Meet Alice Dukes – September 2020 Aide of the Month
Congratulations to our September aide of the month! Alice Dukes has been working for Family & Children's Service for more than three years. Alice completed the CHHA course with the LTC Training Center of Neptune.
Before coming to work for FCS, Alice spent many years taking care of relatives in need. Alice's late husband became ill, and she was unable to work. Alice later discovered her passion to become a CHHA. Workforce Development exposed Alice to many opportunities in the Health Care field.
Meet Talesha Irizarry – August 2020 Aide of the Month
Congratulations to our August aide of the month! Talesha Irizarry has been working for Family & Children's Service for one year.
Before coming to work for FCS, Talesha spent more than ten years working as a CNA with Rosewood Gardens and other organizations. She gravitated to work in the Home Care field after assisting with her relatives during troubling times. She wanted to work for FCS in any capacity because of her appreciation for the agency’s rep payee program. Read more
Meet Lattlyne Simpson – July 2020 Aide of the Month
Congratulations to our July Aide of the Month! Lattlyne has been working for Family & Children's Service for more than thirty years. She received her license through a program coordinated by the Monmouth County Freeholders.
Before coming to work for FCS, Lattlyne spent many years as a teacher in Jamaica. "I learned the importance of compassion by helping students in need living on my island”. The experience of being a teacher encouraged her to pursue a CHHA license. She enjoys her career because the flexible scheduling allowed her to spend time with her children. Spending time with family is essential to her.
All CHHAs must complete 76 hours of specialized training, pass a competency evaluation, and undergo a criminal background check before becoming certified and licensed by the New Jersey Board of Nursing. CHHAs work under the guidance and direction of a Registered Nurse and must undergo training in personal care skills, including bathing, dressing, shopping, meal preparation, Range of Motion assistance, and a variety of other tasks.
Lattlyne was selected to be the July Aide of the Month for going above and beyond her duties. When asked where her clients would be without her care, she replied, "my clients need me to assist with their necessities”. For example, Lattlyne assists her clients with bathing.
She explained that some of her clients are alone throughout the day if she is not there. Lattlyne shared that one of her client's family lives far away so she's the primary caregiver.
Lattlyne would tell someone who was becoming an aide, "If you don't love people. don't do it. You need patience, understanding and learning to relate." She says, "becoming a CHHA is a rewarding career".
Thank you, Lattlyne, for all your hard work! Congratulations.
Author: Ty-Kiera Brown
Home Care Coordinator
Meet Carmen Rodriguez - May 2020 Aide of the Month
Congratulations to our May aide of the month!
Carmen Rodriguez has been working for Family & Children's Service for ten years. She completed her certification with Spanish affairs and shortly after, began working with FCS.
Before FCS, Carmen spent many years helping those in need within her family. The experience of helping her grandmother ignited a fire in her to help others regain their independence. "I wanted to make sure my grandmother had excellent care."
All CHHAs must complete 76 hours of specialized training, pass a competency evaluation and undergo a criminal background check before becoming certified and licensed by the New Jersey Board of Nursing. CHHAs work under the guidance and direction of a Registered Nurse and must undergo training in personal care skills; including bathing, dressing, shopping, meal preparation, Range of Motion assistance, and a variety of other responsibilities.
Carmen was selected to be the May aide of the month for going above and beyond her duties. When asked where her clients would be without her care, she responded. "My clients would be in desperate situations." She explained that some of her clients are bed-bound. Carmen provides personal care for her clients. She assists with bathing and meal preparation. 
Carmen would tell someone who was becoming an aide to make sure their heart is in it. She believes possessing compassion is essential for working with a nonprofit agency and she values mission work.
Thank you, Carmen, for all of your hard work. Congratulations!
Author: Ty-Kiera Brown
Home Care Coordinator
Meet Laurica Jones- March 2020 Aide of the Month
Congratulations to our March Aide of the Month, Laurica Jones! Laurica received her CHHA training from FCS in 1996, and has been working for the agency ever since. When asked why she chose to become a CHHA, Laurica said she was encouraged by her sister, who also worked as a CHHA at the time.
Read more
Meet Maria Anchieta - January 2020 Aide of the Month
Congratulations to our January Aide of the Month, Maria Anchieta. Maria has been working for Family & Children’s Service (FCS) since February 2010 and received her Certified Home Health Aide training shortly before that.
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."