Steeler's Pep Rally

On Thursday, October 1st the family members, staff and residents at Juniper Village at Forest Hills were invited to dress in their black and gold and show their team spirit by joining us for an old fashioned Steeler's Pep Rally. Here to lead the pep rally and perform some cheers were members of the Woodland Hills High School Cheerleading Department. Those attending enjoyed Steeler's Smiley Cookies brought by the Cheerleading Team along with a delicious dinner in the dining room featuring stadium style foods and Pittsburgh area favorites.

Go Steelers!!!

Teach an Old Cat New Tricks?!

You may not be able to teach an old dog new tricks...but what about a cat?? On Friday, September 27 the residents had a chance to see just how talented cats really are when two cats from the Kitty Kat Theatre performed. Their unique combination of music, costumes and amazing talent delighted the crowd!!

October 2015 Events in Pittsburgh, PA: Show Your Colors

Every October we turn our Alive in All Seasons focus to holidays and sports as we “Keep the Spirit” during this last celebratory quarter of the year. Sporting events are inevitably part of that celebration for many families.

According to Dr. Renee Clauselle, founder of Child and Family Psychology, “Bonding over sports — the highs and lows of the game — strengthens ties, helps us feel supported, and makes it easier for you to open up about personal things.” Think of sports as an opportunity to connect with others over a favorite – or even rival – team and learn more about each other. Even strangers can learn more about where they grew up, which teams they support, which sports they played and how those sports are different today. You may even learn something about your loved ones that you never knew. Perhaps great-grandma played softball in a women’s league during college. That would be something to pass along to future generations! Watching a sporting event can become so much more than plays and scores; it can become an opportunity to learn the history of someone you love.

Join us this month and “Show Your Colors” as we sponsor a local sports team, get into the spirit of the season with our Halloween Costume Party and honor those associates who go above and beyond with our annual Juniper Spirit Awards.

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

§  Show Your Colors – Steeler’s Pep Rally to express your team spirit dress in your favorite black and gold to join us for an old fashioned Pep Rally with the Woodland Hills High School Cheerleaders, then stay and enjoy dinner featuring stadium style foods on October 1^st at 3:00 pm. (RSVP for dinner free for residents and guests to 412-224-9901.)

§  Alive Inside / Music & Memory Presentation as Bonnie Caripolti,Juniper Village’s Alzheimer’s Support Group facilitator and Stephen Haberberger from Amedisys Hospice Care share information on the benefits of music for dementia patients and how our new Music & Memory program will work, then visitors are invited to stay after the presentation for a private viewing of the award winning movie, Alive Inside, on October 13^th at 6:00 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 keep your loved one moving and more active on October 14^th at 1:30 pm.

§  Benefits of Therapy For Seniors as the Physical Therapists from Genesis Therapy share information on the benefits of exercise and physical therapy for seniors to discover why therapy is so important, how to do it properly and tips on what you can do at home to keep you going strong on October 21^st at 1:30 pm.

§  Alzheimer’s Memory Walk - North Shore Trail at Heinz Field on the North Shore because the walk to end Alzheimer’s starts here, so join us for the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Alzheimer’s Foundation’s Annual Memory Walk on October 24^th at 8:00 am.  (Sign up at the front desk to walk as part of the Juniper Village Team, or form your own team.)

§  Spooktacular Halloween Celebration as all ghosts and goblins are invited to join us for an afternoon of hauntingly delicious treats, a costume parade and contest, along with entertainment by Beth Steinberg and her Carousel of Costumes with costumes encouraged and prizes being awarded for the best costume on October 30^th at 3:00 pm.

We look forward to sharing our October 2015 events in Pittsburgh, PA at Juniper Village at Forest Hills with you as we Show Your Colors.

Grandparent’s Day with Juniper Village at Forest Hills

Family members of all ages came together on Sunday, September 13 for Juniper Village at Forest Hills' 5th Annual Grandparents Day Social.  The event featured musical entertainment by Liz & Duke as well as an array of delicious homemade desserts.

September 13 – 19 is National Assisted Living Week

Understand the senior living options available

This year, National Assisted Living Week’s theme is Nourishing Life: Mind, Body and Spirit and celebrates the countless ways assisted living caregivers nurture the whole resident. This has been the basis of Juniper Village at Forest Hills’ mission since we began and is certainly a goal of the industry.

With the percentage of the U.S. population over age 65 steadily increasing, it is important to understand the many options available in specialized residences and the level of care they provide for the growing and varied needs of seniors.

In addition to the type of community, it is equally important to find one that offers compassionate care, unparalleled access to healthcare – preferably onsite, programming that will stimulate you such as Music & Memory, and a commitment to continued improvement.

Personal Care/Assisted Living residences are for seniors who require the least amount of care. Meals are provided along with assistance in medication management, bathing, and dressing, if needed. Housekeeping and laundry services may also be available. Community social activities or outings may be offered, and depending on their preferences and budgets, residents may have the option of choosing a private room or a shared apartment.

Although some Assisted Living residences may provide services for seniors with cognitive impairment, a Memory Care residence is a specialized community for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Providing 24-hour supervision and security, the Memory Care environment is designed to meet the unique challenges of Alzheimer’s patients.

A Skilled Nursing Care residence, sometimes known as a nursing home, provides the highest level of care for its residents as well as round-the-clock availability of medical care. Seniors in these communities may be incontinent or require assistance with eating, walking, and moving about the bed.  Skilled Nursing Care residences usually provide long-term care for seniors who are too sick or frail for other types of residences.

In recognition of National Assisted Living Week, remember, when independent living becomes too difficult, moving into a senior living community that offers appropriate levels of care based on an individual’s need can often be the best solution.

Outdoor Concert and Down-Home BBQ

What better way to celebrate summer than with an old fashioned outdoor concert!!   This year over 150 residents, families, and community members attended Juniper Village at Forest Hills 4th Annual Outdoor Summer concert on Thursday, August 20th.  Guests enjoyed a down-home BBQ, as prepared by Juniper's award winning Dietary Department, and musical entertainment by one of the area's premier country bands, Stampede.  Stampede is a 5 piece high energy country rock band that has been playing at venues and concerts in the Pittsburgh area since 2005. Visitors, staff and residents were also encouraged to dress in their favorite western style clothing. As you can see...we all enjoyed a little bit of country!!

September 2015 Events in Pittsburgh, PA: Spread Your Joy

As the air begins to cool and summer wanes, Juniper Village ends our “Stay Connected” series by recognizing Friendship and Joy. What is it that brings you joy? Is it the wet nose of a newborn pup? The smile of your first grandchild? The taste of a triple chocolate ice cream cone? Whatever it is we invite you to share that joy with others at Juniper Village this month.

Much attention has been paid to studies regarding the effects of stress on your health, but what about the effects of joy? The landmark “Nun Study,” as it's often known, revealed that positive emotion is correlated with longevity: 90% of the most cheerful quarter of nuns was alive at the age of eighty-five, whereas only 34% of the least cheerful quarter lived to that age. Similarly, 54% of the most cheerful fourth was alive at age ninety-four, versus 11% of the least cheerful. Of the 678 sisters in the original study about four dozen are still living. So go ahead, grab that triple chocolate cone it might just extend your life!

This month we invite you to “Spread Your Joy” as we honor our friendships in our Red Hat and Villager clubs and our Best Friends events; get our hands dirty at our Friendship Daffodil Project; and celebrate with our Birthday Party and House Warming Initiatives.

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

§  Caregiver Support Group Meeting to gain support and education as this month we will discuss the benefits of socialization at our monthly support group meeting approved by the Greater Pennsylvania Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and affiliated with the National Alzheimer’s Association on September 10^th at 1:30 pm.

§  Grandparents’ Day Social with a variety of delicious treats and musical entertainment by fan favorites, Liz and Duke, everyone is welcome to join us for this free event on September 13^th at 3:00 pm.

§  Seniors for Safe Driving Course seminar designed for drivers over the age of 55 who want to improve their driver’s safety and receive a 5% discount on their automobile insurance premium for 3 years after taking the course on September 29^th from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. (RSVP to 1.800.559.4880; cost is $16.00 and pre-registration is required.)

§  Benefits of Laughter workshop to discover the many healthy benefits of laughter with local laughter coach, David Russell, and learn how laughter can reduce stress levels, lower blood pressure and help lift your spirits on September 29^th at 2:30 pm.

We look forward to sharing our September 2015 events in Pittsburgh, PA at Juniper Village at Forest Hills with you as we Spread Your Joy.