about us

Connections at Home assists low income, homebound seniors experiencing social isolation. Our support team connects them to their communities through easy-to-use technology.

Our Mission

Launched in 2014, Connections at Home is currently providing 120 homebound seniors with a free computer or tablet, specially programmed to meet their needs, as well as social service help. Our clients are age 65 to 100.

HOW IT STARTED

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.”

Our team

Dr. Thomas McCarrick

Medical Director, Vanguard Medical Group

Founder, Connections at Home

Get to know our team!

Alex Kent

Executive Director

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.
alex.kent@cahnj.org

Ilana Mazur

Social Worker

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.
ilana.mazur@cahnj.org

Lynn Kuran

Lead Social Worker

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. lynn.kuran@cahnj.org

Ann Koenig

Social Worker

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.
ann.koenig@cahnj.org

Elizabeth Hughes

Client Liaison

Elizabeth has a B.S. in Mathematics from Syracuse University and a M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and she previously worked as a Signal Processing Engineer for the U.S. Navy and the MITRE Corporation. She is currently pursuing a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree at Rutgers University. In addition to her work for Connections at Home doing weekly phone/video chats with clients, Elizabeth also works as an Administrative Assistant for Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Jackson, NJ and as a Social Work Intern at Greenwood House in Ewing, NJ.
elizabeth.hughes@cahnj.org

Coleen Walter

Client Liaison

Ms. Walter is responsible for weekly phone calls and zoom visits with clients utilizing the Telikin computer and Grandpad tablet.  She assists with simple social service needs as necessary and refers clients to social workers for major issues as they arise. Coleen has over 4 years’ experience working with individuals first as a volunteer and now as a member of the CAH team. She holds a BS in Psychology and Sociology from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Coleen.walter@cahnj.org

Board Members

PRESIDENT

Dr. Thomas McCarrick

Secretary

Deborah Stehr

BOARD MEMBER

Eleanor Ode Walter

BOARD MEMBER

Maureen Karsen

BOARD MEMBER

Saiful Khan

BOARD MEMBER

Tracey St. Auburn

Board Member

Connie Keys

Contact us

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

You can reach us at

CONTACT

Alex Kent, Executive Director

EMAIL

alex.kent@cahnj.org

PHONE NUMBER

973.239.2600 ext 1075

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