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!