4th of July at Juniper Village at Forest Hills

Here at Juniper Village at Forest Hills we celebrated the 4th of July a little early, on July 3rd. The fun started at noon with Juniper Village's dietary staff preparing a delicious summer seafood boil featuring shrimp, crab and corn on the cob. After lunch, local historian, Jeff Flohr provided us with a presentation on the history of the American Flag. Then later that afternoon our residents and guests were treated to a musical presentation by Dennis Smalley honoring all of the armed forces.  What a wonderful day for celebrating our country's history and honoring those who served!!

July 2015 Events in Pittsburgh, PA: Stand in Integrity

With our July 2015 events in Pittsburgh, PA at Juniper Village at Forest Hills this month we kick off our summer quarter Alive In All Seasons theme “Stay Connected” where we will strive to stay connected to the community and the environment. Throughout July we will focus on staying connected to our community through Volunteerism, where we Stand In Integrity. The biggest and most visible benefit of volunteering is the impact on the community. Unpaid volunteers work magic in unifying communities. Through volunteer work you are able to connect with your community on a deeper level and help to make it a better place to live and grow. But what we don’t always realize is that volunteering is a two-way street. Volunteers benefit as much as the causes they support. Through volunteering you make new friends, expand your professional, social and support networks and boost your social skills. So, give it a try and experience the benefits of giving of yourself.

If you are looking for opportunities to share your time, check with our Connections Directors to see what opportunities we have, or join us in one of our volunteer projects. Also plan to join us during our July 2015 events in Pittsburgh, PA at Juniper Village at Forest Hills as we recognize our Ambassador Program, focus on our Resident Computer Center and training or any other calendar item that catches your eye.

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

§  American Independence BBQ because it just wouldn’t be Independence Day without an old fashioned cook out so bring some family or friends and join us as we celebrate the holiday with a traditional BBQ that costs just $5.00 for guests and is free for residents with a limit of 2 guests per resident and tickets are required for attendance on July 3^rd at noon.

§  History of the Flag Presentation as local Flag collector and historian, Jeff Flohr shares some surprising facts and information about our American Flag at an event that is free for residents and guests on July 3^rd at 1:30 pm.

§  Independence Day Celebration as we commemorate our great nation’s Independence with a patriotic and therapeutic musical presentation by local entertainer, Dennis Smalley, which is free for residents and guests although RSVPs are encouraged on July 3^rd at 3:30 pm.

§  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 this month we will discuss ways to connect with your loved one on July 8^th at 1:30 pm.

§  Diabetes Support Group Meeting as all Borderline, Pre, Type I and Type II Diabetics and their families are welcome to attend for a variety of Diabetes related topics, speakers and tips to learn how knowledge, education and understanding of the illness can make living with Diabetes a little easier on July 28^th at 1:30 pm.

We look forward to sharing our July 2015 events in Pittsburgh, PA at Juniper Village at Forest Hills with you as we Stand in Integrity.

Summertime!

Summertime is the perfect time for entertaining and what better way to adorn your summer picnics and parties than with beautifully carved fruit!  On June 11 and June 18, Juniper Village at Forest Hill's Dietary Manager, Ken Miller shared his knowledge, skills and expertise on how to turn ordinary pieces of fruit into artistic masterpieces!!  As you can see, all of those attending learned how to create their own beautiful works of art.

Father's Day

This year Juniper Village at Forest Hills celebrated Father's Day all day long!!  The fun started early with an All You Can Eat Breakfast at 9 am in the morning where our Dietary Department filled everyone's bellies with delicious pancakes, waffles, eggs and a variety of breakfast treats; just like dad used to make.  The fun continued into the afternoon with desserts and a special summertime musical performance by one of our favorite performers and entertainers, Trina.  Dads are special at Juniper Village at Forest Hills!!

Juniper Village Welcomes Genesis Therapy & OmniCare Pharmacy Services

This spring Juniper Village at Forest Hills welcomed two new partners in care: Genesis Therapy Services and Omnicare Pharmacy.  Although the residents and family members were aware of these changes since January, an official meet & greet was held to answer questions and introduce everyone to the new staff. As you can see everyone was happy to welcome these new providers to our community!!

The Sandwich Woman: The Heart of the Sandwich Generation

Based on their experience as caregivers for their loved ones, two sisters (family members of residents at Juniper Village at Forest Hills in Pittsburgh, PA) have created a website and social media platforms based upon their experience as caregivers.  We support their work with other caregivers and encourage you to learn more. 

Sisters Carole Brecht and Jan Steinle, née Reisman from Pittsburgh, Pa, have been collaborating on their social media focused on the Sandwich Generation, including Instagram, a facebook community page, and their website featuring weekly blogs. The Sandwich Woman: The Heart of the Sandwich Generation is serving a Global Community of boomers.  In the USA alone, it is estimated that over 60,000,000 people now assist the loved ones in their life, both young and old, be it financially, emotionally, physically or all of the above.  Within just a few months, they’ve reached over 1,200 Likes on facebook from 20+ countries, including Spain, South Africa, Singapore, Taiwan & Switzerland.

Both Carole and Jan feature their Zentangle® Inspired Art (ZIA) on all their media.  Zentangle® is an easy-to-learn, relaxing and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns.  The sisters both graduated from the Ivy School of Professional Art in Pittsburgh, Pa.  Jan is a Certified Zentangle Teacher (CZT) now teaching in the Pittsburgh area.  Carole and Jan believe this art form serves as a perfect metaphor for the complex and multi-layered Sandwich Woman of today. 

Like millions of others who begin by simply “helping out”, the sisters, who have seven children between them, found themselves in the role of Caregiver for their parents, which continues to this day.  Carole and Jan’s collaboration is a tribute to their Father & Mother.  The Sandwich Woman, The Heart Of The Sandwich Generation was created to support boomers who are going through the same emotional journey.  We need to “Nurture the Nurturers”, and remind people how important it is to take care of themselves.   Jan and Carole’s parents are residents at Juniper Village at Forest Hills personal care community. Their mother passed away this past fall and their father still resides at the community. Through the many phases of care needed for their mother, Jan and Carole have gained experience as a “Sandwich Generation” care provider, along with a tremendous amount of knowledge and compassion for families experiencing these same type of situations.

Carole and Jan see this as a Community where people can come together for support, to be inspired, find helpful resources and to learn and share. A place to visit daily while helping the loved ones in their life, where “Words Soothe and Ideas & Art Delight.”

Carole is currently writing a book about The Sandwich Woman: The Heart of the Sandwich Generation, which she hopes to publish by the end of this year. Currently the “Sandwich Woman” facebook page has received over 1200 likes and is now in 20 countries!  Family members, residents and friends are encouraged to visit the Sandwich Woman’s website and facebook page at www.thesandwichwoman.com or facebook.com/thesandwichwoman. You can also find Carole on Instagram at: carole_brecht. For more information you can contact Jan Steinle at janbee.steinle@gmail.com or Carole Brecht at cbrecht4@gmail.com.

June 2015 Events in Pittsburgh, PA: Live in Wellness

We close this quarter’s theme of Healthy Aging: “Let Wellbeing Thrive” with a focus on Food, as we Live in Wellness through our June 2015 events in Pittsburgh, PA at Juniper Village at Forest Hills. Hippocrates advises, “Let food be thy medicine”. Research shows that eating a well-planned, balanced mix of foods every day has many health benefits such as reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, bone loss, some kinds of cancer, and anemia. But, food has other benefits. There are also emotional needs that are satisfied by food. Most of us have fond memories of food from days gone by. Whether it was our mom's homemade chocolate chip cookies, a hotdog from a street vendor or our wedding cake, food has a way of transporting us back to the past. It is in that spirit that Juniper’s dining program is called the H’art and Soul of Dining. The philosophy is that we impart spirited service, companionship and nourishment through the sharing of good food. In addition to meeting our resident’s unique nutritional needs, we also meet their emotional and social needs as well.

Join us for our June 2015 events in Pittsburgh, PA at Juniper Village at Forest Hills to share in our hydration program, complete with healthy snacks and learn more about healthy food and wellness with our dietitian presentations as we continue to Live in Wellness.

Our fabulous June 2015 events in Pittsburgh, PA at Juniper Village at Forest Hills 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 as this month we will discuss how appetites and eating abilities change as the illness progresses on June 10^th at 1:30 pm.

§  Summer Fruit Carving Class because summer is the perfect time for entertaining, and what better way to adorn your summer picnics and parties than with beautifully carved fruit, so come learn the simple techniques used by the experts as taught by Juniper Village at Forest Hill’s Dietary Manager, Ken Miller, at this event that is only $16.00 and includes your own set of carving knives on June 11^th and 18^th at 6:00 pm. (RSVP to 412-244-9901 since class size is limited.)

§  Father’s Day All You Can Eat Breakfast to enjoy a variety of breakfast favorites, just like dad used to make, free for residents and just $5.00 for guests with all proceeds benefiting the American Disabled Vets on June 14^th at 9:00 am. (RSVP to 412-244-9901 by June 10^th as tickets are required and limited.)

§  Father’s Day Desserts and Entertainment featuring tasty treats and music by local singer, Trina, free for residents and guests on June 14^th at 3:00 pm.

§  Seniors for Safe Driving Refresher Course will improve your abilities and lower your insurance premiums through this 1/2 day seminar designed for drivers over the age of 55 who have already taken the initial Seniors For Safe Driving course that is only $16.00 on June 23^rd at 9:00 am. (For more information or to RSVP contact Seniors for Safe Driving at 1-800-559-4880.)

§  Diabetes Support Group Meeting as this month we discuss how making the right food choices can help you control and live with your illness on June 23^rd at 1:30 pm.

We hope to see you at one or more of our June 2015 events in Pittsburgh, PA at Juniper Village at Forest Hills!