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About Us

More than 300,000 seniors in New Jersey live alone, facing social isolation as well as significant economic and health challenges that leave them especially vulnerable.

Our Mission

Connections at Home combats social isolation for homebound seniors by providing customized technology and support that keeps them connected to family, friends, and vital resources.

11+ Years of Experience

Our History

“The HomeCare Division of Vanguard Medical makes house calls to patients who are homebound and alone. The HomeCare staff found many of these patients hadn’t had a hot meal in weeks, lived in cluttered and unsafe housing, and had no one checking in on them. The medical team would end up making scrambled eggs for patients just so that they could have a hot meal.

This sparked the idea for Connections at Home – how to serve the non-medical needs of this elderly population, whose isolation results in mental and physical ailments that require more than medicine to address. Social workers, technology, and regular check-ins make a huge difference for these seniors.”

Dr. Thomas McCarrick
Medical Director, Vanguard Medical Group
Founder, Connections at Home

Where We’re Headed

Our team

Alex Kent

Executive Director

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Ilana Mazur

Social Worker

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Lynn Kuran

Lead Social Worker

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Ann Koenig

Social Worker

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Elizabeth Hughes

Social Worker

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Coleen Walter

Client Liaison

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Board at a Glance

Board Members

Dr. Thomas McCarrick

Deborah Stehr

Michelle Retik

Shari Fox

Saiful Khan

Tracey St. Auburn

Board at a Glance

Board Members

Dr. Thomas McCarrick

President

Deborah Stehr

Secretary

Michelle Retik

Board Member

Shari Fox

Board Member

Saiful Khan

Board Member

Tracey St. Auburn

Board Member

Contact Us

CAHNJ is a nonprofit. We rely solely on funding from institutions and individuals. We gratefully accept donations on our website at cahnj.care. Thank you for remembering us in your giving.

Ready to Take the Next Step? Contact Our Team for Expert Support

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Ms. Kent is responsible for assessing candidates for our program, distribution and training on the computer and tablet, outreach to the senior community, development, and the CAH website. Previously she worked for Montclair Township as the Safe Routes to School Coordinator, and the Montclair Public Schools’ Health and Wellness Partnership. She has also worked as a consultant in the area of pedestrian safety. She holds a Masters degree in Public Health from Montclair State University.
[email protected]

Ms. Mazur is responsible for weekly video chats with clients utilizing the Telikin computer and the Grandpad tablet, in addition to assisting with their social service needs. Ilana has over 30 years experience working with individuals, families and groups. Ilana previously worked at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston NJ and Jewish Family Service (JFS) in Florham Park NJ. She has a BS in Psychology from Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York and a Masters in Social Work from Columbia University in New York. [email protected]

Ms. Kuran is responsible for weekly video chat visits with patients utilizing the Telikin computer, and Grandpad tablet, and assisting with social service needs. Lynn has over twenty years’ experience working with individuals and families as a case manager and community educator in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She holds a BS in Psychology from the College of Saint Elizabeth in Morristown, New Jersey and a Masters in Social Work from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
[email protected]

Ms. Koenig video chats with clients through the Telikin computer or Grandpad, and provides assistance with social service needs. Ann’s experience includes serving adults with disabilities, at-risk youth, and families. She holds a Bachelors of Social Work degree from Richard Stockton College of New Jersey and a Masters of Social Work degree from NYU.
[email protected]

Ms. Hughes conducts weekly phone calls and video chats with clients who use a GrandPad tablet or Telikin computer, and also assists them with social service needs. Elizabeth has a BS degree in Mathematics from Syracuse University and a MS degree in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and in her previous career she worked as an engineer in the field of signal processing. She has been a member of the CAH team for more than four years, working initially as a client liaison while she earned her Master of Social Work degree from Rutgers University.
[email protected]

Lori Freudenberger-Nelson is a nonprofit professional with a passion for helping mission-driven organizations grow their impact through thoughtful fundraising and strong community relationships. She brings a diverse professional background that spans nonprofit leadership, law, and public service.

Before transitioning to the nonprofit sector, Lori practiced law and held roles at various law firms in New York City, where she worked in risk management and served as Manager of Legal Recruitment. She also served as a prosecutor at the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office and at the New York City Law Department, Office of the Corporation Counsel. These experiences shaped her strong organizational, analytical, and communication skills and inform her collaborative approach to nonprofit development. She has worked closely with nonprofit boards, donors, and community leaders to strengthen donor engagement, support fundraising initiatives, and advance organizational growth.

Lori is deeply committed to community service and philanthropy and has been involved in numerous civic and charitable initiatives throughout her career.

As a doctor who has devoted his medical career to caring for geriatric patients, let me tell you a story about a patient I knew.

Day after day, she sat alone in her apartment, half-tuned to the TV. Her children lived several states away. She could not drive. There were times when she didn’t speak to another human for days. Sometimes she went weeks without a hot meal. This lonely, isolated woman— and many others like her — broke my heart and are the reason why I decided in to form a non-profit in 2012 called Connections at Home.

Based upon my patients stories, I could see the need was dire to help these seniors and the need remains just as critical today.  Connections at Home New Jersey offers a dedicated team of social workers and specially adapted technology that  addresses food insecurity, housing instability and the devastating effects of social isolation, and has dramatically improved the lives of thousands of seniors and provided peace of mind to their  relatives and friends.

Dr. Thomas McCarrick