Dance MaraTHON

The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, affectionately known as THON, is a yearlong effort to raise funds and awareness for the fight against pediatric cancer.  Since 1977, THON has raised more than $114 million for the Four Diamonds Fund at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital.  THON 2015 is taking place from February 20th-22nd, 2015 at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center.  However, our residents at Wellspring couldn't make it to the actual event, so we hosted our own Dance MaraTHON on site!

Proceeds are being donated to the Penn State THON.  Our residents have enjoyed all types of music and dance this month, from our new Music & Memory program to dancing the night away.  This is all part of our initiative to bring music and the arts to life for even our most frail elders. Our residents danced for 25 minutes, hydrated, and then danced for 20 more minutes!!!

You Gotta Have Heart!

February is American Heart Month, and Janie Provan and Anissa Rupert Ilie from Juniper Village at Brookline are pleased to be serving on the Executive Leadership Committee for the Central PA chapter of the American Heart Association’s 2015 Heart Walk, set for Sunday, September 27, 2015 at Millbrook Marsh in State College.

The Heart Walk exists to make healthier, longer lives possible for everyone, by raising funds to help reduce cardiovascular diseases and strokes. To join or support Team Juniper Village at Brookline, or for more information on the walk visit our team page HERE.

Awaken Your Passion: February Events

This month at Juniper Village we continue our Creative Expressions Series with a focus on Art.

Creating art for many of our seniors has been a lifelong passion, for others it may have been a casual hobby or serious vocation. Whatever the reason, art has substantial benefits to our bodies, minds and spirits! In Successful Aging, John W. Rowe, MD, and Robert L. Kahn, PhD, discuss key aspects of successful aging: low risk of disease, high mental and physical functioning, and being actively engaged in life. Expressive art activities promote active engagement in life in positive, healthy, and fulfilling ways - in other words, nurturing the spirit of life. Recent studies further indicate that older adults who participate in art programs have fewer doctor visits, use less medication, and experience a lower rate of depression – all resulting in lower healthcare costs.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our Print Making with Annie Swincinski, a Local Artist/ Arts Fest Winner, who will demonstrate the printmaking process and showcase some of her creations as she uses her art as a therapeutic outlet to express her emotions and facilitate her personal transformations on February 2^nd at 2:00 pm (1950 Cliffside Drive Rehab and Skilled Care); our Paint Your Art Out Wine and Chocolate Event extending a special invitation to those in our community who help us to help others including those who work in the fields of senior living and healthcare to join us and local artist Susan Robb for a fun-filled evening as we sip Seven Mountains Wine Cellars wine and sample some delectable chocolate creations while you paint your own wine glass to take home as a reminder of how much we appreciate all you do on February 16^th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm (1900 Cliffside Drive Willows Senior Living Dining Room); or our First Annual Wellspring Artist Auction as our residents will be working all February long to awaken their passion and creativity through artistic expression using different mediums like, painting, drawing, jewelry making and mosaics, the residents will then hold their first annual in-house art auction to sell their various works and proceeds will benefit the Greater PA chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, so come take in unique hand-crafted art and enjoy hors d'oeuvres while supporting a worthwhile cause on February 26^th at 2:00 pm (610 W. Whitehall Road Wellspring).

Look through our calendar and plan to join us this month and “Awaken Your Passion” as we explore various mediums to expression through weekly art programs and visits to local art museums. Or, if art isn’t your thing, tailgate with us during the Super Bowl, await the Ground Hog’s prediction, our join in one of our festive celebrations on Valentine’s Day, Presidents Day or Mardi Gras.

Virtual Dementia Tour

This week Juniper Village at Brookline held its Virtual Dementia Tour and Create Your Playlist event as part of the Alive Inside/MUSIC & MEMORY movement. The Second Wind Dreams “Virtual Dementia Tour” (VDT) is a sensory experience that simulates a variety of dementia symptoms, providing participants with a unique opportunity to comprehend and empathize with what it must be like to experience this brain disease. By building a more accurate perception of one’s behaviors, the VDT enables a better understanding of the needs of those with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. A wide range of participants took part in the VDT, each expressing how powerful the exercise was. “I always thought that I was patient and spoke slowly and clearly with our residents,” said one caregiver, adding “Now I’ll slow myself down even more. I will be more patient and aware of their needs.” Many area professionals were so enthusiastic about the activity, that they requested it as training for their own staff and colleagues.

MUSIC & MEMORY tells us that personalized music helps those with dementia—and a wide range of cognitive and physical challenges—“find renewed meaning and connection in their lives through the gift of personalized music.” That’s why, before their tours began, the 18 participants in attendance had individualized consultations and started their very own personalized iPod music playlists for their loved ones. You can learn more about MUSIC & MEMORY and how you can get involved at http://www.junipercommunities.com/MusicMemory/.

Alive Inside Screening Juniper Village at Brookline Was Truly Touching!

We received some fantastic feedback from our residents, family members, and people from the greater community at large during our recent Alive Inside screening. Here is a sampling:

Ken Pendleton - Director of Recruitment & Client Quality, Home Instead Senior Care State College (pictured at right here with Liz Plozner-Chalfa our Wellspring Executive Director)

“I was completely moved by this experience. As someone in the field, I was aware that music had an impact on those with dementia, but I had no idea of the significance. These people were experiencing an awakening! Just amazing!”

Rod and Kathy Bartell, State College, PA (pictured at left here)

Rod and Kathy, a married couple, each have a mother living with us at Brookline (one in Senior Living, one at Wellspring).

Kathy (mom at WS): “I regret not having done something like this sooner [with my mom]. This movie has inspired me, and I want to have her be successful in this [Music & Memories] program.”

Rod (mom at SL): “I didn’t know, I didn’t know. My dad had a serious illness and couldn’t communicate at all for three to five years. Years ago, someone played a piece of gospel music and he sang all of the words! I didn’t know what it was. Now I do.”

Tell Me a Story

Residents and kids alike were full of smiles at a recent story time visit at Juniper Village Wellspring Memory Care at Brookline. Students ages 8 to 12 from the Young Scholars of Central PA charter school in State College have made Fridays at Wellspring a new tradition. During visits, students are able to practice their reading and comprehension skills while connecting with new friends.

Implementing intergenerational programs in communities with those with dementia is showing promising results. According to a team of researchers in Pittsburgh, residents' overall agitation levels are much lower on days when they participated in activities with small children. Residents also tend to be more verbal and attentive after visits. As you can see, there is no shortage of joy at Wellspring when little guests are around! 

Where Words Fail, Music Speaks

We are very excited about our programs this month that revolve around the many facets of music.  This year we will be introducing the Music and Memory Program into our Wellspring community here at Brookline.  We have two events scheduled in the upcoming months and invite you to join us!

January 22^nd at 6:30 PM: ALIVE INSIDE SCREENING An inspirational and emotional story left the audience humming, clapping and cheering at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award. The film dramatically portrays the power of music and memory. Refreshments will be served following the screening along with discussion on how music impacts each of us daily, especially those who live with dementia. See the trailer.

  

January 28^th at 2:00 PM and 5:30 PM: VIRTUAL DEMENTIA TOUR AND CREATE YOUR PLAYLIST EVENT The Virtual Dementia Tour is an interactive, experiential journey into the realities of dementia. It allows you to “walk in the shoes” of your loved one, enabling you to better understand their needs and behaviors. End this journey by starting your own personalized music playlist!

If you are unable to make any of our upcoming events, or have questions about Music and Memory, please contact our Connections Director at 814-234-3141.