Advocating for the Vulnerable in our Community
"The grants that support our home care services are often the last option for people, and we are haunted by the thought that many people in real need are hidden in our community and do not even know about these services that could make a profound difference in their lives."
FCS CEO Delly Beekman recently testified before the Monmouth County Office on Aging, Disabilities and Veterans Services on the need for sustained funding of critical services for vulnerable adults in our community. FCS receives county funding to provide home care, supportive care services and Adult Protective Services to adults in the county. In recent years, that funding has been reduced.
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Preparing for Life's Storms
As I write this, the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management has posted coastal flood watches and warnings due to the impact of Hurricane Joaquin on our area. All up and down the Jersey Shore, residences and businesses are busy boarding up windows, lying sandbags and restocking emergency supplies in the event of possible flooding and power outages. Television news stations have set up live trucks in flood-prone towns and everyone is monitoring the forecast on their mobile devices. It’s an all too familiar scene. With memories of Superstorm Sandy still fresh in our minds, we know the potential damage a hurricane can wreak on our homes, our livelihoods and our communities. Even as we hope for the best, we prepare for the worst.Read more
This Aide of the Month brings Empathy to her Work
Larissa Frenkel knows what it’s like to experience loss. At 62, she has lost two parents and two husbands to terminal illness. She also has had to say goodbye to her only daughter after leaving her homeland for a new home, thousands of miles away.
Growing up in her native Ukraine, Larissa was just 11 years-old when her mother died, leaving her to care for a grieving father and siblings. Running a household at such a young age forced Larissa to grow up quickly and leave childhood behind, but she says, "I did what I had to do."
Celebrating Four Months of Outstanding Service
Family & Children’s Service recently honored four outstanding FCS Certified Home Health Aides (CHHAs) during a special staff recognition ceremony. Donna Moody, Venicia Louissant, Georganna DiPierro and Lydia Rivera were each selected as “Aide of the Month” for the months of March, April, May and June respectively. FCS CEO Delly Beekman presented the aides, all of whom have more than a decade of service to the agency, with award certificates and recognition pins.Read more
With a Song in her Heart
When Norma Whiskey was a little girl growing up in Trinidad, she dreamed of becoming a doctor.
"I was a good student, very bright, and I always loved taking care of people," Norma recalls. "When I was just 8 years-old, the neighbor would ask me to help her and I would go. My mother did not always like it, but I would go. It was something I was called to do."
Norma, like many from her island nation, was forced to leave school at an early age and abandon her dream of becoming a doctor. But Norma's desire to care for others never faded.
Safe and Sound
When Minetta Brockington woke up to nearly ten inches of snow last Tuesday, her first thought was her client, Marjorie W.
"Miss Marge is 99 years old. She depends on me to come to her house every day, to get her washed and dressed and prepare her food for the day," Minetta says. "I knew I needed to go see her that morning, even if I couldn't drive in the snow. I just had a feeling that something wasn't right."
Five Tips for Staying Safe in the Cold
As cold weather continues to grip much of the nation, it's important to remember that the elderly and disabled are especially vulnerable to hypothermia. Hypothermia occurs when the body cannot produce enough energy to keep the internal body temperature warm and body temperature falls at or below 95 degrees Fahrenheit.