0,” according to the U.S. Geological Survey’s Earthquake Hazards Program.
Small quakes are worth paying attention to. After a magnitude 4.4 earthquake shook Highland Park in 2024, U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Susan Hough said at a press conference covered by Caltech that “any earthquake in California has a one in 20 chance of something bigger following.”
That shifts preparation away from predicting earthquakes and toward ordinary things: the bookcase beside the couch, the file boxes on the top closet shelf, the framed print over the bed. Closet World, a home storage company based in Southern California, reviewed guidance from the Earthquake Country Alliance, the public-private partnership behind ShakeOut, along with federal safety data, to build the room-by-room checklist below.
Living room and home office: tall bookcases and shelving
Bedroom: what is above the bed
Closets: the top shelf
Kitchen and dining room: cabinets and china
Garage: shelving and the water heater
Hallways and entries: the way out
None of this has to happen in a single weekend. The alliance suggests starting with the free steps, such as moving heavy items to lower shelves and pulling furniture away from beds, then securing one item each weekend until the list is done. Renters can do most of the free steps without touching a wall and can ask a landlord before installing anchors.
Then, on Oct. 15 at 10:15 a.m., practice the part that happens during the shaking: drop, cover and hold on. “It’s the most important thing that people can do to keep themselves safe,” Tina Curry, chief deputy director of operations for the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, told Cal OES News during a past ShakeOut.
ShakeOut organizers advise against two common instincts. Do not run outside, where glass and building pieces can fall, and do not stand in a doorway, which in modern homes is no safer than anywhere else and does not protect against falling objects.
A home where heavy things already sit low and tall things are anchored makes that minute far less dangerous.
Most of California is earthquake country. A U.S. Geological Survey hazard model released in 2024 found that nearly 75% of the United States could experience damaging earthquake shaking, with greater potential in the most active parts of California and Alaska.
Regional forecasts give a sense of scale. Within the next 30 years, the USGS puts the chance of a magnitude 6.7 or larger earthquake at 60% for the Los Angeles area and 72% for the San Francisco Bay Area.
After a series of aftershocks rattled the Indio area in January, seismologist Dr. Lucy Jones told ABC7 Los Angeles that “earthquakes trigger very nearby, so if you have a big fault nearby, there’s more risk.”
The June quake was the strongest in the Redwood Valley-Willits area since 1938, and the USGS estimated that about 80,000 people felt moderate to very strong shaking while about 10 million felt weak to light shaking, according to the Chronicle.
Those numbers describe likelihood over decades, not a forecast for any day or year. Hazard maps estimate how strong shaking could be at a location and how often, based on known faults and past earthquakes. They cannot say when the next earthquake will happen.
Local ground conditions also shape how hard a spot shakes. “What is important is that you know what the ground is like, and what the larger geologic structure is like,” U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Elizabeth Cochran told Live Science about new mapping of the Los Angeles Basin.
As the USGS states, “No one can predict earthquakes.” What households can control is what is sitting on their shelves when one does.
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