It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Lionshead Lake, NJ is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
“Liz and her team are the consumate professionals when it comes to providing quality care”
“Liz…. Is simply the Best ! Her professionalism is amazing …”
“Liz is beyond TOP NOTCH at what she does, and the services she provides. We”
“When Always Best Care was referred to us by a friend, we didn’t quite know”
“Excellent service, Always Best Care takes care well of your loved one. They are professionals”
“If you are looking for the right team to help you provide in-home care for”
“Liz and her staff are hands down the best!!!”
“Always Best Care Senior Services and CEO Liz Johnson, provide compassionate and qualified care for”
“Always Best Care provides the highest level of in home care for your loved ones.”
“Excellent company! They care deeply for each person they work with and I highly recommend”
“You will always get the best care and service. Liz is so compassionate and”
“When my special needs son broke his femur we called Liz for help. Although”
“Always best care have been a good company,and they always check on the workers,and make”
“I was referred to Always Best Care by a close friend when I was searching”
“Quick and reliable assistance from the skilled team at Always Best Care played a major”
“We found Anna through Always Best Care to take care of my ailing mother-in-law. She”
“After my father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, we looked at all of the different companies”
“Nicky provided ten months of excellent care to my 82 years old mother who had”
“I would like to offer my thanks to Always Best Care for providing what I”
“Your approach and calming demeanor are truly a gift and personal calling! You have helped”
“Great Agency! Esoma The Coordinator is the best in the field! So caring”
“I am a current client of this provider My ninety year old grandfather was diagnosed with”
“It has been a delightful experience to work with Always Best Care. Over the last”
“I really liked the caregiver who came to help my mom during her recovery from”
“I would like to offer my thanks to Always Best Care for providing what I”
“I am a current client of this provider I would like to offer my thanks to”
“Liz and her team are the consumate professionals when it comes to providing quality care for our seniors. They provide compassionate and competent care without forgetting about empathy and dignity for those entrusted in their care. Providing exceptional care...and then some...isn't what they do, it's simply who they are. Thank you, Liz, for providing such exceptional leadership to your team!”
“Liz…. Is simply the Best ! Her professionalism is amazing …”
“Liz is beyond TOP NOTCH at what she does, and the services she provides. We had a difficult family situation, and she handled it with grace, and provided my family with service, and advice above and beyond what I expected to receive!!! Thank you!!!”
“When Always Best Care was referred to us by a friend, we didn’t quite know what to expect. Meeting the charming and charismatic Liz the owner and her smiling staff at the agency however put our hearts and minds at ease although we were in the middle of the pandemic. They are down-to-earth caring, compassionate and professional and our aunt could not ask for anything more. I truly recommend Always Best Care.”
“Excellent service, Always Best Care takes care well of your loved one. They are professionals and certified which makes them on top of everything. Just call Liz Johnson and she will help and goes above and beyond. I would highly recommend them.”
“If you are looking for the right team to help you provide in-home care for your loved one, Always Best Care should be your first call. Liz and her team are trustworthy, caring, and compassionate. They go above and beyond for their clients and their families! They are truly exceptional!”
“Liz and her staff are hands down the best!!!”
“Always Best Care Senior Services and CEO Liz Johnson, provide compassionate and qualified care for seniors and patients recovering from surgery. Liz has a heart for families who need to make those tough choices and is a knowledgeable resource for those in need. She addresses questions and concerns with advice and solutions based on her professional acumen and life experience. I would recommend Liz wholeheartedly. Make her your first call when you need support for a loved one!”
“Always Best Care provides the highest level of in home care for your loved ones. I have used this agency to provide in home care for several family members and loved ones. Their aides provide compassionate care and have allowed my family members to age in their home with dignity and grace. Highly recommend !!!”
“Excellent company! They care deeply for each person they work with and I highly recommend them. Very reliable and quick to respond. The owner is just amazing!”
“You will always get the best care and service. Liz is so compassionate and attentive and treats everyone as if they were family. I highly recommend!”
“When my special needs son broke his femur we called Liz for help. Although she specializes in Senior Care, we knew her company would take great care of our pre-teen. We can never thank Liz and her company enough for the kindness and great care they provided not just for our son, but for our entire family! What a relief it was to know he was being well cared for with such kindness and compassion. I would highly recommend Always Best Care Senior Services.”
“Always best care have been a good company,and they always check on the workers,and make everything so easy for me,I never have bad experience wit them,I like my supervisor Mrs Leslie and the Coordinator Esoma bcos they always check on us wit my client and confirm if everything is working so good wit us,please all I want to say to them,is to keep the good work contine,may the company continues to be bless wit good people and so caring about the Aides....thank you so very much”
“I was referred to Always Best Care by a close friend when I was searching for an assisted living community for my parents. I found the staff extremely professional and helpful right from our first meeting. What I appreciate the most is their prompt service and flexibility. Since I have my job in another city, I wasn’t able to take care of my parents and eventually had to make the difficult decision to move them to assisted living. Thanks to Always Best Care for speeding up the whole process according to my schedule. Highly Recommended!”
“Quick and reliable assistance from the skilled team at Always Best Care played a major in my father’s recovery from osteoporosis. The assigned caregiver was extremely patient and supportive. He helped my father with all sorts of exercises. I strongly recommend Always Best Care for the well being of your beloved elders.”
“We found Anna through Always Best Care to take care of my ailing mother-in-law. She is honest, reliable, and goes out of her way to help my mother-in-law with her daily chores. I never have to worry that she wouldn’t show up on time or would find excuses for not doing some tasks. She is also very funny and keeps us laughing all day long. We are really happy with the services offered by Always Best Care. The attentiveness and quick response of their staff has made things quite easy for us. We know that they are there to address our needs no matter what time of the day we call them. They genuinely care about the health and well-being of their clients. And that’s what makes them so much better than other agencies.”
“After my father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, we looked at all of the different companies in the marketplace. We received great care from our caregiver and really appreciated the patient approach they took with my dad. With much gratitude to the team at Always Best Care!”
“Nicky provided ten months of excellent care to my 82 years old mother who had dementia. She was caring in every possible way which was exactly what the family wanted for her. She passed away last month, but peacefully and with dignity. Thank you so much Always Best Care for the amazing service.”
“I would like to offer my thanks to Always Best Care for providing what I believe is a top-class service. They have amazing caregivers who took care of my mother-in-law post her heart surgery. She was back to her normal routine faster than we thought. It wouldn’t have been possible without the care and support of their caregivers.”
“Your approach and calming demeanor are truly a gift and personal calling! You have helped more than you will ever realize”
“Great Agency! Esoma The Coordinator is the best in the field! So caring about the Aides! Thanks again!”
“I am a current client of this provider My ninety year old grandfather was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s a few months ago. Without the in home care provided by Always Best Care, I do not know how we would have managed everything. I am grateful for the dedicated service they have provided to us.”
“It has been a delightful experience to work with Always Best Care. Over the last three years, I have had a few caregivers come in to care for my mother who has Alzheimer’s. When she was diagnosed with the condition, I had little hope of her getting back to her normal self again. She had almost stopped smiling. But after I had the wonderful caregivers to care for her, I saw a great improvement in her health. She seems not only healthier, but happier too. Thank you Always Best Care.”
“I really liked the caregiver who came to help my mom during her recovery from a major surgery. She took great care of her and ensured a quick recovery. A hearty thanks to Always Best Care.”
“I would like to offer my thanks to Always Best Care for providing what I believe is a top-class service. They have amazing caregivers who took care of my mother-in-law post her heart surgery. She was back to her normal routine faster than we thought. It wouldn’t have been possible without the care and support of their caregivers.”
“I am a current client of this provider I would like to offer my thanks to Always Best Care for providing what I believe is a top-class service. They have amazing caregivers who took care of my mother-in-law post her heart surgery. She was back to her normal routine faster than we thought. It wouldn’t have been possible without the care and support of their caregivers.”
Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Lionshead Lake, NJ, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Lionshead Lake, NJ understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Lionshead Lake, NJ 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
By Jon "Ferris" MeredithWAYNE, NJ – Lionshead Lake is one of Wayne’s treasures but for a time, it fell into disrepair. The lake, without treatment became unswimmable and the beach became overgrown. One man was instrumental in re-organizing the residents around the lake, leading the charge to clean it up and make the lake a treasure once again.For the past nine years, Steve Wesolowski has worked tirelessly to lead the restoration of Lionshead Lake. The only thing that derailed his efforts ...
By Jon "Ferris" Meredith
WAYNE, NJ – Lionshead Lake is one of Wayne’s treasures but for a time, it fell into disrepair. The lake, without treatment became unswimmable and the beach became overgrown. One man was instrumental in re-organizing the residents around the lake, leading the charge to clean it up and make the lake a treasure once again.
For the past nine years, Steve Wesolowski has worked tirelessly to lead the restoration of Lionshead Lake. The only thing that derailed his efforts was a diagnosis of ALS, which is a nervous system disease that weakens muscles and impacts physical function. There is no known cure.
Now the residents around Lionshead are looking to save the man who helped to save their lake.
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Karin Alsdorf and Paulette Brauch, have set up a GoFundMe page to raise funds to renovate Wesolowski's home to make it more accessible for him and his aging mother. They are calling on all of Wayne residents to help.
“We decided to create a GoFundMe account where 100% of the proceeds will go to alleviating some of the financial stress, and to increase the quality of life for Stephen and his mother, Pat,” wrote Alsdorf. “They have already incurred expenses for medical devices, a chair and a ramp but are still in need of a bathroom renovation and a long list of adaptations to their home.”
When Wayne needed Wesoloski, he was there; sacrificing years to get Lionshead Lake back to what it had once been in his childhood. And now Wesolowski is counting on Wayne to help him. Click here to donate to this campaign
Steve Wesolowski grew up living near Lionshead but moved out to California as an adult. About ten years ago, his father passed away, and he came back home to help his aging mother.
When he returned, the lake was no longer the beautiful swimming lake that was the center of many fun activities of his childhood. This was unacceptable and Wesolowski took it upon himself to reorganize the residents and restore the lake.
Ellen Snyder, a childhood friend and neighbor of Wesolowski, began working with him early on.
“About ten years ago, the news came that the Town was going to close the lake,” she said. “We had to pay back-taxes and fix it up, or they would lock it up.”
“I got my company to give me a $500 sponsorship for the lake, and when I brought the money down, Steve and I started talking, and he convinced me to help him restore the lake,” Snyder said.
Together they began an aggressive sponsorship program, which provided the funds to pay off the back-taxes as well as to begin to restore the beach area and treat the water to make it swimmable again.
At the same time, Wesolowski began to form an official Board of Trustees for the lake which has now become the Lionshead Lake Property Owners Association.
“Steve had experience with running boards from his time working in non-profits in California,” Snyder explained. “So, we leaned on him to help us do it right this time.”
Snyder described Wesolowski as “relentless.”
“Our goal has been to open it up as a swimming lake, like we remembered as children,” she said. “And we promised each other we wouldn’t give up until we got it open.”
That goal was almost realized last summer, but the Coronavirus shut that down. Snyder hopes that this summer will be the first time the lake is officially opened for swimming and non-motorized boats.
Wesolowski used to help set up and break down just about every event at the lake over the last few years. These events include movies every Friday night in the summer, concerts on the beach, easter egg hunts, Halloween on the beach and more.
“Steve can’t do it any more because of his condition,” said Snyder sadly, “But now, because the Association is organized and set up so well, we have volunteers and people we can pay.”
Mayor Chris Vergano told TAPinto that he has personally donated to Wesolowski’s GoFundMe campaign.
“Steve is a great, great guy,” said the Mayor. “He was instrumental in restoring Lionshead Lake and making it such a great resource for the residents there. He is totally deserving of our support and I encourage everyone to help him now that he needs us.”
Snyder said that they are hoping to find a contractor who will donate labor costs to make Wesolowski’s house accessible for him, now that he is in a wheelchair.
“If a contractor would be willing to do that, we can offer them a sponsorship and kind of blast their name out in our community and on our Facebook page and before events,” she said.
If you are willing to donate to help Steve Wesolowski, you can find the GoFundMe page here.
Dedicated group is steadily working to improve the once-popular hangout spot.Patch Staff|Updated Wed, Jun 6, 2012 at 3:49 am ETThe beach at Lionshead Lake doesn’t get many visitors nowadays. The water in the lake needs to be cleaned. The floating dock that kids used to swim to in the water sits on the beach.The lake used to be a popular hangout spot, but interest in the area has waned in recent years. Now it is to the point where people can’t even go into the water because there is so much algae in i...
Patch Staff
|Updated Wed, Jun 6, 2012 at 3:49 am ET
The beach at Lionshead Lake doesn’t get many visitors nowadays. The water in the lake needs to be cleaned. The floating dock that kids used to swim to in the water sits on the beach.
The lake used to be a popular hangout spot, but interest in the area has waned in recent years. Now it is to the point where people can’t even go into the water because there is so much algae in it.
A group of dedicated residents is trying to breathe new life into the facility.
“There used to be parties here all the time. During the week there’d be as many as 60 kids on the beach some nights,” said Jimmy Oleksy. “This used to be everything to the community. Every family was a member here.”
Olesky is one of dozen residents who belong to the group. They meet to clean up the lake on Saturdays. The group has been working on improving the property since last August. The group meets on Mondays to develop ideas for what they want to see done at the lake.
“We want it to be open and accessible and re-imagine what it can be for the whole community,” said Chris Dubanowitz, president of the Lionshead Lake Property Owners Association.
Dubanowitz said that fewer and fewer of the area's 600 families are paying the optional $50 annual fee to use the lake. The lake flows out of the Point View Reservoir and along Lionshead Drive West before joining up with Pines Lake.
"We're not here to make money. That's not what this is about," Dubanowitz said. "We want people to know that they have a stake in this place. It's theirs to use if they want to."
The residents have started a Facebook group to get input from residents, exchange ideas, and foster interest in the area. The group is also creating a Web site.
The group wants to purchase new benches, install a new fire pit, and get some new sand for the beach. New swings and other playground equipment might be installed on a grassy area away from the beach. Residents also want to dredge the lake at some point. The group has already painted much of the old clubhouse.
The group spent about $8,000 in taxes, insurance, utilities, and water treatment last year.
“We’re trying to do the best we can with what we have, but we’re only volunteers,” Dubanowitz said.
Oleksy said that members of the group got involved because they know that if the lake closes for good, it could adversely affect nearby residents’ property values.
The group is planning to host potluck barbecue at the beach later on this month as a way of reintroducing the area to the community.
“We want to turn this into a community center, but we need help,” Dubanowtiz said. “We can’t do it by ourselves.”
Have a question or news tip? Contact editor Daniel Hubbard at Daniel.Hubbard@patch.com or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
By Jon "Ferris" MeredithWAYNE, NJ – After more than two years of negotiations with Point View Wayne Properties, the owners of the old Toys R Us headquarters, Wayne Township has found itself at a standstill. According to Mayor Chris Vergano, the issue is the layout of the development and where on the huge, 183-acre property all the buildings will be placed.During Wednesday night’s township council meeting, the council approved a resolution that allows the Wayne Planning Board to undertake ...
By Jon "Ferris" Meredith
WAYNE, NJ – After more than two years of negotiations with Point View Wayne Properties, the owners of the old Toys R Us headquarters, Wayne Township has found itself at a standstill. According to Mayor Chris Vergano, the issue is the layout of the development and where on the huge, 183-acre property all the buildings will be placed.
During Wednesday night’s township council meeting, the council approved a resolution that allows the Wayne Planning Board to undertake a study to determine whether the old Toys R Us headquarters “qualifies as an area in need of condemnation redevelopment.”
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Vergano explained as best he could. But given that the township is still in negotiations regarding the property owners, he couldn’t provide much detail.
As part of the settlement agreement with Fair Share Housing Center, 1.360 units (with 20% to be set aside as affordable) will be built on the old Toys R Us headquarters property situated near Lions Head Lake, Pines Lake and the Point View Reservoir. This is not under dispute – those units will be built.
“The only question is where those units are going to be placed on the property,” explained Vergano. “So, at this point in time we're going absolutely nowhere between negotiations and mediation, and we feel this is the right next step for us to take to bring this to a solution.”
He made it clear that the township would not be taking over ownership of the property, and it would not be paying for or building any of the units.
“Our planners have suggested that we just do a redevelopment plan, and [the developer] will have to follow it in order to build the threat 1,360 units,” said Vergano. “They'll be in the areas where the township wants them. We're very sensitive to the issues of Lions Head Lake and Pines Lake, and there's also wetlands on the property. So we're being very cautious.”
Township Attorney Matt Giacobe explained that the law (N.J.S.A 40A:12A-1) allows municipalities, once they officially declare an area in need of redevelopment or rehabilitation, to “set the development layout of that property.
“Basically, we’re not letting the developer dictate how it's going to be developed,” he said. “The municipality dictates how it's going to be laid out and developed.”
Now that this resolution has been approved, the Planning Board will vote to authorize a study on the property – which Vergano said has basically already been done because they have been reviewing this property for more than two years.
“It would then come back to the council, and we would bring you ordinances to approve,” said Vergano, “in order to facilitate this coming to fruition.”
A lot of history — but no pancakes — was uncovered in a search to find the origin of Pancake Hollow Drive, a residential road off Berdan Avenue in Wayne.The mostly quiet roadway, lined with newer homes in the Lionshead Lake neighborhood, is just about all that remains of a natural basin at the foot of the Preakness Mountains that once bore the same name.As late as 1960, the low-lying area of Pancake Hollow was home to more than 400 acres of farmland, a variety of businesses and a section old Berdan Av...
A lot of history — but no pancakes — was uncovered in a search to find the origin of Pancake Hollow Drive, a residential road off Berdan Avenue in Wayne.
The mostly quiet roadway, lined with newer homes in the Lionshead Lake neighborhood, is just about all that remains of a natural basin at the foot of the Preakness Mountains that once bore the same name.
As late as 1960, the low-lying area of Pancake Hollow was home to more than 400 acres of farmland, a variety of businesses and a section old Berdan Avenue. Now, most of the hollow is under the Point View Reservoir, a fact largely unknown to many.
Patrons visiting the Point View Shopping Center on the edge of what once was Pancake Hollow said that apart from Pancake Hollow Drive, they weren't aware of the history of the place. Three young men, graduates of Wayne Hills High School, were familiar with the residential road that runs alongside the high school but were surprised to hear that an entire section of the township was once known as Pancake Hollow.
A hollow is a small valley, a depression between mountains. Topographical maps from 1950 place the elevation of the area near Point View Reservoir at about 350 feet above sea level, surrounded by elevations rising to 700 feet above sea level due to the nearby mountains, according to Edward Lenik’s “Archaeology of Wayne.”
Scott Giaquinto, a local musician and longtime resident, said he knew of Pancake Hollow Drive and a namesake trail in the High Mountain Park Preserve that he hiked as a Boy Scout in Paterson.
"It's always been called Pancake Hollow. I don't know why it was called that," he said.
A Passaic County map from 1923 shows a dirt road labeled Pancake Hollow Road, which ran parallel to Hamburg Turnpike from the northern end of Berdan Avenue to Oakland Road, near present-day Ramapo Valley Road and Pompton Lake. It's not clear if the dirt road from the 1920s is tied in some way to The Pancake Hollow Trail in the High Mountain Park Preserve, which includes a large portion of the Preakness range.
Local historians said that in the days of settlers, locations were often named for their geographical features. In the case of Pancake Hollow, which first appears in print as early as 1920, the land was most likely named for its flat-as-a-pancake look nestled between the Watchung and Preakness mountains.
The Dutch were among Wayne’s earliest European settlers in the 1600s, according to the Wayne Township Historical Commission. “De Verstandige Kock” (or "The Sensible Cook"), a cookbook published in Amsterdam in the mid-1600s includes recipes for "pannekoecken" — thin, crepe-like pancakes. The phrase "flat as a pancake" dates back to the mid-1500s, according to the American Heritage Idioms Dictionary, along with the word "pancake" itself. However, cultures worldwide enjoyed a variety of pancakes for over 30,000 years, according to National Geographic.
Early 20th-century aerial photographs of Wayne show the area as tightly packed farmland, with buildings dotting the surface. Photos from the 1920s taken during the development of Pines Lake, which is northwest of the reservoir, show Pancake Hollow to be a quiet, grassy basin.
In 1964, however, major change came to the landscape of Pancake Hollow.
An article in The New York Times reported the commemoration of a shallow basin, now better known as Point View Reservoir, in November 1964. The $10 million project, financed by the Passaic Valley Water Commission, was designed to store water for the 750,000 PVWC subscribers in the area.
At the ceremony, then-New Jersey Gov. Richard J. Hughes was quoted as saying the project was "another significant achievement in our state's program to insure water resources for our rapidly expanding population and industry."
The project placed 465 acres of Pancake Hollow underwater and rerouted Berdan Avenue around the reservoir's eastern edge. During droughts like the one this year, parts of old Berdan Avenue can be seen running into the reservoir.
Google Maps satellite photos show pale remnants of road beneath the water’s surface. In December, portions of paved road could be seen peeking out from the shores of the reservoir from behind the 1786 Van Riper-Hopper House on Berdan Avenue.
Emilio Baldino, a 14-year Wayne resident and a sales associate for Century 21 Gemini LLC, said he has sold homes in the neighborhood of the former Pancake Hollow and recalled hearing about a farm that once occupied the area.
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According to a museum booklet about the Van Riper-Hopper House by Charles Jackson, the foundations of a grist mill, sawmill, cider mill, distillery, blacksmith shop, tanner and smoke shop all lie beneath the water’s surface. At the time the basin was filled, many remnants could be seen, Jackson wrote in 1973.
Despite the Wayne street's seemingly obscure name, New York has a Pancake Hollow Road. It's in Highland, a community on the west bank of the Hudson River, across from Poughkeepsie. Perhaps Wayne's 17th-century Dutch influence, a heritage shared with New York's Hudson Valley, offers some explanation.
Email: presinzanoj@northjersey.com
The collapse of Toys R Us has placed a big question mark on a large tract of woodland in the heart of Wayne.Toys R Us is preparing to leave its corporate headquarters, which sits in the middle of nearly 200 acres of largely open space in a triangle bordered by Berdan Avenue, Hamburg Turnpike and the Point View Reservoir.The land has been a secluded corporate office campus since the 1960s, first as the headquarters of chemical conglomerate American Cyanamid. It has been the home of America's iconic toy retailer si...
The collapse of Toys R Us has placed a big question mark on a large tract of woodland in the heart of Wayne.
Toys R Us is preparing to leave its corporate headquarters, which sits in the middle of nearly 200 acres of largely open space in a triangle bordered by Berdan Avenue, Hamburg Turnpike and the Point View Reservoir.
The land has been a secluded corporate office campus since the 1960s, first as the headquarters of chemical conglomerate American Cyanamid. It has been the home of America's iconic toy retailer since 2003. The road leading into the compound is Geoffrey Way, named after the giraffe mascot of Toys R Us.
It is a throwback to an era when corporations sought secluded, park-like suburban settings for their office complexes. It is going on the market at a time when demand for office campuses with a single corporate tenant has all but vanished. As a result, Wayne public officials and residents could see big changes proposed for Geoffrey Way.
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“We’re all kind of concerned what will go there,” said Stephen Wesolowski, who sits on the executive board of Lions Head Lake, a community of 620 homes next to the property.
“I find it’s a little sad that they changed one of the names of our roads to Geoffrey Way, and now they’re out of business,” Wesolowski said.
Real estate experts and developers say this could be a rare chance for Wayne to make decisions that could bring valuable benefits to the township.
But to do that, they say, the community may have to accept another use for the land.
“It’s an opportunity to create something that could be iconically transformational,” for Wayne, said Kenneth Pasternak, a founder and executive chairman of The KABR Group, a private equity real estate firm based in Ridgefield Park. “The challenge for Wayne is to be open-minded about that,” he said.
Possible uses for the site, according to local commercial real estate experts, could include apartments that would allow young professionals to move to Wayne, and allow retirees to remain in the township after selling their homes. Assisted living housing or a corporate office park with space for multiple tenants are other possibilities. Non-office uses, however, would require a zoning change.
The Moody's credit rating service warned, in a public finance credit report released Thursday, that a vacant Toys R Us headquarters could negatively affect Wayne's municipal credit rating. Toys R Us is the third largest taxpayer in Wayne and its property tax payments equal 2.5 percent of the township's total operating revenues, according to Moody's.
The township currently has the highest credit rating bestowed by Moody's, with a rating of Aaa/stable.
The loss of 1,159 jobs at the headquarters also will impact surrounding businesses, Moody's said. Additionally. the value of the headquarters property could decline if the site sits vacant for long, Moody's said.
Toys R Us Inc. paid more than $2.7 million in taxes in 2017 on the property, according to the Wayne tax collector’s office.
When Toys R Us decided in the fall of 2001 to buy the long-vacant American Cyanamid corporate campus, it was a “win, win, win” deal, recalled Richard Previdi, who at the time was the chief executive of Wellsford Commercial Properties Trust, which owned the property. “It was a win for the investors, a win for Toys R Us, a win for the town,” Previdi said. “I was really excited. I thought it was really good for the town.”
“But the world has changed since then,” said Previdi, now managing partner at Alliance Partners HSP, LLC, in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. Today, “if you look at what is happening with successful office redevelopments, you have to be mixed use — and create a live, work, play environment," he said.
The same economic forces that drove Toys R Us out of business — millennial lifestyles, the digital revolution — have also transformed the office and commercial real estate market, and to not realize that means “you’re in for a very big learning curve,” he said.
One of the property’s biggest assets is its “spectacularly beautiful setting,” he said. “You could swear you’re in the Catskills.”
Toys R Us purchased the site for $35 million, according to real estate data firm CoStar. At the time it was on a spending spree that included the creation of the flagship Times Square store.
The new headquarters would allow it to consolidate a workforce that had outgrown the main headquarters in Paramus, and was also occupying satellite offices scattered around Bergen County.
Toys R Us dubbed the property the “Global Resource Center” and lined the entrance roadway with flags from all the countries where it had stores.
Now, the company is closing its stores and selling off all of its U.S. operations after an attempted bankruptcy reorganization failed. Toys R Us is hoping to make a deal to sell its Canadian division to buyers who would keep 100 to 200 United States stores open.
Even if that happens, the Wayne headquarters will be shut down, Toys R Us Chief Executive Dave Brandon told employees March 14, the day before the company announced its liquidation.
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The headquarters building “is a cost burden for the creditors of this company to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars,” Brandon said.
Wayne Councilman Jonathan Ettman, who represents the township’s sixth ward, which includes the Toys R Us site, said he would like to see a new corporate tenant move in, but he realizes that is unlikely.
“It’s probably not realistic in this market,” Ettman said. “Just the general idea of how a business wants to set up shop is very different than it was when that property was developed,” he said.
Ettman campaigned on a platform opposed to high-density housing and rezoning. “The possibility of housing and redevelopment very well could impact the character of that particular area of the sixth ward,” he said.
Damon DeLucca, who serves on the executive board for Pines Lake, a community of 770 homes near the headquarters, said the board may discuss redevelopment concerns at its upcoming meeting.
“If you’re going to redevelop that area, it’s to the detriment of our membership,” DeLucca said. “You move to Pines Lake for the summer programs and sort of rural atmosphere in a suburban environment,” he said.
Wayne Mayor Christopher Vergano and Township Planner Linda Lutz could not be reached for comment.
Wayne could have a tough time attracting a new corporate tenant to the site because of the layout of the buildings.
The main building on the site is approximately 415,000 square feet. A smaller building has about 160,000 square feet. The space could be difficult to reconfigure for multiple tenants to meet market demand, developers said.
“In the market today, 80 to 90 percent of tenant demand in Bergen and Passaic counties is for tenant space under 6,000 square feet,” said Mitchell Adelstein, managing partner of Capstone Realty Group, which owns the Continental Plaza office complex in Hackensack and other properties throughout the state.
“Anything over 15,000 square feet puts you more in the Fortune 500 category of tenants,” Adelstein said. “They’re very hard to attract in New Jersey and New York these days because we’re high tax jurisdictions,” he said.
Also, “corporate America doesn’t typically own their real estate,” today, he said. They lease and want flexibility “so as their business changes they can move their people around,” he said.
Michael Seeve, president of Woodland Park-based Mountain Development Corp., said the site could be an opportunity for a creative redevelopment as a multi-tenant corporate center, where a number of companies could rent space and benefit from shared amenities.
“It’s an enormous tract of land so it would be an opportunity for the right developer to do something beautiful,” Seeve said. “You could develop something that would be contemporary and interesting and a credit to the Wayne community.”
Redeveloping it for multiple office tenants would be more risky than residential development but it would keep the property zoned for office. “It would be a shame to lose the kind of clean commercial ratable” and “a shame to lose the jobs because the space comes off line,” he said.
“It’s kind of a fun puzzle to reimagine a lot of these things that were built in a slightly different era and find ways to make them valuable to today’s users,” Seeve said.
The last time Wayne faced the puzzle of what to do with this property, it took years to figure it out. American Cyanamid moved out in the mid-1990s and Toys R Us moved there in 2003. In between, a proposal was floated to replace the office building with a hotel, conference center and golf course.
You can contact Wayne reporter Philip DeVencentis at devencentis@northjersey.com or retail reporter Joan Verdon at verdon@northjersey.com
877-318-0529
