January 2016 Events in Pittsburgh, PA: Welcome New Beginnings

Happy New Year! January is the time when we all welcome new beginnings and set resolutions to make this year better than the last. But how does one keep those resolutions throughout the year ahead? The New York Times offers four suggestions: First, make a concrete plan, something visual to embed it to memory. Second, put something you value on the line – is it your health or your pocketbook – keep that in mind when you are tempted to break your resolution. Third, bundle your temptations. For instance, you want to exercise more, but struggle getting to the gym and you also have a fondness for gossip magazines but feel they are a waste of time. Combine the two – read the magazines only at the gym! And fourth, seek social support. You can achieve more by pursuing goals with the help of a mentor.

Still haven’t made any resolutions? Resolve to join us every month for a wide variety of events and activities. This month we explore our creativity through music with outings to local musical performances, Elvis’ birthday celebrations and concerts by our Joyful Noise Choir. We invite you to Welcome New Beginnings and make regular visits to Juniper Village part of your new year’s goals!

Our fabulous January 2016 events in Pittsburgh, PA at Juniper Village at Forest Hills include our:

§  New Year’s Day Lunch to join your friends at Juniper Village for a traditional New Year’s Day lunch featuring pork, sauerkraut, kielbasa, pierogis and all of the traditional ethnic New Year’s Day favorites on January 1^st at noon. (Free for residents and just $5.00 for guests.)

§  Caregiver Support Group Meeting approved by the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and are affiliated with the National Alzheimer’s Association and this month we will discuss how changing your approach can help you welcome new behaviors and achieve your desired results from a loved one with memory loss on January 13^th at 1:30 pm.

§  Back To The 50’s Again Sock Hop with dinner and a musical performance by local Elvis Presley impersonator Randy Galioto in “Elvis: A Tribute To The King,” so dress in your favorite 50’s style clothing and join us on January 21^st at 5:00 pm. (Dinner is free for residents and just $5.00 for guests with proceeds benefiting the American Cancer Society. RSVP by January 18^th at 412-244-9901.)

§  Benefits of Music Therapy as we’ve all heard the saying that music soothes the savage beast, but did you know that it can also help people unwind, relax and even promote physical healing, so join us as board certified music therapist Jessica Mull from Mull Music Therapy demonstrates how music can address the physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs of seniors on January 29^th at 3:00 pm.

We look forward to sharing our January 2016 events in Pittsburgh, PA at Juniper Village at Forest Hills with you as we Welcome New Beginnings.

Trinity Children’s Choirs

On Monday, December 21^st, the second and third grade students from Trinity Christian School in Forest Hills visited Juniper Village.  Over 20 students performed a variety of religious and holiday songs. The students then invited the residents to sing with them, and moved into the audience, selecting a new friend to join in song.  Our thanks go out to the students, their families, the teachers, and of course the students for spreading their holiday cheer and bringing a smile to all of our residents faces.

Forest Hills Holiday Celebration

On Thursday, December 17^th, family members of all ages gathered for Juniper Village at Forest Hills Family Holiday Celebration.  Over 85 residents, family members and guests attended this year’s event. The evening included a nice array of delicious desserts along with plenty of singing and dancing to the holiday sounds of the Mikey D Band.  “What a great way to bring our families together for the holiday season!” states Janet Wangler, Juniper Village’s Executive Director.  As you can see…a wonderful evening was had by all.  Happy Holidays!!

Juniper Village at Forest Hills Announces Their Celebration of Trees Holiday Display Winners!

Juniper Village at Forest Hills is pleased to announce the winners of their 7^th Annual Celebration of Trees Holiday Display. This year over 27 local businesses and non-profit community organizations decorated Christmas trees and competed for prizes for their favorite charities.

“Participants are encouraged to decorate a tree in a theme related to their business or organization and compete against other trees for prizes. This is our 7^th year for the display and it just keeps getting better and better."  States Bonnie Caripolti, Director of Community Relations for Juniper Village at Forest Hills.  “This year was especially fun because the vendors were very creative with their decorations and designs.  We had a spinning tree, a gofers tree, fireman’s tree, a dog tree, 3 ladies dress trees, Santa on a bicycle as well as numerous others.  Juniper Village is a personal care community and a lot of our residents cannot get out for the holidays.  So the Celebration of Trees is a great way for us to bring the beauty of the season to them.”  

Juniper Village is pleased to announce the 2015 First Place winner and recipient of a $250.00 donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital was Senior Lifestyle Connections, LLC.  A local senior placement agency.

The Second Place award and $50.00 prize was presented to Denise Jobe’s Hair Salon, and the Third Place winner of a $25.00 prize was awarded to Genesis Therapy, a Physical Speech and Occupational Therapy provider.

The Celebration of Trees Holiday Display will run until January 4 and is open to the public for tours.  

Juniper Village at Forest Hills Named “Caring Star of 2016” for Personal Care and Memory Care

Honored as Top Senior Living Community in the Nation

Juniper Village at Forest Hills is pleased to announce that it has been selected as a “Caring Star of 2016” for service excellence as a personal care and memory care community. The positive consumer ratings and reviews from older adults and their family members led to Juniper Village at Forest Hills to receive a 5-star consumer rating. This is the highest possible score; and it also met other qualifying criteria for this national honor.

“At Juniper, associates at our communities strive daily to deliver high-quality care coupled with an outstanding living environment for our residents. This award helps validate our delivery on that promise,” said Lynne Katzmann, CEO and Founder of Juniper Communities. “On behalf of our community staff and leadership, we thank those who took the time to share their positive experiences and satisfaction with the services we offer; and to Caring.com for recognizing these communities as a Caring Star of 2016.”

Some of the positive feedback that led to Juniper Village at Forest Hills being named a Caring Star of 2016 from Caring.com include:

“I'd really rate them a five plus. One of the things I really like about Juniper Village was the activities that they had. There were many activities and there's a very warm feeling.”

“My aunt lived here for the last 3 years of her life. She entered into assisted living, then moved to the dementia care wing after 2 years. The staff at Juniper were wonderful -- very caring and attentive. The facility was nice, and had a more intimate, hands-on feel than most of the other places we looked at.”

Americans are increasingly seeking insights provided by online reviews to help guide important senior care decisions. Having a source such as the Caring Stars list helps consumers reliably narrow senior living options for their loved ones to the most-acclaimed communities, particularly as they gather for the holidays and discover increased or urgent senior care needs.

December 2015 Events in Pittsburgh, PA: Celebrate Little Things

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.

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.

Our fabulous December 2015 events in Pittsburgh, PA at Juniper Village at Forest Hills include our:

§  7th Annual Celebration of Trees Holiday Display to tour over 30 different Christmas trees all decorated by local businesses, charities and organizations, so come and vote for your favorite, with the wining tree receiving a prize of $250.00 for their organization or charity, as the display is free and open to the public daily December 7^th to January 4^th from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm.

§  Caregiver Support Group Meeting approved by the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and affiliated with the National Alzheimer’s Association as this month we will discuss ways to help you and your loved one enjoy the holiday season on December 9^th at 1:30 pm.

§  Victorian Christmas Traditions as we step back in time and discover how the holidays were celebrated during the Victorian era with our presenter from the Frick Museum of Pittsburgh, who will be here to share information about Victorian decorations, customs and how they celebrated the holidays on December 11^th at 3:00 pm.

§  Family Holiday Celebration as all residents, family members, and guests are invited to join us as we celebrate the joys of this holiday season with an array of delicious candies and desserts while dancing to musical entertainment by the Mickey D Band at this free holiday event on December 17^th from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. (RSVP by December 15^th to 412-244-9901.)

We look forward to sharing our December 2015 events in Pittsburgh, PA at Juniper Village at Forest Hills with you as we Celebrate Little Things.