It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year

Juniper Village at Brookline has a long history, a 25 year history to be exact, of celebrating Independence Day in style. In keeping with tradition, the weekend prior to the Fourth of July, Juniper Village at Brookline hosts an annual Resident and Family Picnic. Such a picnic isn't complete without professionally installed circus tents, tables and chairs set for 600, the local Lions Club roasting chicken, The Deacons of Dixieland band, and locally made ice cream.  In addition to the chicken and ice cream, guests enjoyed traditional picnic foods of hamburgers, hot dogs, fruit salad, chips, potato salad, cherry and apple pie, and assorted beverages.

To add flair to the festivities, all staff dressed in reds, whites, and blues. Those in attendance enjoyed some new attractions this year including free caricatures by local artist Chip Mock, a beer truck, and chalk drawings. The weather was perfect for this years' picnic and residents from all Juniper Village at Brookline buildings enjoyed the day with their family and staff. One lucky attendee went home with a hand-made crocheted American Flag blanket made by Juniper Village at Brookline Rehabilitation and Skilled Care Executive Director, Kathy Russell.

The Family Picnic is yet another way for staff and residents to celebrate good times together.

July 2016 Events in State College, PA: Stand In Integrity

Ah...the good old summer time filled with lazy, sunny days, ice cold treats, Independence Day celebrations, and get-togethers at the beach. Another sure indication of summer is our Alive in All Seasons theme of Volunteerism.

July is the perfect month to honor all of the many volunteers who contribute thousands of hours of time in service to our communities. From our four-legged volunteers to those of the two legged variety we are proud to say we receive more than 10,000 hours of precious time each year. We simply could not do it without all of your help, and this month we honor you. We will also be promoting the spirit of volunteerism by volunteering our time to help others. If you have some spare time on your hands consider joining us for a volunteer activity or better yet volunteer your time with us, we’d love to have you. What qualities make a good volunteer? Energy, passion, flexibility, creativity, reliability, commitment and perhaps most important of all – integrity.

Volunteerism benefits all parties involved. In addition to making new friends, volunteering also helps increase your self-confidence, provides a sense of purpose, combats depression and helps you stay physically healthy. Helping others also kindles happiness, as the London School of Economics found the more people volunteered, the happier they were.

In addition to volunteering opportunities, plan to join us during July for our summer celebrations and share our thanks as we honor those who Stand In Integrity with us.

Our fabulous July 2016 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring Memory Care include our:

§  MILES FOR MEMORY our 2nd annual fundraising event where participants are encouraged to walk or run at their own pace to raise awareness and funds for our Skilled Nursing Facility’s Music and Memory program, so track your laps and be eligible for prizes and giveaways with light refreshments served on July 19th with registration at 9:00 am and kick-off at 10:00 am. (No reservations required.)

§  USED BOOK SALE with a wide variety of book donations, Wellspring hosts yet another used book sale to raise money for the Centre County Women’s Resource Center (CCWRC), posted right along a high traffic area with flashy signage to grab the attention of any passerby, this fundraiser has been a great success, and we hope to host yet another successful sale this year on July 21^st from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm. (No reservations required.)

§  THANK YOU FIRST RESPONDERS COOK OUT as you and your family are invited to a fun-filled afternoon with your local first responders; climb inside a fire truck and learn all about these great volunteers that keep our community safe while we enjoy grilled hot dogs, cool Rita’s Italian Ice and other yummy treats on July 30th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. (No reservations required.)

We look forward to sharing our July 2016 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring Memory Care with you as you Stand In Integrity.

Juniper Village at Brookline Receives 2016 Bronze National Quality Award

Juniper Village at Brookline received the 2016 Bronze National Quality Award for the high level of care they provide to frail elderly and disabled residents. The award honors nursing homes, assisted living residences and personal care homes for providing quality care to their residents. Bronze award winners demonstrate a commitment to providing a caring professional staff culture as they work with patients, residents and families to ensure high quality care and a high quality of life for seniors and persons with disabilities.

“Quality care is every long-term care providers’ top priority,” said W. Russell McDaid, CEO of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association (PHCA). “These facilities have demonstrated their commitment to quality care by choosing to participate in the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living’s rigorous quality awards program, and actually achieving the award is a testament to the caring, professional way their caregivers and staff work with residents and their families. We are so proud they are being recognized with this distinction and we congratulate all of them.”

The award is the first of three distinctions — Bronze, Silver and Gold — that the American Health Care Association/National Center for Assisted Living announce each year as part of its National Quality Award Program, which began in 1996.

Facilities begin the quality improvement process at the Bronze level, where they develop an organizational profile with essential performance elements such as vision and mission statements and an assessment of customers’ expectations. Bronze applicants must demonstrate their ability to implement a performance improvement system. A team of trained examiners reviews each Bronze application to determine if the facility has met the criteria. As a recipient of the bronze award, these facilities may now move forward in developing approaches and achieving performance levels that meet the criteria required for the silver level, and after that the gold level.

Silver Quality Award winners will be announced on June 30. Gold Quality Award winners will be announced on August 12.

GIN in the Evening

Centre County Geriatric Interest Network (GIN) was recently treated by Juniper Village at Brookline to a seasonally inspired after-hours event. On a beautiful spring evening, area healthcare professionals were invited to participate in an outside networking event geared towards bringing a community of caregivers together in order to collaborate and inspire while being treated to Juniper's professionally prepared light fare which included fruit kabobs drizzled with Mexican chocolate, smoked chicken pops with chipotle barbeque sauce, brick fire pit beef, and spring themed cocktails. Centre County GIN is compiled of community based providers, which serves in partnering with Juniper Village through our Partners in Caring Signature Program. Partners in Caring is one Signature Program that promotes relationships between Juniper staff and community agencies to provide a holistic approach to care for our residents.  Juniper's nine Signature Programs are the backbone to the highest quality of care to our residents. The other Signature programs that shape the quality of care to the Juniper Community include Connections, First Impressions, Green Canopy, Juniper University, Pride in Practice and Performance, R.E.S.P.E.C.T., and H'Art and Soul of Dining. To learn more about how these programs help us "Walk our Talk," visit our website or any Juniper Communities campus.

June 2016 Events in State College, PA: Grow Strong Daily

What is wellness? The National Wellness Institute defines wellness as "a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential." At Juniper we believe in fostering this definition of wellness everyday by offering programs and services that help our residents achieve their full potential. As we wind down our Healthy Aging series, this month we focus on Food by highlighting our H’Art and Soul of Dining Signature Program.

Throughout our lives the most important discussions, revelations, decisions and announcements have transpired around the dinner table. When company came over we caught up on the latest gossip over coffee and fresh baked goods. If you needed advice from your parents, it was often given while enjoying Mom’s delicious pot roast on a Sunday evening. Why should that be any different when you enter your retirement years in one of our communities?

With the kitchen often being the heart of the home, we have developed H’Art and Soul of Dining with this in mind. This program strives to impart spirited service, companionship and nourishment through sharing the joy of good food – just like home! Our dining program is designed to not only meet resident’s physical needs, but their emotional and social needs as well. We believe this program provides a perfect balance of nutritious and delicious food choices, comfortable atmosphere and ambiance, social interaction, cleanliness and a spirit of service.

Indulge with us this month as we focus on the “heart” of the home with program offerings centered on food and nutrition such as our hydration program with healthy snacks and juices and educational presentations by a dietitian. Join us in June as we Live in Wellness.

Our fabulous June 2016 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring Memory Care include our:

§  Incredible Edibles: Baking as Rachael Foust comes to Wellspring to offer a hands-on, educational session on the art of wedding cake decorating with tips on how to stay creative in the kitchen, there will be an intro to piping that will be put to use, and residents will decorate their own cupcake to be put together to create a unique and one of a kind wedding cake to share, as the staff wear various bridesmaid and groomsmen attire, with old wedding dresses on display, this will be a great time to reminisce and laugh about wedding day memories, while sampling cake that is almost too pretty to eat at our Sweet Sample Social to follow on June 18th at 2:00 pm.

§  Juniper Family Picnic as residents, family members, and invited guests look forward to this event all year long because we’ll have tons of classic cook-out food and drinks under the big tent, along with live entertainment for all ages on June 26th from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. (Watch for your invitation!)

§  Lunch & Learn: Live in Wellness – Dietary Needs for Seniors with registered dietician and Juniper Village at Brookline dietary consultant, Shawnee Kelley, for this informative (and delicious) take on what we need to keep our bodies operating well at any age with a menu to include strawberry mesclun salad and pecan crusted cod on June 29th at noon. (RSVP to 814-235-2041 and let us know of any dietary restrictions.)

We look forward to sharing our June 2016 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring Memory Care with you as you Grow Strong Daily.

Fiesta de Zumba!

Wellspring opened their doors to friends, family and the surrounding community to join in on their Cinco de Mayo celebration. Each year, this holiday of Mexican culture and heritage never fails to bring full out fun and festive fare to all in attendance.

This year, Wellspring added a twist of fitness to the fiesta to show that you can have a blast while keeping your heart rate moving fast! With a certified Zumba instructor joining the party, everyone was breaking sweat and a smile as they danced their way through each of the various routines. After the hour of movement came to a close, the shindig was still in session as all were invited to partake in a healthy alternatives nacho bar. The delectable array of toppings over whole wheat tortilla chips was a great way to reward everyone after their workout. It just goes to show that you can still enjoy your favorite snacks and live a happy and healthy lifestyle that promotes the notion to “grow strong daily”.

May 2016 Events in State College, PA: Grow Strong Daily

We all know that regular physical activity is great for overall health. But do we all understand the dangers in being inactive? Studies indicate that sedentary lifestyles are risky. For the most part, when older people lose their ability to do things on their own, it doesn't happen just because they've aged. It's usually because they're not active. Lack of physical activity also can lead to more visits to the doctor, more hospitalizations, and more use of medicines for a variety of illnesses. In recognition of those facts, Juniper nurtures wellbeing by encouraging an active body, an engaged mind and a fulfilled spirit through our innovative Signature Programs such as Connect4Life, Connections and H’Art and Soul of Dining.

We continue our Healthy Aging Series with a focus on Fitness. In the wise words of J.R.R., Tolkien, "All that is gold does not glitter, not all those who wander are lost; the old that is strong does not wither, deep roots are not reached by the frost." This month we will Grow Strong Daily so as to not wither, but to thrive as we develop strength in bodies, minds and spirits.

This month we invite you to join us as we Grow Strong Daily with activities such as our Daily Brain Builders, Wii, and our Brain Healthy Luncheon. We also invite you to expand your knowledge in our Healthy Aging Library.

Our fabulous May 2016 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring Memory Care include our:

§  Zumba de Fiesta in celebration of Cinco de Mayo, we dedicate an afternoon of fun and fitness to celebrate this Mexican holiday with upbeat music and movements to get the blood pumping and heart rates rising, with a certified Zumba instructor running an hour of fitness for all staff, residents, family friends and the greater community to participate in, and there will be a healthy take on a nacho bar with mock margaritas to reward oneself after a great workout on May 5^th at 2:00 pm.

§  Penn State Lunch and Learn Bone Up on Bone Health as we join Dr. Roberta Millard from Penn State Hershey Orthopedics, as she discusses the importance of bone health as we age, and talks about the best in bone-heathy diets, exercise, and the warning signs of Osteoporosis and other related conditions, while a healthy lunch is served on May 18^th at noon. (RSVP to 814-235-2041.)

§  GIN in the Evening Centre County Geriatric Interest Network (GIN) exciting networking event for all area healthcare professionals who work in, around, or are interested in geriatric healthcare with wonderful food and drink, and sparkling conversation and donations will be accepted for the Multiple Sclerosis Society on May 25^th from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm. (No RSVP Required.)

We look forward to sharing our May 2016 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Wellspring Memory Care with you as you Grow Strong Daily.