We Love Volunteers!

On Thursday, July 16^th, Juniper Village at Forest Hills hosted a special Volunteer Appreciation Lunch. Residents, family members and guests gathered together to thank and acknowledge the many resident family members, community members and professionals this past year who have volunteered their time and energy to make Juniper Village a special place to live. "Volunteers help with all areas of the community including: activities, gardening, musical entertainment, and prayer services," stated Hope McDonough our Connections Director, "and we are grateful for their service."  More than a dozen volunteers attended, each receiving a beautiful certificate and gift of appreciation from the community.

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.