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  • Home
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    • Breakfast >
      • Tropical Smoothie
      • Green Tea Smoothie
      • Cottage Cheese Omelet
      • Cinnamon French Toast
      • Whole Grain Buttermilk Pancakes
      • Oatmeal with Bananas
      • Overnight Oatmeal
      • Skinny Ham & Cheese Omelet
      • Mixed Berry Acai Smoothie
      • Silly Pancakes
      • Blueberry and Maple-Pecan Granola Parfaits
    • Lunch >
      • Chicken Club Wraps
      • Cobb Egg Salad
      • Rotisserie Chicken Salad
      • Roast Beef Wrap
    • Soup >
      • Fire-Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
      • Creamy Chilled Avocado Soup
      • Potato-Leek Bisque
      • White Bean Soup
      • Creamy Turnip Soup
      • Sweet Pea Soup
      • Easy & Quick Spicy Gazpacho
      • Mango Coconut Soup
      • Butternut Squash Soup with Pepitas
      • Pumpkin-Apple Soup
    • Appetizers >
      • Roasted Red Pepper & Cheese Spread
      • Avocado-Yogurt Dip
      • Spinach-Artichoke Dip
      • Chili-Lime Peanuts
      • Buttermilk Ranch Dip
      • Creamy Spinach Feta Dip
      • White Bean Dip
    • Main Course >
      • Elegant Cheese Souffle
      • Herbed Chicken and Rice
      • Baked Salmon Dijon
      • Barbecued Chicken
      • Stir-Fried Beef & Vegetables
      • Macaroni and Cheese
      • Braised Brisket & Root Vegetables
      • Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe
      • Zucchini Lasagna
      • Yogurt-Curry Marinated Chicken Thighs
      • Soba Noodle Stir Fry
      • Winter Vegetable Dal (Red Lentils)
      • Almond-Crusted Pork with Dipping Sauce
      • Broccoli & Goat Cheese Soufflé
      • Baked Tofu
      • Chicken with Snap Peas
      • Grilled Chicken & Vegetables
      • Smoky Barbecue Chicken
      • Spicy 3-Bean Vegetarian Chili
      • Asian Noodles and Chicken
      • Herb-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin
    • Salads & Side Dishes >
      • Cool, Creamy Applesauce
      • Sweet Potato Custard
      • Whole-Wheat Irish Soda Bread Rolls
      • Cranberry Orange Sauce
      • Crispy Potato Latkes & Apple Sauce
      • Arugula & Strawberry Salad
      • Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
      • Sweet Potato Tots
      • Lemon Muffins
      • Roasted Brocolli Florets with Citrus
      • Veggie Potato Salad
      • Watermelon, Feta & Mint Salad
      • Orzo, Feta & Sundried Tomato Salad
      • Grilled Asparagus
      • Cranberry, Almond & Broccoli Salad
    • Dessert >
      • Airy Gelatin Foam
      • Easy Chocolate Mousse
      • Apple Coffee Cake
      • Chocolate Chip Whole-Grain Blondies with Pecans
      • Frozen Pumpkin Mousse Pie
      • Ginger Baked Apples
      • HOLIDAY COOKIES
      • Easy Slice & Bake Sugar Cookies
      • No-Bake Graham Cracker & Peanut Butter Cookies
      • Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
      • Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries Chocolate Chip Cookies
      • No Bake Mini Cheesecakes
      • Light Strawberry Shortcake
      • Baked Pumpkin Pudding
      • No-bake Oatmeal Cocoa Cookies
      • Banana Bread
      • HOLIDAY TREATS
      • Keto Chocolate Truffles
      • Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites
      • Glazed Condensed Milk Cookies
    • Miscellaneous Recipes >
      • Frozen Fruit Ice Cubes
      • Cranberry Raisin Oatmeal Bars
      • Oven Baked Kale Chips
      • Vanilla & Almond Popcorn
      • Spiced Pecans
      • Pink Grapefruit and Lemon Summer Aid
      • Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Chips
    • Food Hints >
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      • Storing Honey
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  • Home
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    • Thank you message form >
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  • Recipes
    • Breakfast >
      • Tropical Smoothie
      • Green Tea Smoothie
      • Cottage Cheese Omelet
      • Cinnamon French Toast
      • Whole Grain Buttermilk Pancakes
      • Oatmeal with Bananas
      • Overnight Oatmeal
      • Skinny Ham & Cheese Omelet
      • Mixed Berry Acai Smoothie
      • Silly Pancakes
      • Blueberry and Maple-Pecan Granola Parfaits
    • Lunch >
      • Chicken Club Wraps
      • Cobb Egg Salad
      • Rotisserie Chicken Salad
      • Roast Beef Wrap
    • Soup >
      • Fire-Roasted Tomato Basil Soup
      • Creamy Chilled Avocado Soup
      • Potato-Leek Bisque
      • White Bean Soup
      • Creamy Turnip Soup
      • Sweet Pea Soup
      • Easy & Quick Spicy Gazpacho
      • Mango Coconut Soup
      • Butternut Squash Soup with Pepitas
      • Pumpkin-Apple Soup
    • Appetizers >
      • Roasted Red Pepper & Cheese Spread
      • Avocado-Yogurt Dip
      • Spinach-Artichoke Dip
      • Chili-Lime Peanuts
      • Buttermilk Ranch Dip
      • Creamy Spinach Feta Dip
      • White Bean Dip
    • Main Course >
      • Elegant Cheese Souffle
      • Herbed Chicken and Rice
      • Baked Salmon Dijon
      • Barbecued Chicken
      • Stir-Fried Beef & Vegetables
      • Macaroni and Cheese
      • Braised Brisket & Root Vegetables
      • Orecchiette with Broccoli Rabe
      • Zucchini Lasagna
      • Yogurt-Curry Marinated Chicken Thighs
      • Soba Noodle Stir Fry
      • Winter Vegetable Dal (Red Lentils)
      • Almond-Crusted Pork with Dipping Sauce
      • Broccoli & Goat Cheese Soufflé
      • Baked Tofu
      • Chicken with Snap Peas
      • Grilled Chicken & Vegetables
      • Smoky Barbecue Chicken
      • Spicy 3-Bean Vegetarian Chili
      • Asian Noodles and Chicken
      • Herb-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin
    • Salads & Side Dishes >
      • Cool, Creamy Applesauce
      • Sweet Potato Custard
      • Whole-Wheat Irish Soda Bread Rolls
      • Cranberry Orange Sauce
      • Crispy Potato Latkes & Apple Sauce
      • Arugula & Strawberry Salad
      • Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
      • Sweet Potato Tots
      • Lemon Muffins
      • Roasted Brocolli Florets with Citrus
      • Veggie Potato Salad
      • Watermelon, Feta & Mint Salad
      • Orzo, Feta & Sundried Tomato Salad
      • Grilled Asparagus
      • Cranberry, Almond & Broccoli Salad
    • Dessert >
      • Airy Gelatin Foam
      • Easy Chocolate Mousse
      • Apple Coffee Cake
      • Chocolate Chip Whole-Grain Blondies with Pecans
      • Frozen Pumpkin Mousse Pie
      • Ginger Baked Apples
      • HOLIDAY COOKIES
      • Easy Slice & Bake Sugar Cookies
      • No-Bake Graham Cracker & Peanut Butter Cookies
      • Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
      • Dark Chocolate Dipped Strawberries Chocolate Chip Cookies
      • No Bake Mini Cheesecakes
      • Light Strawberry Shortcake
      • Baked Pumpkin Pudding
      • No-bake Oatmeal Cocoa Cookies
      • Banana Bread
      • HOLIDAY TREATS
      • Keto Chocolate Truffles
      • Red Velvet Cheesecake Bites
      • Glazed Condensed Milk Cookies
    • Miscellaneous Recipes >
      • Frozen Fruit Ice Cubes
      • Cranberry Raisin Oatmeal Bars
      • Oven Baked Kale Chips
      • Vanilla & Almond Popcorn
      • Spiced Pecans
      • Pink Grapefruit and Lemon Summer Aid
      • Crispy Baked Sweet Potato Chips
    • Food Hints >
      • Storing Lemons
      • Storing Avocados
      • Storing Honey
  • Member Log In Only

A Welcome Visitor...Private Care Aide Makes a Difference


“Jo is an extraordinary person. We look forward to her visits and she’s like family to us.”


​That’s how Chris Puri of Florham Park describes her relationship with certified home health aide Yoania “Jo” Alvarez — and she’s eager to share her positive experience with VNA Private Care Services in the hope it will benefit other caregivers who’ve been reluctant to seek assistance.

Like many who are caring for their elderly parents, Chris and her husband have made significant lifestyle changes that some may even call sacrifices. In fact, when Chris initially assumed the role of caregiver, she shuttled between her husband’s overseas job in Singapore and her parents’ home in Illinois – an 18 hour plane trip each way.
Following her father’s death, it became apparent that a transfer back to the U.S. was needed to more effectively care for her mother, Rosalee Brune, and the family settled into their current Morris County home. Chris, a working pharmacist at the time, sought home care agency recommendations from friends and neighbors. After speaking with several organizations, she chose VNA and the family’s bond with private care aide Yoania Alvarez was quickly established.

Since 2011, Jo has visited two hours a day, seven days a week –  even when her elderly client was laid up in the hospital and a rehab center. In fact, during those episodes, Chris believes the consistency of Jo’s visits and her encouragement prevented Rosalee from becoming disoriented and expedited her recovery.

“My mother had a bad year in 2013 and Jo was certainly instrumental in getting her through more than one stay in rehab,” she said. “Jo has a wonderful personality and works well with Mom. She has a good-natured way of getting necessary things done when others, including me, cannot!”

Each day, Jo helps Rosalee with her bathing and grooming routine and makes sure she takes a short walk. “My mother is reluctant to exercise with me, but somehow Jo puts a different spin on things and gets Mom on her feet,” observed Chris. “Mom looks forward to Jo’s visits and the time they spend together is the bright spot in her day. In fact, we all look forward to seeing Jo — even our family dog, Blitzen.”

One of Many Uplifting Stories​

According to Sue Kerns, RN, BSN, Manager of Affiliated Health Services, who oversees all of VNA’s private pay services,  “Private care assistance just a few hours per week is making a big difference for primary caregivers,” she said. “With our help, they’re finding the peace-of-mind needed to focus on their own needs and other essential responsibilities. The break we provide prevents frustration and burn out.”    

Picture
Rosalee Brune, 93, and Yoania “Jo” Alvarez, her VNA aide, have formed a special bond. For the past three years, Jo’s visited a couple of hours a day, seven days a week. While the practical help she provides is appreciated, her companionship and encouragement have been equally important to her elderly client.
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VNA is licensed by the New Jersey Department of Health and accredited by the Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP). VNA accepts Medicare and Medicaid, private insurance and private pay clients. Care is provided to residents with financial hardship through the efforts of its Foundation.
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