School Is in Session! Preferred Opens Private Vocational School for Certified Home Health Aides
Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services (PHHC), Eatontown, recently held an open house at 145 Wyckoff Road to unveil its private vocational school program for men and women 18-years-old and older who are interested in becoming Certified Homemaker Home Health Aides (CHHHA).
“With the demand for home health care growing by leaps and bounds it seems there will never be enough home health aides to care for everyone,” said Joel Markel, Marlboro, who is the founder of Preferred Home Health Care, a company with numerous locations throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
“Our goal is to help train people to add to the supply of certified individuals so the entire state of New Jersey can be better serviced,” he said.
Markel said now that Preferred has opened its own vocational school and is licensed, students may be eligible to receive grants, scholarships and financial aid for their education. “In many instances, the cost of their tuition will be paid in full. I am extremely pleased to be able to offer these courses to men and women who won’t have to pay tuition,” he said.
Eatontown Mayor Gerald J. Tarantolo said he is pleased that Preferred is continuing its growth in Eatontown. “When I see empty buildings it worries me. When I see space occupied by a growing business that will bring in ratables, it thrills me,” said Tarantolo, adding that he will tell people, “Preferred is employing people and filling a growing need by offering this certification program.”
During the open house, Ellen Stone, RN, who is the program manager for Preferred, showed the classroom, which contained a hospital bed and other equipment necessary for caring for a client at home, and a laboratory filled with new equipment and supplies used by health care aides.
The 76-hour Certified Homemaker Home Health Aide program can be completed in about six weeks in the evening or about three weeks during the day. “After students successfully complete the program, they must be certified by the state and cannot work until the certification process is completed,” Stone said. “Being a Certified Homemaker Home Health Aide is a great career path and gives you a chance to experience direct care hands-on so you can decide whether this is the career for you,” she said.
“In addition, Brookdale Community College requires that students entering the college RN program already be a Certified Nurse’s Aide or a Certified Homemaker Home Health Aide.” Markel and Stone said that Preferred would be supportive of students who would like to continue their education to become registered nurses.
Agencies that employ aides are regulated by the state Division of Consumer Affairs and the aides themselves are regulated by the New Jersey Board of Nursing.
Markel said that it took several years for Preferred to receive approval for its vocational school program from the state Department of Labor, state Department of Education, and the state Board of Nursing.
For more information, contact Ellen Stone, RN, BSN, program director for Preferred, at 732-687-6432, or visit PreferredCares.com and click on the Education tab.
About Preferred’s Certified Homemaker Home Health Aides (CHHHA) Class: The CHHHA class, a 76-hour state-approved program, open to males and females 18-years-old or older, costs about $1300.00 and includes all requirements, such as books, labs, state certifications, physicals, CPR certification, and employer-signed paperwork. Those on general assistance, underemployed or on unemployment may qualify for state funding. Private students will also be accepted. A few grants are available for financial assistance. Classes are 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; evening classes are 5:30 to 10:00 p.m. Students can enroll now for classes upcoming classes. Preferred offers both training and possible employment for certified individuals.
About Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services: Since 1987, Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services (PHHC), 45 Main Street, Eatontown, N.J., has provided a wide range of medical and non-medical home health care services from pediatric to geriatric care throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. PHHC is accredited by CHAP (Community Health Accreditation Program), an accrediting organization for the home health care industry.
Preferred works collaboratively with physicians, hospitals, nursing homes and facilities to ensure a smooth transition to one’s home. In-house services include skilled nursing care for infants, children, adults, and seniors; personal care services, including bathing, grooming, dressing, feeding, etc.; private duty nursing services; and at-home physical therapy, among others. All of the care can be provided in-house and is coordinated by registered nurses, with clinical supervision available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Visit Preferred at PreferredCares.com for more information.
Rasin Named Branch Manager of Preferred Home Health Care, Hackensack
Jen Rasin, West Orange, New Jersey, has been named branch manager of the Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services (PHHC) Hackensack office, 105 Main Street, Hackensack, N.J.
As branch manager of PHHC, which has its headquarters in Eatontown, Rasin is responsible for being the liaison between families and nurses, overseeing all scheduling and staffing of the individual cases, and ensuring all insurance coverage is accurate and up to date, which includes submitting for re-authorization to prevent any lapses in care.
Prior to becoming branch manager, Rasin served as client coordinator at PHHC for 18 months. In that position she ensured cases were staffed efficiently and worked on payroll for nurses. Before joining Preferred, she worked for Liberty Mutual as an insurance agent, handling auto, home, and life insurance sales.
Rasin earned a B.A. in teaching from Montclair University where she was named to the Dean’s List for three years in a row.
About Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services:
Since 1987, Preferred Home Health Care & Nursing Services (PHHC), 45 Main Street, Eatontown, N.J., has provided a wide range of medical and non-medical home health care services from pediatric to geriatric care throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania. PHHC is accredited by CHAP (Community Health Accreditation Program), an accrediting organization for the home health care industry.
Preferred works collaboratively with physicians, hospitals, nursing homes and facilities to ensure a smooth transition to one’s home. In-house services include skilled nursing care for infants, children, adults, and seniors; personal care services, including bathing, grooming, dressing, feeding, etc.; private duty nursing services; and at-home physical therapy, among others. All of the care can be provided in-house and is coordinated by registered nurses, with clinical supervision available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Visit Preferred at PreferredCares.com for more information.
NOW Who’s in the Rabbit Hole !!!
It’s Ashley, not Alice, who goes down the technology rabbit hole to a strange, heartwarming, and hilarious distant land, filled with colorful characters and a music-and-dance-filled comic romp for the whole family as she tries to find her way back home in the original theater production of PL@Y.
MITM Theater (Music Is the Medicine) will present PL@Y at the historic Strand Theater, 400 Clifton Avenue, Lakewood, N.J., November 21 at 8:00 p.m. and November 22 at 3:00 and 8:00 p.m.
MITM Theater made its debut of PL@Y last November with sold out performances at the Algonquin Arts Theater, Manasquan. This year, PL@Y comes to the Strand with a new look and some new faces, but with the same creative spirit that made last year’s production a success.
Inspired by and featuring the original songs of the Amboys who will be performing live, PL@Y was written by JD Wilson and Nicholas Norcia, two local playwrights, during the 10-day electrical blackout following Hurricane Sandy. The resulting play fittingly explores the uniquely 21st century way that people interact with technology and each other in an uplifting, musical, and lightly satirical way.
PL@Y is directed by Jessica Berger, choreographed by Sarah McCuiston of Let’s Dance Studios, and features performances by a talented cast including Jennifer Townsend, JD Wilson, eleven-year old Sean Haugh who will be reprising his performance from last year’s production as Johnny the nematode, along with many other talented local performers.
General admission is $10.00 for adults; and $5.00 for children and Seniors. Preferred seating package is $25.00 and includes premium loge seating, and pre-show appetizers and drinks at the Strand. Tickets are available at Strand.org, 732-730-5925, or at the box office on performance days.
About Music is the Medicine Foundation: Music is the Medicine Foundation, a locally run 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, has been in existence since 2010. For the last four years, Music is the Medicine has raised more than $50,000 for various charities, including the Ashley Lauren Foundation, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Hospital, the Wounded Warrior Project, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Oceans of Love, Providence House, and Hurricane Sandy relief.
MITM Theater is a subsidiary of MITM Foundation and sponsored last year’s production of PL@Y, proceeds of which were donated to the Ashley Lauren Foundation.
Please send inquiries to our Communications Director Daniel Effenberger at (732) 597-4312 or at danieleffenberger@gmail.com
“East Side” Dave McDonald the First Full-time WRAT Hired in More than 12 Years
“East Side” Dave McDonald, a native of Monmouth County, has become the first new member of the fulltime air staff of Greater Media Radio Station 95.9 the WRAT-FM in more than 12 years. McDonald joins the Morning Show, featuring Rat Rock veteran Carl Craft and his sidekick, Dan Gottschalk known as Gotts.
Before joining the WRAT family, McDonald, who grew up in Spring Lake, N.J., and lives in Neptune, was a producer for the “Ron and Fez Show” on SIRIUS XM and made guest appearances on the “Opie and Anthony Show.” McDonald also had his own radio show called the “Davey Mac Sports Program XL.”
Following several television appearances on shows like TLC’s “America’s Worst Tattoos” and “truTV presents, Worlds Dumbest…,” Dave worked in comedy.
Carl Craft, WRAT-FM program director and Morning Show co-host, said, “Dave has been a great addition to the show. He’s got the fun, upbeat vibe that the show craves without being fake or over the top. He’s totally fitting in with me and Gotts, and so far the listeners have welcomed him to their favorite morning show. It’s funny how personally they’ve taken it, going so far as to ‘welcome him to The Rat’ at our first public appearance last Friday.”
For more information contact Program Director Carl Craft at craft@greatermedianj.com or 732-681-3800 Ext. 303 or Doug Sjonvall at Promorat@greatermedianj.com or 732-681-3800 Ext. 306
WRAT-FM is a subsidiary of Greater Media, Inc., the parent company of 21 AM and FM radio stations in the Boston, Detroit, Charlotte, New Jersey, and Philadelphia markets. Greater Media also owns a group of weekly newspapers in central New Jersey and several telecommunications towers, located throughout the United States.
Halloween Fun Festival in Lakewood
The Lakewood Township Committee in conjunction with the Lakewood Police Department, the Lakewood Fire Department, the Lakewood EMTs, and the Lakewood Recreation Department are inviting residents to enjoy Halloween with them on Thursday, October 30, 2014, at the Lakewood Town Square, Clifton Avenue and Third Street, Lakewood, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
The fun includes pumpkin and face painting, a costume parade for children ages one to 12 years, candy and treats, and music by Jimmy Givens.
The costume parade for children will take place on the stage. Parents and friends will have an opportunity to take pictures; and all children will receive a Trick or Treat bag with candy donated by members of the Lakewood Police Department, the Lakewood Fire Department, and the Lakewood EMS. Shop Rite of Lakewood donated all the Trick or Treat bags.
Ryan Shapiro, Lakewood Recreation program director, says, “Everybody is a winner in Lakewood.”
According to Jeff Shapiro, supervisor of recreation for Lakewood Township, the rain site is the Lakewood Community Center, Fourth Street and Princeton Avenue.
For more information, call Lakewood Recreation at 732-905-3405.
OHI to Host Press Conference Oct. 24 with Regional Director of HHS
Dr. Theresa Berger, CEO of Ocean Health Initiatives, with headquarters in Lakewood, and chairwoman of the board of trustees of NJPCA (New Jersey Primary Care Association) has announced that Jackie Cornell-Bechelli, regional director of Health and Human Services, Region II, (New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands) will hold a press conference at OHI, 101 Second Street, Lakewood, Friday, October 24, 2014, at 2:00 p.m.
Cornell-Bechelli will talk about the Affordable Care Act, Open Enrollment, the role of FQHCs, and such highlights of OHI as the opening of OHI’s Manchester site, Patient Centered Medical Home recognition, and the opening of the Clifton Avenue Grade School School-based Wellness Center.
Members of the media; Jorge Rod, the chairman of OHI’s Board of Directors; Dr. Gilbert Fleischer, OHI’s CMO (Chief Medical Officer) and the staff of OHI will be present. Following the press conference, Cornell-Bechelli will tour the Lakewood OHI site.
Cornell-Bechelli, who was appointed by Sylvia M. Burwell, Secretary of the U.S. Department of HHS, serves as a key representative of Secretary Burwell in working with federal, state, territorial, local, and tribal officials on health and social service issues, including implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
About Ocean Health Initiatives
OHI is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) federally qualified health center (FQHC) with locations at 101 Second Street, Lakewood; 301 Lakehurst Road, Toms River; 333 Haywood Road, Manahawkin; Lakehurst Circle Center II, 686 Route 70 Lakehurst; a health center within the Clifton Avenue Elementary School, 625 Clifton Avenue, Lakewood; and a Mobile Medical Unit.
OHI provides comprehensive primary and preventative health care to Ocean County’s insured, uninsured and underinsured populations. A sliding-fee scale is available, based on an individual’s or family’s ability to pay. Services include pediatrics, maternal and child health, prenatal, WIC, universal immunizations, behavioral health, dental, family medicine, internal medicine, OB/GYN, podiatry and social services.
OHI has a bilingual staff available to assist patients and callers. To become a patient of OHI, call 732-363-6655. Visit www.ohinj.org for further information.
OHI Opens New Health Center in Manchester
Ocean Health Initiatives (OHI), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) federally qualified health center (FQHC), has opened the Manchester Health Center, a 2,900-square-foot space with seven exam rooms, at Lakehurst Circle Center II, 686 Route 70, Lakehurst.
The Manchester Health Center includes laboratory services provided by LabCorp and WIC (the Women, Infants and Children public health program) and a pharmacy for OHI patients. Doctor Shira Meyer, an internal medicine physician, has begun seeing patients there.
Other locations of OHI are 101 Second Street, Lakewood; 301 Lakehurst Road, Toms River; 333 Haywood Road, Manahawkin; and the Clifton Avenue Elementary School, 625 Clifton Avenue, Lakewood.
For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 732-363-6655. OHI has a bilingual staff available to assist patients and callers. To become a patient of OHI, call a representative in the Call Center. Visit www.ohinj.org for further information.
About Ocean Health Initiatives
OHI provides comprehensive primary and preventative health care to Ocean County’s insured, uninsured and underinsured populations. A sliding-fee scale is available, based on an individual’s or family’s ability to pay. Services include pediatrics, maternal and child health, prenatal, WIC, universal immunizations, behavioral health, dental, family medicine, internal medicine, OB/GYN, podiatry and social services.
Ebola and Hot Issues in Employment Law – Annual JSAHR Legal Seminar
The Jersey Shore Association for Human Resources (JSAHR), a Gold Excel award winner of SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), is hosting its annual legal seminar sponsored and presented by attorneys in the Jackson Lewis law firm, Thursday, November 13, 2014, 9:00 a.m. to noon at Jumping Brook Country Club, 210 Jumping Brook Road, Neptune, N.J.
One hot topic that will be discussed is The Implications of Ebola and Other Pandemic Concerns of Employers. Other topics include recent legislation and developments, such as the Impact of the NLRB on Unionized and Non-Unionized Employer Policies; the Top Five Wage and Hour Pitfalls for Employers; Arbitration, Jury Waivers, and Other Helpful Policy Clauses; Restrictive Covenants; Mediate or Litigate; and Social Media Update – What Employers Need to Know, among other topics. Participants will have an opportunity for questions and answers at the end of the seminar.
The registration fee for the seminar and a full buffet breakfast from 7:45 to 9:00 a.m. is $60.00 for JSAHR members, $90.00 for nonmembers, and $50.00 for students and those in (job) transition. To register, call the JSAHR administrator at 732-701-7155 or email her at jsahr.shrm@gmail.com or visit http://jsahr.shrm.org/events. This program is pending approval for three credit hours toward PHR and SPHR recertification by the HRCI (Human Resource Certification Institute).
Richard Cino, Greg Alvarez, Leslie Saint, Joseph Lazzarotti, and Maggie Gousman, attorneys in the law firm of Jackson Lewis LLP, are the presenters.
About Jackson Lewis, LLP: Jackson Lewis is among the largest firms in the country, dedicated to representing management in labor, employment and benefits law, and related litigation. With 27 offices across the county, the firm has both a national perspective and a keen understanding of the nuances of regional business environments.
Jackson Lewis represents employers before state and federal courts on a range of issues, including discrimination, wrongful discharge, retaliation, whistleblower, health, safety, wage/hour, pension and benefits. The firm’s attorneys negotiate collective bargaining agreements, participate in arbitration proceedings, and represent union-free and unionized employers before the NLRB, OSHA, and other federal and state agencies. Publicize or Perish! ™ ###
Should Parents Worry about the Kids Eating All That Halloween Candy?
I have three children of my own who bring home bags and bags of Halloween candy from their trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. Because I’m a dentist, I know first-hand the dilemma facing parents who are worried that all that Halloween candy will causing gaping holes in their children’s beautiful teeth. So the question is: How much of that candy can kids (and parents) eat before it creates havoc in their mouths?
No one wants to spoil the fun, but we know that when any food is eaten, the natural bacteria in our mouths produce acid. It is this acid that eats away at the enamel of our teeth and causes tooth decay. It is possible, however, to minimize the effect of all that sugar.
I have a few tips about how can parents safeguard their children’s teeth and still let their children enjoy the candy. Start with a discussion before Halloween, thinking of ideas about what the family can do with all the candy from trick-or-treating. Begin to establish some Halloween candy-eating guidelines. For instance, tell your own trick-or-treaters that they can pick out 25 pieces (or less) of the candy they most want. Then discuss giving away the rest or donating it.
With this in mind, I started a Halloween candy buy-back program about ten years ago as an incentive for kids to part with most of their candy stash and, at the same time, help make Halloween special for our overseas troops where we ship the treats.
Second, after the candy is brought home, help your children pick their treats they can keep. Sticky, gooey candy and candy like lollipops and jawbreakers cause the most damage because they stay in the mouth for a long time compared to other candy treats. Plain chocolate bars or chocolate kisses turn out to be the best choices.
Third, eat Halloween candy or any candy, for that matter, immediately after a meal because the acid production from eating has already been activated. Tell your children, they can have one piece of Halloween candy for dessert. Keep in mind that eating candy between meals is not a good idea because of the extra acid it generates in the mouth.
Fourth, right after the meal, children (and adults) should brush their teeth. If this is not possible or practical, then drink some liquids, like water or milk, to wash away the sugars and starches so they don’t remain on the teeth for a long time, causing cavities.
Last of all, keep the candy stash out of sight so no one will be tempted by it – parents included!
The Academy of General Dentistry reports that our nation consumes more than 7 billion pounds of candy each year and Halloween trick-or-treating contributes to a large percentage of that consumption. If we teach our children to use moderation, to make good choices, and to practice good dental hygiene, then it should be a Happy Halloween.
Dr. Ron Rotem, DDS, Cosmetic and General Dentistry for Adults
Lakehurst Road, Toms River, N.J.
OHI to Participate in Mexican Consulate Health Fair 2014
Ocean Health Initiatives (OHI) a federally qualified health center, is partnering with the Mexican Consulate of Philadelphia, to host the health fair “Salud es Movimiento” (Health Is Movement) Saturday, October 18, 2014, at the Lakewood Middle School, 755 Somerset Avenue, in Lakewood, N.J., from 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
OHI will be offering blood pressure and glucose screenings, and providing dental health material, and distributing information about its medical services in Ocean County. The outreach and enrollment team for OHI’s Health Insurance Marketplace will be available with information about upcoming open enrollment and other opportunities for health insurance. The 40-foot handicapped accessible mobile medical unit will parked outside for the glucose testing.
The Mexican Consulate of Philadelphia, which also covers Ocean County, N.J., is hosting the health fair to promote healthy habits for the entire community, including the Mexican and Hispanic communities.
For more information, contact Beatriz Patiño, outreach and enrollment coordinator, at 732-551-1457.
About Ocean Health Initiatives
OHI is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) federally qualified health center (FQHC) with locations at 101 Second Street, Lakewood; 301 Lakehurst Road, Toms River; 333 Haywood Road, Manahawkin; and the Clifton Avenue Elementary School, 625 Clifton Avenue, Lakewood.
OHI provides comprehensive preventative and primary health and dental care to Ocean County uninsured and underinsured populations on a sliding-fee scale, based on an individual’s or family’s ability to pay. Services include pediatrics, maternal and child health, prenatal, WIC, universal immunizations, behavioral health, dental, family medicine, internal medicine, OB/GYN, podiatry and social services.
OHI has a bilingual staff available to assist patients and callers. To become a patient of OHI, call a representative in the Call Center at either 732-552-0377, Toms River, or 732-363-6655, Lakewood. Visit www.ohinj.org for further information.