Mini Dance Marathon Ignites Spirits at Wellspring

Each year, Penn State students organize THON, the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. This 46-hour dance marathon benefits the Four Diamonds Fund for children battling cancer at Penn State Hershey Children’s Hospital. In January, residents, family members, and staff helped to show their support for this great cause by participating in Wellspring’s Mini THON, a 46-minute dance party that transformed the community’s Gathering Room into a dance club! Smiles and laughter were abundant, as the crowd moved to the tunes of the Andrews Sisters, the Temptations, Count Bassie, and other favorites. As the clock ticked down and the dancing drew to a close, the party continued in Wellspring’s Country Kitchen. Dancers and supporters alike were treated to specialties from our H’art and Soul of dining program, featuring a wide spread of miniature savory eats and sweet treats! The theme for Penn State’s 2017 THON is “Ignite Hope Within”. We can certainly say that Mini THON ignited our spirits at Wellspring, and we pass that torch of excitement to the Penn State students as they dance for hope this February 17-19.

2016 Year in Review

Fireworks, champagne toasts, and party poppers filled the air at the stroke of midnight, marking the end of 2016 and the beginning of 2017. The New Year is sure to bring with it many new memories, laughs, and accomplishments which could not have been made possible without the foundation that had been cultivated from previous years. 2016’s passing marked the end of an incredible year for Juniper Village at Brookline. Not only did the campus celebrate its 2^nd anniversary with Juniper Communities, but it was recognized as one of the best communities to provide exceptional care and services to older adults. Juniper Village at Brookline received numerous prestigious awards in 2016 including: 

·        Bronze Award for Excellence through the American Health Care Association to both Juniper Village Rehabilitation/Skilled Care and Juniper Village Senior Living  

·       Pennsylvania Health Care Association (PHCA) Employee of the Year Award was given to Denny Yeager, Environmental Services of Juniper Village Senior Living 

·                2017 Best Of Senior Living Award through SeniorAdvisor.com was awarded to Juniper Village at Brookline Senior Living  

·                Best of State College Silver Award for a Senior Living Community

As those of us at Juniper Village at Brookline look ahead to 2017 with our new goals, new hopes, and new determination firmly set, we are eager to continue to lead the way in senior living services not only in the State College area, but nationally as well.

For more information on how you can be the first to be informed on exciting news and events at Juniper Village at Brookline, please email Kathryn Bainbridge at kathryn.bainbridge@junipercommunities.com.

January 2017 Events in State College, PA: Welcome New Beginnings

Welcome to 2017! What a wonderful time for us to reflect on the past year and forge ahead with new beginnings. January is a time to begin again; a time when we make (and sometimes break) our New Year’s resolutions and focus on how we want to improve in the coming year.

January is also the month that Juniper Village begins our Winter Alive In All Seasons theme of Creative Expressions: “Explore Your Creativity” where in January we will focus on music! Do you know that research shows that music can help us physically by easing pain, helping us sleep better, eat less and enhance our blood vessel function? It is also suggested that music can help us mentally by reducing stress, relieving symptoms of depression, elevating mood, decreasing anxiety and improving cognitive performance. Because of this, Juniper Communities has adopted the Music & Memory program.

Through the use of MP3 players and headphones our teams download personalized music for each resident. These musical favorites tap deep memories and can bring participants back to life, enabling them to feel like themselves again, to converse, socialize and stay present. Learn more about our Music & Memory program by talking with our Connections Director and consider making a donation to this worthwhile program. We accept donations of new or used iPods, new over the ear headphones and iTunes gift cards.

Join us this month as we explore our creativity through music with outings to local musical performances, Elvis’ birthday celebrations and concerts by our Joyful Noise Choirs. We invite you to Welcome New Beginnings at Juniper Village and make a resolution to join us for activities and events throughout the year!

Our fabulous January 2017 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring Memory Care include our:

§ Blood Drive with the American Red Cross because one blood donation can save three lives, so join us as we partner with the American Red Cross for our annual blood drive as employees and the general public are invited to participate, and first-time donors are welcome on January 4th from 12:30 pm to 6:00 pm. (To RSVP please call Mary Ann at 814-235-2005.)

§  Mini THON with the 2^nd Wings Band as the 2017 THON committee has announced this year’s theme to be “Ignite Hope Within”, so Wellspring gears up to ignite and excite staff, family, and friends with a miniature dance marathon of their very own, while members of the THON committee will be present to speak about the largest student-run philanthropy effort in the entire world, and after that, the THON committee members and attendees will boogie down and cut a rug to popular dances spanning over various decades, then at 3:15, we’ll conclude our Mini THON with miniature refreshments to relax, rehydrate, and refuel on January 16^th at 2:30 pm. (No RSVP required.)

§  Glen Campbell “I’ll Be Me” Film Screening a documentary of the “Goodbye Tour” of country singer Glen Campbell, who used his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease to bring music and awareness across America in partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, Juniper Village offers a free screening of this inspiring film, and attendees will enjoy a specialty popcorn bar on January 25th at 6:00 pm. (Please RSVP to 814-235-2041.)

We look forward to sharing our January 2017 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring Memory Care with you as you Welcome New Beginnings.