Live in Wellness: June Events

The month of June is named after the Roman goddess of marriage, Juno. It is no wonder that so many weddings occur during the month of June. As is such, Juniper Communities will be reminiscing about and celebrating weddings throughout the month. June is also the month with the longest daytime hours of the year in the northern hemisphere. Make the best of the extended days by celebrating wellness!

Can the choices you make really affect your health and wellness? Absolutely! Cancer, heart disease, lung disease, stroke and injury, the major causes of death and health problems, can all be prevented by choosing a healthy lifestyle. Simple changes like choosing not to smoke, seeing your doctor regularly, maintaining a healthy diet, exercising and getting enough sleep all contribute to longer life.

This month we finish our quarterly Alive In All Seasons theme of “Let Wellbeing Thrive” by engaging in activities focused on food and nutrition. Look for our consistently health snack and juice options at our hydration stations and dietitian presentations. Our H’Art and Soul of Dining Program will also be showcased as we implement the addition of more regional favorites – focusing on fresh and scratch made, our signature soups and muffin of the day as well as the new grill menu.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our Caregiver Support Group Meeting on June 11^th at 1:30 pm; our Night at the Races Casino Night on June 13^th at from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm; our Father’s Day Celebration on June 15^th at noon; and our Gluten Free Diet presentation on June 24^th at 3:30 pm. Join us this month as we Live in Wellness.

Forest Hills Dietary Manager Receives National Food Service Award Nomination

Local Juniper Village at Forest Hills Dietary Manager Receives National Food Service Award Nomination

Juniper Village at Forest Hills is pleased to announce that their Dietary Director, Mr. Ken Miller, has been selected as one of the 2014 Premier Illuminating Excellence in Food Service Award nominees. The Premier Illuminating Excellence Award is an award given to the Top 10 Food Service Directors in the country by Premier Foods (formerly US Foods).

Each year Premier Foods hosts an Illuminating Excellence Contest looking to recognize outstanding food service directors from across the nation. Winners are nominated from submissions by representatives in the Food Service industry and are judged by a committee of Premier Food Service Directors. Winners were selected from three categories; Acute Care, Continuum of Care, and Education, and were judged based upon their accomplishments and improvements in areas such as: patient/resident/student satisfaction scores; documented cost savings; activities that support the values and mission of the organization; participation in the Premier alliance; professional and community activities; and personal achievements in the last year.

"Juniper Village at Forest Hills is very proud of Ken's nomination and feels that this Award reflects both his personal commitment and Juniper Communities goal of providing the highest in quality food service for our residents. " states Juniper Village's Executive Director, Janet Wangler. "We were not surprised by Ken's nomination. In 2013 Ken and his Department received Juniper Communities Top Dietary Department of the Year Award."

Mr. Miller and the other Top 10 Nominees selected will receive recognition at the Premier Breakthroughs Conference in San Antonio, Texas. The 2014 Premier Illuminating Excellence Award Winner will be selected from the 10 nominees, and announced at the Premier Breakthroughs Conference this June.

Chili Cook Off! YUM!

Juniper Village at Forest Hills once again participated in the Forest Hills Rotary Club's 8th Annual Chili Cook on Sunday, May 18.  Defending our title of "People's Choice Award" and representing Juniper Village, was Kevin Robertson, one of Juniper Village's distinguished chefs.  This year's entry was called " Jazzy Juniper Chili" in honor of the jazz festival performers who were entertaining the crowd that afternoon. Although Juniper Village did not win an award at this years contest, everyone had a great time!

This year's Chili Cook -Off raised over $2500.00 for the Forest Hills Rotary and will be used to help upgrade the Police Department's Computer System and build a handicap accessible ramp at the Forest Hills Fire Department hall.

Woodland Hills High School presents Sweeney Tod

Juniper Village at Forest Hills Residents gathered for a quick photo before
heading to the Woodland Hills High School for a viewing of their annual
high school musical, Sweeney Todd. Woodland Hills has won numerous awards
over the years for their musical productions, and this year was no
exception. As one of the residents said when they were leaving, " It was
hard to believe that the actors were just high school kids. The singning,
dancing and acting was so professional!" Everyone agreed, it was a really
great show!

Laughter Yoga

They say laughter is the best medicine...and as David Russel, M.Ed and
Certified Laughter Yoga Leader showed us this month, Compassionate Laughter
(laughter at no ones expense) can help reduce stress and promote overall
health and wellness in each of us.