Breathe in Life: August Events

Our Alive in All Seasons’ theme for August is The Environment. Our communities will focus their efforts on maintaining healthy environments through environmentally conscious activities. Our “Green Canopy” program emphasizes designing and operating buildings that meet new standards of environmental sustainability. We are proud to be the first long-term care company with a building in the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

According to research by Go Green, Americans throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour; 25 billion Styrofoam cups and 40 billion soft drink bottles and cans each year. Eighty-four percent of the average American’s household trash can be recycled. If we recycled just 1/10 of our newspapers 25 million trees could be saved. Are we all doing our part?

Join us this month as we learn more about the environment, expand our wide-scale recycling program, learn more about environmental sustainability programs and work with our community Green Teams to promote our “Green Canopy” initiative. We encourage you to accompany us on this environmental journey so that we can all continue to Breathe in Life!

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our Recycle America collection of newspapers and portable durable medical equipment for recycling from August 4^th to August 29^th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm; our Caregiver Support Group Meeting where we will discuss how the environment can affect dementia patients and ways to create a more calming environment for your loved one on August 13^th at 1:30 pm; our Home Safety For Seniors presentation to learn how to make your home safer by discovering what to look for, obstacles to remove, and ways to prevent trips and falls in your elderly loved one’s home on August 19^th at 2:30 pm; our 3rd Annual Outdoor Summer Concert featuring  a variety of memorable songs from the 50s as performed by members of the local band “Jimmy Sapienza’s 5 Guys Named Moe” with refreshments out on the lawn (bring a blanket or folding chairs) on August 21^st at 6:30 pm; or our Diabetes Support Group Meeting providing  knowledge, education and understanding of the illness to make living with Diabetes a little easier (open to all Borderline, Pre, Type I and Type II Diabetics and their families) on August 26^th at 1:30 pm. Take a look at our calendar and join us for any and all activities that will help you make the most of these last few weeks of summer. 

Deliziosa!!

On Monday, July 14 members of the Italian Sons & Daughters of America Club - Lodge 224 - Forest Hills Chapter shared their love for their Italian heritage by hosting an Italian Day at Juniper Village at Forest Hills.  Organizer, Mary Giulianelli from the Forest Hills ISDA said this event was just one of the many community service projects they will be doing this week.  Members of the ISDA treated the residents of Juniper Village to an Italian dinner of Pizza, Italian Ice, Pizzelles and Italian Cookies, along with Italian music by local accordion player and performer, Edwardo. Grazie!!

Sight-Seeing Adventure Cruise

What a great day for a boat ride! On Thursday, July 10 Residents from Juniper Village at Forest Hills set sail for an adventurous sight-seeing cruise on the high seas of the mighty Allegheny River aboard the Gateway Clipper fleet. The residents attending enjoyed a delicious picnic lunch and an enjoyable afternoon sight seeing cruise.

Independence Day BBQ

What better way to celebrate the 4th of July than with a traditional BBQ!!  Residents, families and friends here at Juniper Village celebrated their 4th with a delicious 4th of July BBQ Lunch and a patriotic musical presentation by local entertainer, Jean Horner.

Stand in Integrity: July Events

July is the month in which we celebrate our nation’s independence with fireworks, cook outs and by cherishing our own personal freedoms. Nelson Mandela reminds us “to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” In that spirit join us as we honor those who “Stand in Integrity.”

Dr. Barbara Killinger, PhD, offers this definition of integrity: “Integrity is a personal choice, an uncompromising and predictably consistent commitment to honor moral, ethical, spiritual and artistic values and principles.” To “Stand in Integrity” does not mean that you are flawless or perfect, it means that you admit your shortcomings; you have influence, not because people like you, but because people trust you, believe you, and follow you.

We will also celebrate this month’s Alive in All Seasons theme of Volunteerism by volunteering our time to others, honoring those who volunteer with us, including our Resident Ambassadors; and learning more about volunteer opportunities in the greater community.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our 4^th of July BBQ featuring saucy meats with scrumptious sides and a festive atmosphere on July 4^th at noon ($5 for guests, RSVP to 412-244-9901); our special 4^th of July Musical Performance by local entertainer Jean Horner (free for guests, RSVP to 412-244-9901) on July 4^th at 3:00 pm; our Monthly Caregiver Support Group for support and education in conjunction with the Alzheimer’s Association on July 9^th at 1:30 pm; our Italian Day Dinner featuring delicious, authentic foods and decorations on July 14^th at 4:30 pm; our Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon where we invite all of you who have volunteered with us to enjoy a tasty meal with a hearty side of gratitude on July 17^th at noon; or our Diabetes Support Group Meeting for education and management tips on July 22^nd at 1:30 pm. Take a look at our calendar and join us for any and all activities that will help you make the most of these last few weeks of summer. 

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.