Woody our Resident Dog

Woody, our resident dog is enjoying all the comforts of home here at Juniper Village at Aurora. He recently moved in with his owner Joanne and resides in Garden House.  Even though they’ve been here a short period of time, the bond between residents and staff is quite strong.  Woody exhibits all the comforts of home cozying up on the living room couch just waiting for that special person to snuggle up beside him.

What a life, nothing better than a dog’s life. “We sure enjoy our Woody dog, he walks the talk (or bark) by nurturing the spirit of life in each individual he touches!”

Artists in Residence Making a Difference

Residents of Juniper Village at Aurora happily participate in Memories in the Making, a creative art expression program for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or related dementias, sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association. Even after people with dementia have lost the ability to use words, they are often able to express thoughts and emotions and to share memories through painting with watercolors. The experience offers an opportunity for the essence of who they are and what they care about to shine through. The paintings become their voice.

Each year a jury of professional artists selects participant’s artwork for the annual Memories in the Making Art Show and Auction, a fundraising event for the Association. Professional artwork donated by local artists is paired with framed watercolors created by those with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia and sold at the event. This year artwork from three residents of Juniper Village at Aurora was selected for auction. Their pieces were sold at the June 11^th Denver auction held at Pat Bowlen Field House at Dove Valley – training camp for the Denver Broncos.  Two pieces by Juniper Village resident Marilyn sold, the first pairing including “Radiant Sunflowers in Bloom” (top left above) sold for $775 and her “Rainbow Flowers” (top right above) sold for $175; Gertrude’s “Fields of Flowers” (bottom left above) pairing sold for $550; and Paul’s “The Independence” (bottom right above) sold for $525. Congratulations to the wonderful artists at Juniper Village!

July 2016 Events in Aurora, CO: Stand in Integrity

Ah...the good old summer time filled with lazy, sunny days, ice cold treats, Independence Day celebrations, and get-togethers at the beach. Another sure indication of summer is our Alive in All Seasons theme of Volunteerism.

July is the perfect month to honor all of the many volunteers who contribute thousands of hours of time in service to our communities. From our four-legged volunteers to those of the two legged variety we are proud to say we receive more than 10,000 hours of precious time each year. We simply could not do it without all of your help, and this month we honor you. We will also be promoting the spirit of volunteerism by volunteering our time to help others. If you have some spare time on your hands consider joining us for a volunteer activity or better yet volunteer your time with us, we’d love to have you. What qualities make a good volunteer? Energy, passion, flexibility, creativity, reliability, commitment and perhaps most important of all – integrity.

Volunteerism benefits all parties involved. In addition to making new friends, volunteering also helps increase your self-confidence, provides a sense of purpose, combats depression and helps you stay physically healthy. Helping others also kindles happiness, as the London School of Economics found the more people volunteered, the happier they were.

In addition to volunteering opportunities, plan to join us during July for our summer celebrations and share our thanks as we honor those who Stand In Integrity with us.

Our fabulous July 2016 events in Aurora, CO at Juniper Village at Aurora include our:

§  Red, White & Blue Backyard BBQ because there’s no better way to celebrate volunteerism than to honor those who have voluntarily served in our armed forces, come celebrate with those most responsible for our freedom on July 4^th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.

§  Juniper Volunteer THANK YOU Luncheon for the best crab cakes the front range has to offer, made fresh by our very own award-winning dietary team because volunteers are what help to keep our seniors entertained and active, and it’s time we say thanks, so come join us for lunch and we will find a way for you to get involved in our volunteer program on July 18^th at noon.

§  Virtual Food Drive to stop by or take to social media to keep up with the times because the trendsetters here at Juniper are keeping the spirit of volunteerism alive with our first ever VIR-TUAL food drive as we have partnered with the Food Bank of the Rockies to help those in need make it through the hot summer months between July 25^th and July 31^st any time.

We look forward to sharing our July 2016 events in Aurora, CO at Juniper Village at Aurora with you as you Stand in Integrity.

Kona: Therapy Dog Super Hero

Lori and Kona have been volunteering for about 2 months now.  Kona is a black lab who is certified in "visitations". Recently, we received this note from Lori about one visit:

Wow! What a great visit at Juniper Village today! More residents than usual engaged in petting Kona and relating stories from their childhoods than any other time we've visited. Several of the them were able to follow my instructions about how to feed Kona. I don't know who enjoyed it most - the residents or Kona. We motivated one resident, who was working with a PT, to walk farther with the incentive that if he walked to Kona the man could pet him. It worked!

Kona and I are so blessed to visit Juniper Village and are thankful for the opportunity.

June 2016 Events in Aurora, CO: Live in Wellness

What is wellness? The National Wellness Institute defines wellness as "a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential." At Juniper we believe in fostering this definition of wellness everyday by offering programs and services that help our residents achieve their full potential. As we wind down our Healthy Aging series, this month we focus on Food by highlighting our H’Art and Soul of Dining Signature Program.

Throughout our lives the most important discussions, revelations, decisions and announcements have transpired around the dinner table. When company came over we caught up on the latest gossip over coffee and fresh baked goods. If you needed advice from your parents, it was often given while enjoying Mom’s delicious pot roast on a Sunday evening. Why should that be any different when you enter your retirement years in one of our communities?

With the kitchen often being the heart of the home, we have developed H’Art and Soul of Dining with this in mind. This program strives to impart spirited service, companionship and nourishment through sharing the joy of good food – just like home! Our dining program is designed to not only meet resident’s physical needs, but their emotional and social needs as well. We believe this program provides a perfect balance of nutritious and delicious food choices, comfortable atmosphere and ambiance, social interaction, cleanliness and a spirit of service.

Indulge with us this month as we focus on the “heart” of the home with program offerings centered on food and nutrition such as our hydration program with healthy snacks and juices and educational presentations by a dietitian. Join us in June as we Live in Wellness.

Our fabulous June 2016 events in Aurora, CO at Juniper Village at Aurora include our:

§  Father’s Day Car Hop with live music, carhop girls, shakes, burgers, and fries for one of our favorite annual events, a fun-filled day in the sun that will remind us all why our focus this month is hydration on June 11th from 11:00 am to1:00 pm.

§  Denver Senior Tour Golf Outing with Juniper Village at Aurora co-sponsoring one of the largest local golf tournaments on the front range, so grab your clubs and get ready to hit the links, as Denver’s most talented seniors enjoy their favorite sport while we hand out our signature Juniper water bottles full of fun ideas on how to beat the heat and stay hydrated this summer on June 13th at 7:30 am at Applewood Golf Course.

§  The Longest Day as the Alzheimer’s Association has encouraged everyone to grab their water bottle and observe the longest day of the year by getting out and getting active, and Juniper Village at Aurora will be hosting a fun-filled day of activities here on site, so if you’re a fan of friendly competition and an active lifestyle, this is a day you won’t want to miss on June 20th all day long.

We look forward to sharing our June 2016 events in Aurora, CO at Juniper Village at Aurora with you as you Live in Wellness.

Juniper Village at Aurora’s Innovative Small-House Design

There is a growing understanding of what makes a successful environment for seniors living with memory impairment.  The elements that can make a difference in the lives of those with dementia are not that complicated and can be encapsulated in two words – connectedness and a sense of home.  The small house or cottage model has been found to be the most successful environment in providing that sense of home, connectedness, and ultimately, happiness.  Juniper Communities has served as an innovator in pioneering the small house model within their memory care communities.  Juniper continues to believe that this model remains the gold standard in memory care.

Juniper has been well ahead of the trend as we have owned and operated two types of small house models for more than a decade.  Two of our small house models, Aurora and Louisville, both in Colorado, were purpose built by Juniper in 1999 and 2000 respectively, as part of our initiative to provide leading-edge care to residents living with memory impairments. These two communities include four small houses, each with 12 or 13 rooms, virtually all private, surrounding a town hall area. Each town hall provides destination locations consisting of multiple familiar spaces such as an office suite, game room, library, country store, and gymnasium, where residents from all houses can go for additional services or programs. In this model, where the houses are linked, all staff are readily available to assist if needed.

In both models, residents at Juniper’s communities live within a short walk to the living room, kitchen and dining areas.  The environment is homelike; there are no nurses’ stations and no medication carts that block the hallways.  Staff wear polo shirts, not scrubs, and are trained to engage residents in activities of daily living, as well as social and recreational activities.  In both models, there are large, accessible and safe outdoor spaces surrounding the community.

Ultimately it is all about relationships.  The small-house model of care becomes a true community for a group of seniors and staff. It focuses on nurturing the spirit of life, and its heart is found in the relationships that thrive there. Juniper’s goal via the small house model has always been and continues to be to serve as a place where seniors can receive assistance and support with activities of daily living and care, without the assistance and care becoming the focus of their life.  And ultimately to provide the key elements to successful memory care – connectedness, home, and happiness!

Music & Memory: Juniper Village at Aurora Uses Innovative Approaches

The statistics on caregiver stress and burn-out are overwhelming.  Support groups sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association or community groups can be key to managing stress.   Juniper Village at Aurora Wellspring Memory Care offers solutions similar to those experienced by one of the profile families – a secure, homelike care setting which allows the family caregiver to participate to the degree that they choose and are able.

 

One program that we have recently instituted in all of our memory care communities is Dan Cohen’s Music & Memory.  We recommend learning about and using this program in any care setting – at home, day programs, or long-term care communities.  Research shows that persons with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, can reconnect to the world and gain improved quality of life from listening to personal music favorites.

At Juniper Village at Aurora Wellspring Memory Care all residents have access to music players. Upon move-in, we ask family members to provide us with a list of a resident’s favorite songs from their young-adulthood which we load onto their player.

For family caregivers, Music & Memory, secure memory care communities, and support groups, all offer support and assistance to family caregivers.  Finding the right combination of “what works” is critical.

If you would like to speak with someone about a long-term or temporary respite stay for your loved one in a secure Memory Care facility, would like more information about implementing a Music & Memory program at home, or would like to make a donation of music players or iTunes gift cards to facilitate our program, contact Juniper Village at Aurora Wellspring Memory Care.