Generations Counseling & Care Management

(201) 845-7030

Laura Huisking

National Social Work Month

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“I grew up around my grandparents and great grandmother, so being around older adults literally feels like home to me. I’ve been working with seniors, lifting their spirits, all my life in a way.”
-Vicki Sherman Doueck, MSW, LCSW, ASWCM, and President/CEO of Generations Counseling & Care Management, LLC.

March is Social Work Month and as it draws to a close, we thought we would highlight our Care Management staff. It takes a special person to become a social worker. Not only do they assess the needs, circumstances, and support systems of clients but they often intervene and advocate in crisis situations involving deteriorating physical conditions, mental health emergencies, or trauma. We are lucky to have such an amazing team of social workers, who fight for our clients day in and day out.

We asked each of our social workers to share a little bit about why they do what they do and what they like about their job.

“I cant remember why I became a social worker…but I know HOW. One of the first things we are taught is start where the client is. This is a lesson that I continue to practice daily and is what I LOVE about what I do. In the 25 years I have been a social worker, I have continued to learn from the people and communities I work with. Whether it is through helping them access resources, providing emotional support, enabling areas of independence, supporting the families caring for them, or helping to make necessary modifications and adjustments for a life transition, celebrating my clients successes-no matter what those successes are- is the best part of my job.”
~ Stacey Padva Maines
“I’ve worked at Generations for the last seven years and being a care manager has been a whole new experience for me. My clients and their needs are very diverse. Where I see my clients (home, hospital, facility, housing authority…) is also very diverse. When I get a new client, it is not always black and white on what they need and it takes using my social work skills to figure out how to help my client best. One day can be quiet for me and the next day one of my clients may be in crisis. One day is not like the rest. Working as a care manager keeps me on my toes but I still feel the same satisfaction of helping others.” ~ Alison
“While there are many things I like about being a care manager, my favorite thing is the role I play as an advocate for my clients. Advocacy is such an important skill in the profession of social work, and a primary reason I became a social worker. My role in advocacy looks different depending on my client and the circumstances they are navigating. Advocacy involves assessing, listening and working with my clients to understand their goals and then help them attain them. Sometimes I’m collaborating with my client and enabling them to speak up. Other times I am the voice for my client. Either way, advocacy plays an important role in ensuring my clients receive the care and services they need.” ~ Amy
“I have always known that when it was time to pursue a career it would be one in which I dedicated myself to helping others. I am so grateful that my journey in Social Work has taken me to Care Management. My favorite part of it all is building relationships with clients and their support systems, as well as being able to make a positive impact on another’s life (however small it may seem). I am challenged everyday and am grateful to work with care managers who are so knowledgeable and supportive. I am proud to be a Social Worker and to set an example to my children that helping others will bring value to their lives and the lives of others.”
~ Katherine

Family owned and operated for over 35 years, Generations Counseling & Care Management, LLC is a full-service geriatric care management firm that provides care management, advocacy, and psychotherapy services with an integrated, professional, client-centered approach to the needs of the elderly, persons with disabilities, their families, and the caregiving community. Our expert staff are available 24/7 and offer a wide range of services that cover all aspects of elder care including: care management, counseling, psychotherapy, elder care planning, transitional service to senior communities & nursing facilities, services for disabled individuals, benefits counseling, assessments, financial services and management, moving and relocation coordination and much more. If you need more information on our services, please call our office at 201-845-7030. We service New Jersey and New York.

Drive by Networking for a Cause

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We are thrilled to be a part of the Women in Senior Care: Bergen County chapter. This group’s mission is to not only educate seniors and their families about healthcare resources but it’s also to lend their support to philanthropic endeavors that make our New Jersey community a better place to live.

Sip on some cider & network with the Women in Senior Care: Bergen County- for a cause! Please bring a ShopRite, Stop N’ Shop, or visa gift card to donate. If you can’t make the event, send Laura Huisking, lhuisking@generations-llc.com, an email about drop off information. There are two drive by locations for this event:

SUNRISE AT CRESSKILL

3 Tenakill Park Drive East, Cresskill

SUNRISE OF FRANKLIN LAKES

728 Franklin Avenue, Franklin Lakes

For Cresskill, please RSVP to Pat at cresskill.dos@sunriseseniorliving.com and for Franklin Lakes, please RSVP to Maureen at maureen.sandler@sunriseseniorliving.com.  

All gift card donations will go to seniors in need, distributed by the Northwest Senior Center and the Tenafly Senior Center in Bergen County, New Jersey.

Walking Through Grief: November 16th

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At Generations Counseling & Care Management, we deal with clients affected by grief every day. This can sometimes lead to depression and isolation so we are committed to helping our local New Jersey community with this difficult issue. Together with like-minded professionals, we put together a special event called “Walking Through Grief” on Wednesday, November 16th at 12:15pm.

If you are struggling with grief, you are NOT alone. Connect with us and other members of our community as we walk together. You can walk in silence or talk about your grief to people who understand your journey. There will be healthcare professionals on hand if you need resources and Tracey Arnauer, LCSW, from Holy Name Hospice, can answer your questions. At the end, you will get a relaxation kit and materials to take home. Space is LIMITED TO 15 PEOPLE so please RSVP to Laura Huisking, our Director of Marketing, at lhuisking@generations-llc.com.

The Generations Team Supports the Walk to Fight Alzheimer’s

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We were thrilled to participate in Alzheimer’s New Jersey’s Sunday’s Walk to Fight Alzheimer’s. The Generations Counseling & Care Management walk team has raised over $11,500 so far and we are still collecting donations! The money raised by the walk in Paramus, NJ goes to Alzheimer’s New Jersey’s compassionate programs and services, which help local families live with Alzheimer’s and other dementias the best way possible – and support research for a cure. 

Our company has been serving dementia patients and their families in the New York and New Jersey community for over 35 years and we understand how important it is for families to have multiple resources available to them. Alzheimer’s New Jersey is one of the many resources we support. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with a dementia related disease and you need to start long-term care planning, visit our services page for more information.

October Coat Drive

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As the founding member of Women in Senior Care: Passaic County, we are proud that part of this group’s mission has become about supporting philanthropic endeavors as well as educating seniors and their caregivers about the resources that are available to them.

We are co-sponsoring a coat drive with other senior care partners until the end of October. There are multiple drop off locations but if you need to arrange a pick up, please email our Director of Marketing, Laura Marie Huisking, at lhuisking@generations-llc.com. The coat drive runs until the morning of Thursday, October 27th, and we will be donating the coats to Oasis – A Haven for Women and Children and Eva’s Village in Patterson, New Jersey.