Come On Down for An Evening of FUN and Prizes!!

Okay… so we didn’t technically win any prizes this time around, but we sure did have a ton of fun when “The Price Is Right LIVE” made a stop at Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center! More than 20 JVB residents and associates were part of the audience to watch as contestants played PLINKO, spun the Big Wheel, and had a Showcase Showdown. And as you can see, everyone was sporting their “Nurturing the Spirit of Fun” T-shirts (and some necklaces, and headbands, and pom-poms)! There was dancing in the aisles, applause, and lots and lots of laughter!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SYLVIA!

Wellspring had a very special birthday! Not to say that all of the other birthdays aren’t special, but our friend Sylvia was celebrating her 100^th birthday with  a smile! This was a photo taken (04/21/15) as we sat down with Wellspring friends and staff to joke around while enjoying light snack and refreshments as we sang Happy Birthday wishes to the birthday gal! Looking fabulous as she is wearing her favorite color, Sylvia is an outstanding individual and we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to share this photo of a very special gal on a very special day.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SYLVIA!

Juniper Village at Brookline: Soundtrack of Your Life with Music and Memory Program

The sound of silence is loud.

Well not silence, exactly. There’s an alarm going off at Juniper Village at Brookline — Wellspring Memory Care, a shrill, monotone and very public reminder that not all doors are made to be walked through.

Nobody seems very concerned, as if this is the kind of mistake that just happens from time to time, the kind of ambient noise that comes as naturally to this type of environment as a ringing phone or a squeaky wheelchair.

Nestled comfortably in a rocking chair, 87-year-old resident Mary Garcia seems particularly unperturbed. A slender pair of earbuds have carried her far, far away from the persistent wailing that grounds everyone else firmly in the small office.

Kaitlin Hoover, connections director at Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring, holds both Garcia’s hand and the pink iPod Shuffle at the other end of the earbuds. This has been a demonstration of the facility’s Music & Memory initiative, a program implemented in October that has quickly become a crucial component in the daily routines of residents like Garcia.

“If she doesn’t get her music at 4 p.m., it sends her on a rampage,” Hoover says.

The facility rotates five sets of iPods and headphones among 34 residents. Each resident has a personalized playlist, a musical itinerary carefully cultivated from questionnaires, family members and caretakers’ individual knowledge of each of their charges.

Back in her rocker, Garcia sings along to a Spanish melody, a reminder of her late husband. She lets out a tiny sigh of recognition and tears glisten in her eyes. Being anchored to the past has helped her find clarity in the present.

Music has always had a powerful presence in Garcia’s life and she enjoyed sharing it with others. She taught her niece, Karen Wertz, how to play the piano at a young age.

Wertz continues to visit her aunt at Juniper Village at Brookline, and while she’s not sure that the music on Garcia’s iPod restores her memories to full luster, she says she thinks it brings back something positive for her.

“It just brightens her up,” Wertz said.

Precisely when this bright spot occurs varies from day to day. The iPods are typically deployed closer to the evening, but if a resident becomes agitated, caregivers may decide to cue the music — which in some cases can reduce a patient’s reliance on psychotropic drugs.

Read more of this story from the Centre Daily Times.

Photo by Nabil K. Mark of the Centre Daily Times.

Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2015/04/04/4686081_the-soundtrack-of-your-life-music.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2015/04/04/4686081_the-soundtrack-of-your-life-music.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2015/04/04/4686081_the-soundtrack-of-your-life-music.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2015/04/04/4686081_the-soundtrack-of-your-life-music.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

Kaitlin Hoover, connections director at Juniper Village Wellspring, holds both Garcia’s hand and the pink iPod Shuffle at the other end of the earbuds. This has been a demonstration of the facility’s Music & Memory initiative, a program implemented in October that has quickly become a crucial component in the daily routines of residents like Garcia.

“If she doesn’t get her music at 4 p.m., it sends her on a rampage,” Hoover says.

The epidemic of rioting seniors isn’t just a local phenomenon. Founded by Dan Cohen, Music & Memory is a national nonprofit organization that trains elder care professionals in the use of digital music technology, creating personalized playlists for people suffering from cognitive ailments like dementia or Alzheimer’s disease.

According to the nonprofit’s web page, music is intricately connected with long-term memory. Familiar melodies and lyrics can calm chaotic brain activity and trigger long-dormant recollections or associated experiences.

Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2015/04/04/4686081_the-soundtrack-of-your-life-music.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2015/04/04/4686081_the-soundtrack-of-your-life-music.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

April 2015 Events in State College, PA: Believe in Yourself

Welcome to April - the name derived from the Latin word Aperire meaning “to open”; the month when everything starts to bloom and come alive. What better time to really put forth your best efforts and see the true beauty inside than the month in which everything begins anew! Diana Ross, in the Wiz, advises “believe in yourself, right from the start. You'll have brains; you’ll have a heart; you’ll have courage to last your whole life through if you believe in yourself.” So let’s put our best foot forward, believe in ourselves and we can move mountains!

Join us for our April 2015 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring Memory Care as we pull pranks on April Fool’s Day; honor Jesus Christ on Good Friday, followed by hiding Easter eggs; celebrate the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery on Passover; and celebrate mother earth on Earth Day and Arbor Day. Peruse this month’s calendarr as we focus on the brain through our Daily Brain Builders, Wii tournaments and our Healthy Brain Luncheon. Plan to join us for any and all events. Also, check out our Healthy Aging Resource Library to learn more about the brain or any number of health related topics. We look forward to seeing you during this fun filled month.

Our fabulous April 2015 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring Memory Care include our:

Ø  Red Hat Green Tea and Blueberry Social providing fabulous company accompanied by antioxidant-rich brain and heart healthy delectable drinks and tasty treats on April 10^th at 2:00 pm.

Ø  Green Canopy Seedling Starters where we will will flex our green thumbs to help green up our planet by getting a jumpstart on the growing season on April 12^th at 2:00 pm.

Ø  Patti Thor Believe in Yourself presentation featuring the inspirational and entertaining accomplishments of one of our treasured guests on April 23^rd at 2:00 pm.

Ø  Brush Mountain Band Live Music performance showcasing our favorite songs in a personal routine just for our residents and friends on April 24^th at 6:30 pm.

We hope to see you at one or more of our April 2015 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring Memory Care!

The Power of Music

Last week, Wellspring residents were treated to the magical sounds of composer and pianist Arthur Goldstein. A Pittsburgh native who now resides in State College, Goldstein achieved national recognition in 1984 upon winning the Golden Cinema award for best American documentary film for the soundtrack to "Magic in the Afternoon.” His repertoire includes Baroque, classical, romantic, impressionist, modern and jazz pieces, as well as original compositions and new and recent works by American composers. Goldstein currently teaches music history courses at Penn State University and piano at The Music Academy in State College. As can be seen in the photos, residents thoroughly enjoyed the show!

Excellence in Care Award for Juniper Brookline

Juniper Village Wellspring Memory Care at Brookline recently celebrated its "Excellence in Care" Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s (AFA) certification with a combination open house/charity art auction. To earn the status of “Excellence in Care, Dementia Care Program of Distinction,” Juniper Village underwent a comprehensive on-site evaluation and consultation by an AFA Excellence Specialist to ensure compliance with AFA’s national standards on care quality and ability to sustain performance. This status is considered the highest hallmark of recognition by AFA for long-term care communities offering services for the memory impaired.  The review period covers the years going forward of 2015-2017. Meanwhile, Wellspring residents spent a month preparing works of art on canvas, as well as decorative bottle creations for the evening’s auction. In all, the masterpieces raised nearly $500 for the Central PA Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Community members, friends and family, and colleagues packed Wellspring’s library and common areas in support of this very special accomplishment. Wellspring at Brookline is Juniper Village’s fifth AFA-certified community, out of only 48 memory care communities nationwide. “Juniper Village at Brookline truly exemplifies the intent of our Excellence in Care program, to elevate the quality of care for people with dementia,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s president and chief executive officer. “AFA is proud to recognize this organization for providing its clients with optimal care and nurturing their spirits.”

“The Excellence in Care Award is an honor and an affirmation of our staff’s dedication and person-centered programming,” explained Liz Plozner-Chalfa, Executive Director of Juniper Village Wellspring Memory Care.  “We are excited and proud of our affiliation with the American Foundation for Alzheimer’s”.

Get more information on the Alzheimer's Foundation of America's Excellence in Care program.

March 2015 Events in State College, PA: Your Treasure Is Within

Treasure hunting has been around forever! The search for riches has evolved from archaeological digs revealing lost treasure to present day treasure hunts such as television’s “The Amazing Race”. Much has been written about the allure of treasure, but one thing that we’ve come to realize is that the treasure within is the most valuable of all. Each one of us has a treasure within and through our March 2015 events in State College, PA we will be exploring that treasure at Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring Memory Care - be it your ability to sing, play a musical instrument, recite dramatic prose or balance a spoon at the end of your nose. No treasure is too small! In the immortal words of Captain Jack Sparrow, “Not all treasure’s silver and gold, mate.”

With our March 2015 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring Memory Care we end our Creative Expressions Series with a focus on Performance. Please join us during our March 2015 events in State College, PA while we recognize “Your Treasure is Within” as we provide opportunities to express yourself through our weekly drama clubs and by attending theatrical performances. If step dancing and corned beef and cabbage is more your thing, sample all that is Irish with our annual St. Patrick’s Day party or walk the red carpet and share your movie trivia skills at our Oscar Party.

Our fabulous March 2015 events in State College, PA include our Jim Weiss Performance featuring one of our resident’s favorite entertainers who we are privileged to see return on March 14^th at 4:15 pm; our Arthur Goldstein Performance as this nationally-recognized pianist, composer and music history professor at Penn State wows us with his extensive repertoire that includes Baroque, classical, romantic, impressionist, modern and jazz original compositions and recent works by American composers on March 20^th at 4:15 pm; our Creative Corner Terra Cotta Pot Decor where residents will be able to beautify their homes by making attractive and colorful clay vessels on March 25^th at 6:30 pm; or our Comedy Sketch and Improvisational Sketch allowing residents to tap into their creative side while having a good laugh on March 28^th at 2:00 pm.

We hope to see you at one or more of our March 2015 events in State College, PA, so check out our calendar for more!