Celebration of Trees Holiday Display

Juniper Village at Forest Hills is pleased to announce that the first, second and third place winners have been selected for their 6th Annual Celebration of Trees Holiday Display.

Third Place Winner and recipient of a $25.00 donation to the charity of their choice was Caring Hospice with their Snowman Tree. Second Place Winner and recipient of a $25.00 donation to the charity of their choice was Juniper Village's Nursing Department with their Candy Cane Tree, and the First Place Winner and recipient of a $250.00 donation to the charity of their choice went to The Garden Club of McKeesport with their Gardening Tree.

This year over 31 local businesses and organizations decorated uniquely designed trees and competed for over $375.00 in prize money for the charity of their choice.

The display is open daily from 9am till 8pm and runs until January 4th. Visitors are encouraged to stop by and vote for their favorite tree. One final prize of $50.00 will be awarded for the People's Choice Award, and will be given to the tree with the most votes.

For more information about The Celebration of Trees Holiday Display, contact Juniper Village at 412-244-9901. Juniper Village at Forest Hills is located just off of Ardmore Boulevard in Forest Hills at 107 Fall Run Road.

Pictured are the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place Celebration of Trees Holiday Display Winning Entries.

Representing the second place winner, Candy Cane Tree is Juniper Village at Forest Hills Wellness Director, Marie Pottinger (L) and Debbie Sklenar (R).

Representing the Garden Club of McKeesport with their First Place winning entry is member and tree decorator, Barbara Batyko (R) and incoming Garden Club president, Jane Miller (L).

December was a Busy Month at Juniper Village at Forest Hills

There was never a dull moment this month at Juniper Village at Forest Hills. The holiday festivities started early with our 6th Annual Celebration of Trees Holiday Display in the first floor lobby. This year,we had over 31 unique Christmas Trees all decorated in different themes by local businesses and organizations competing for prizes valued at over $375.00 for their charities. If you haven't had a chance to visit, stop by and vote for your favorite. The trees will be on display till January 4th.

The community was ringing with joyful sounds as singers and performers from the Braddock Propel High School, Trinity Lutheran Church School's Elementary and High School students, the Forest Hills Presbyterian Church and the Woodland Hills Junior High School's Gifted Program's performed for the residents.

On Thursday, December 18 we held our Annual Family Holiday Celebration. Over 60 Guests, visitors and family members enjoyed a delicious holiday meal prepared by our Dietary Department, and fabulous entertainment by the Tuesday Musical Club's 22 piece Orchestra.

We had presenters from the Frick Mansion & Museum talking about Victorian Christmas Traditions, presentations on Christmas Holiday Traditions From Around the World, the History of Hanukkah, Kwanzaa Traditions, the Making of Holiday Gingerbread Houses.... And somehow....among all of the many other activities... we found time for Santa to visit!!

Whew!! December was a busy month here at Juniper Village at Forest Hills....and we know it has been just as busy for you. But we hope that through all of our activities, programs, dinners and events, we were able to spread a little bit of holiday joy to you and your loved ones.

So, from our family to yours.... may you have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy New Year!

Juniper Communities Appoints New Regional Director of Wellness and Wellbeing

Juniper Communities announces that Melissa “Missy” Ebner has joined Juniper as Regional Director of Wellness and Wellbeing. Missy brings a wealth of experience in nursing care, especially with seniors to her position. From a clinical perspective, her role will be to oversee the entire portfolio of clinical care and support for the residents, provide clinical oversight, and staff training. She is a licensed Registered Nurse (RN) in every state where Juniper currently has communities.

“We are very excited to have Missy join the Juniper family,” expressed Lynne Katzmann, CEO of Juniper Communities. “She comes to Juniper with a wonderful background and deep experience in the clinical complainants of senior living. She will be a great resource for our community wellness teams and to the home office team in this changing healthcare environment.”

Missy’s interest in working with senior living communities is that they offer residents more freedom than skilled nursing settings. “The seniors can be taken care of in a homelike environment and you can become a friend, not seen as a nurse or caregiver,” she explained. “Juniper’s staff is wonderful at treating the residents as a parent or grandparent, this doesn’t always happen in institutional settings.”

Juniper Communities owns and operates Personal Care, Assisted Living, Memory-Care, Skilled Nursing and Independent Living communities in NJ, FL, CO and PA.

“Nobody is as forward thinking as Juniper. They are far ahead of the curve in the industry and where healthcare is going. The staff I’ve observed go above and beyond, always doing more even though no one is looking,” Missy described of her building level observations.

Missy Ebner has worked in the healthcare industry since 1987. She received her LPN from the James Martin School of Nursing in 1987 and her RN from Excelsior College in 2005. She is a resident of Willow Grove, PA and born and raised in Pennsylvania. She has been married to Henry Ebner for 26 years and has three children, Corey, Shane and Cassidy.  Something her family and friends know about her is that she loves to shop the Outlets, and loves a good bargain!

Celebrate Little Things: December Events

This month is all about celebrations! Not only will we be celebrating holidays such as Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve, but we will also celebrate the little things that make life worthwhile. Little things such as the reassuring touch of a friend’s hand, a kind word from an acquaintance and a warm smile from a stranger.

In our all too busy lives we sometimes forget to honor the simple things in life that bring us peace and joy. Most experts recommend that we allow 10-20 minutes of relaxation and stress relief each day. Making time for that can even be a stressful experience! During this busy month of baking, shopping, visitors and juggling tasks take time to remember what is really important.

Here are some tips to keep holiday stress in check: Acknowledge your feelings - you are not alone as holiday stress is not uncommon. Be realistic with expectations - you can only do so much, learn to say no. Ask for help when needed - everyone wants to be needed and may feel more included by being able to contribute. Plan ahead to minimize unplanned expenses and tasks. Take a breather - take a walk at night and do some stargazing, listen to soothing music, or get a massage. Above all enjoy all the holidays have to offer by sharing time with others.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our 6th Annual Celebration of Trees Holiday Display to tour over 30 different Christmas trees all decorated by local businesses, charities, and organizations, then vote for your favorite, with the wining tree receiving a prize of $250.00 for their organization or charity from December 6^th to January 4^th from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm; our Caregiver Support Group Meeting approved by the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and are affiliated with the National Alzheimer’s Association as we  discuss ways to help you and your loved one enjoy the holiday season on December 10^th at 1:30 pm; or our Family Holiday Celebration that will feature a free delicious holiday meal and musical entertainment by The Tuesday Musical Club, one of Pittsburgh’s most loved 20 piece string orchestras, however space is limited to 4 guests per family on December 18^th at 5:00 pm (RSVP to 412-244-9901 by December 11^th)!

Look through our calendar and join us during the busy month of December for our annual cookie exchange and holiday celebrations. Take time to Celebrate Little Things with those you love!

Honoring Our Veteran's

On Tuesday, November 11, Juniper Village at Forest Hills honored over 21 Veteran residents with a special Veteran's Day lunch and certificate ceremony.  The residents represented all of the branches if the armed forces and were proud to share their stories of those days gone by.

Pictured are a few of the Veterans waiving their flags.

Flu Shots

Flu season is here but the residents at Juniper Village at Forest Hills are ready because they got their flu shots!! A few weeks ago, The Nursing staff along with the staff from Forest Hills Pharmacy administered over 50 flu shots.

Spooktacular Halloween Celebration

There were no tricks just treats at Juniper Village at Forest Hills Annual Spooktacular Halloween Celebration on Friday, October 31. Residents, family members, employees and guests all came decked out in costume for the costume contest. Prizes were awarded to 8 of the best costumes, with Debbie S. from the nursing dept winning first place for her little baby costume, complete with a binky and bottle. The afternoon concluded with a great comedy show as performed by local entertainer and ventriloquist, Cindy Speck. As you can see, everyone had a great time!!

Cherish the Journey: November Events

Life is a journey filled with lessons, celebrations and special moments that ultimately lead us to our destination, our purpose in life. The road will not always be smooth and we may encounter many challenges. Some of these will test our courage, strengths, weaknesses, and faith. Along the way, we may stumble upon obstacles that must be overcome. But, sometimes these obstacles are really blessings in disguise, although we may not realize it at the time. How we react to the situations we face will determine what the rest of our journey will be like.

This month Juniper Communities will honor our Families and cherish the journey we have taken together. November is all about celebrating the bonds we share and recognizing where we’ve been and where we’re going. We will do this through autobiographical journaling, reminiscing about family celebrations and breaking bread together in Thanksgiving. In order to support our families along this journey we will continue to develop our support groups and provide additional resources when needed. We will give back through our Annual Food Drive. From November 1 through November 30 all non-perishable food items collected will be donated to a local food bank.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our Annual Food Drive where you can drop off non-perishable food items for the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank anytime all month long; our Veteran’s Aid & Attendance Workshop with Veteran’s Specialist Kim Leve from Senator Doyle’s Office, to share information about the program, answer any benefit questions you may have, and discuss how the program can help you or a loved one pay for your long term care on November 8^th at 10:30 am (please RSVP to 412-244-9901); our Veteran’s Patriotic Sing-A-Long as we honor Veterans for their military service with a special patriotic musical performance by local entertainer Dennis Smalley on November 11^th at 3:00 pm; our Caregiver Support Group Meeting discussing the importance of families and how everyone in the family needs to help when it comes to caring for a loved one on November 12^th at 1:30 pm (please RSVP to 412-244-9901); our National Memory Screening Day event providing free private and strictly confidential memory screenings as well as information about services available on November 18^th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm (please RSVP to 412-244-9901); our Diabetes Support Group Meeting offering  knowledge, education and sharing with other Diabetics to help make living with Diabetes a little easier on November 26^th at 1:30 pm (please RSVP to 412-244-9901); or our Thanksgiving Day Celebration featuring a delicious Thanksgiving Day feast with all the trimmings at noon that is free for residents and only $10.00 for guests with all proceeds benefiting the Greater Pittsburgh Food Bank with dessert and musical entertainment by Gene Ellsworth in the lobby at 3:00 pm on November 28^th (please RSVP to 412-244-9901).

Look through our calendar and plan to join us for family celebrations, Thanksgiving dinners and many events and activities allowing us all to reflect and Cherish the Journey!

Fall Is in The Air

Fall is our favorite season here at Juniper Village at Forest Hills...and if you haven't visited the community recently, we invite all of our friends and family members to stop by to relax on the front porch and enjoy all view the beautiful fall decorations....because Fall is in the air!!

Pittsburgh Area Alzheimer's Walk 2014

Juniper Village at Forest Hills was well represented at this year's Walk To End Alzheimer's on Saturday, October 11, at Pittsburgh's H.J. Heinz Field and the North Shore Trail. As you can see, our team, The Juniper Giraffes, were proud to display their t-shirts and lend their support for the fight against Alzheimer's Disease. Juniper Village raised over $100.00 with their Casual For A Cause, dress down days in September and October.  The walkers also purchased numerous "Promise Flowers" that day for display in the "Promise Garden" in honor of their loved ones afflicted with the disease.

Juniper Village at Forest Hills has participated in the Greater Pittsburgh Chapter of the National Alzheimer's Association's Memory Walks for the past 6 years. Our team called themselves the Juniper Giraffes because we stick our necks out to go above and beyond for our residents and their families.  Participating in this year's Walk To End Alzheimer's Disease is just one more example of how our staff is making a difference.

Below are photos of our team at the Pittsburgh area's 2014 Walk To End Alzheimer's. 

Juniper Village at Forest Hills Partner In Caring Awarded

Juniper Village at Forest Hills wants to congratulate our Partner in Caring, Julie Alakson, from Weatherwood Manor, for being selected as the 2014 Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce Member of the Year. Julie has worked as a marketing consultant with UPMC Senior Communities for nearly six years. Julie is very active in the Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce.

Pictured at the 2014 Annual Business Meeting & Chamber Awards Luncheon from left to right are: Wendy Long with Solutions for Independence, Julie Alakson, Suzie Whalen of Point Pleasant Retirement Community and Janet Wangler, Executive Director for Juniper Village at Forest Hills.

Show Your Colors: October Events

October brings forth vibrant color in our foliage as well as our sports teams. Our high school football teams will be in full swing and hockey season will prepare to fill the stands with team colors and spirit. Juniper Communities will also be honoring our colors with many sports-themed activities and events. We will be enjoying the changing colors of the season as we transition from summer to fall and the crazy costumes of our annual Halloween celebrations.

While showing our colors we not only focus on our team colors, but also showing our true colors. We recognize that working together as a team, results in better coordination of care, better quality of care and as a result better lives for our residents. This is evidenced by our excellent clinical outcomes data. We are happy to see the results of collaboration resulting in decreased re-hospitalizations and better quality of life for our residents.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our Caregiver Support Group Meeting approved by the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and are affiliated with the National Alzheimer’s Association where this month we will discuss ways to keep your loved one active on October 8^th at 1:30 pm; our Alzheimer’s Memory Walk at the North Shore Trail to benefit the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Alzheimer’s Foundation you can sign up at the front desk to walk as part of the Juniper Village Team or form your own team on October 11^th at 8:00 am; our Seniors For Safe Driving Refresher Course that is a 4 hour seminar for only $16.00 designed for seniors who have successfully completed a senior education course in the past and want to continue to receive their 5% insurance premium discounts on October 14^th from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm (RSVP to Seniors for Safe Driving at 1-800-559-4880); our Diabetes Support Group Meeting for  knowledge, education and sharing with other Diabetics to help make living with Diabetes a little easier on October 28^th at 1:30 pm; or our Spooktacular Halloween Celebration where all ghosts and goblins are invited to join us for hauntingly delicious treats, a costume parade, and unbelievable entertainment by local ventriloquist, Cindy Speck on October 31^st at 3:00 pm!

Please look through our calendar to celebrate the spirit of autumn with us and Show Your Colors!

Sports Bring Our Residents Together!

Sport teams and sporting events have been around in some form or another for many, many years. Regardless of age, sports not only keep participants healthy, they also draw people of different backgrounds together socially. Whether it is listening to sports on the radio, playing sports in high school, watching our kids or grandkids play a sport, or cheering on our beloved home teams. Sports have been a part of our lives. Most everyone from Pittsburgh grew up cheering on their championship Pittsburgh Penguins, Pirates, and Steeler's. This past month our residents showed their love of baseball and the Pittsburgh Pirates by joining their friends from Juniper Village at Huntingdon Ridge for a Pirates Baseball game. As you can see, you're never too old to enjoy sports or cheer on your winning team. Go Bucco's!!!