Juniper Communities Appoints New Regional Director of Wellness and Wellbeing

Juniper Communities announces that Melissa “Missy” Ebner has joined Juniper as Regional Director of Wellness and Wellbeing. Missy brings a wealth of experience in nursing care, especially with seniors to her position. From a clinical perspective, her role will be to oversee the entire portfolio of clinical care and support for the residents, provide clinical oversight, and staff training. She is a licensed Registered Nurse (RN) in every state where Juniper currently has communities.

“We are very excited to have Missy join the Juniper family,” expressed Lynne Katzmann, CEO of Juniper Communities. “She comes to Juniper with a wonderful background and deep experience in the clinical complainants of senior living. She will be a great resource for our community wellness teams and to the home office team in this changing healthcare environment.”

Missy’s interest in working with senior living communities is that they offer residents more freedom than skilled nursing settings. “The seniors can be taken care of in a homelike environment and you can become a friend, not seen as a nurse or caregiver,” she explained. “Juniper’s staff is wonderful at treating the residents as a parent or grandparent, this doesn’t always happen in institutional settings.”

Juniper Communities owns and operates Personal Care, Assisted Living, Memory-Care, Skilled Nursing and Independent Living communities in NJ, FL, CO and PA.

“Nobody is as forward thinking as Juniper. They are far ahead of the curve in the industry and where healthcare is going. The staff I’ve observed go above and beyond, always doing more even though no one is looking,” Missy described of her building level observations.

Missy Ebner has worked in the healthcare industry since 1987. She received her LPN from the James Martin School of Nursing in 1987 and her RN from Excelsior College in 2005. She is a resident of Willow Grove, PA and born and raised in Pennsylvania. She has been married to Henry Ebner for 26 years and has three children, Corey, Shane and Cassidy.  Something her family and friends know about her is that she loves to shop the Outlets, and loves a good bargain!

Celebrate Little Things: December Events

This month is all about celebrations! Not only will we be celebrating holidays such as Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve, but we will also celebrate the little things that make life worthwhile. Little things such as the reassuring touch of a friend’s hand, a kind word from an acquaintance and a warm smile from a stranger.

In our all too busy lives we sometimes forget to honor the simple things in life that bring us peace and joy. Most experts recommend that we allow 10-20 minutes of relaxation and stress relief each day. Making time for that can even be a stressful experience! During this busy month of baking, shopping, visitors and juggling tasks take time to remember what is really important.

Here are some tips to keep holiday stress in check: Acknowledge your feelings - you are not alone as holiday stress is not uncommon. Be realistic with expectations - you can only do so much, learn to say no. Ask for help when needed - everyone wants to be needed and may feel more included by being able to contribute. Plan ahead to minimize unplanned expenses and tasks. Take a breather - take a walk at night and do some stargazing, listen to soothing music, or get a massage. Above all enjoy all the holidays have to offer by sharing time with others.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our Pictures with Santa where the entire community is invited to bring their good little girls and boys of all ages for a snack and a photo with Santa courtesy of Juniper Village on December 3^rd at 10:00 am; or our Winter Wonderland to celebrate the magic of the season with good old-fashioned merriment you stroll the town square while singing along with the carolers and tempt your palate with delicious hot chocolate and other tasty treats on December 11^th from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm!

Look through our calendar and join us during the busy month of December for our annual cookie exchange and holiday celebrations. Take time to Celebrate Little Things with those you love!

Cherish the Journey: November Events

Life is a journey filled with lessons, celebrations and special moments that ultimately lead us to our destination, our purpose in life. The road will not always be smooth and we may encounter many challenges. Some of these will test our courage, strengths, weaknesses, and faith. Along the way, we may stumble upon obstacles that must be overcome. But, sometimes these obstacles are really blessings in disguise, although we may not realize it at the time. How we react to the situations we face will determine what the rest of our journey will be like.

This month Juniper Communities will honor our Families and cherish the journey we have taken together. November is all about celebrating the bonds we share and recognizing where we’ve been and where we’re going. We will do this through autobiographical journaling, reminiscing about family celebrations and breaking bread together in Thanksgiving. In order to support our families along this journey we will continue to develop our support groups and provide additional resources when needed. We will give back through our Annual Food Drive. From November 1 through November 30 all non-perishable food items collected will be donated to a local food bank.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our Annual Food Drive where you can drop off non-perishable food items for needy seniors in the Aurora/Denver metro area through the Colorado Gerontological Society’s Holiday Basket Program anytime all month long; or our National Memory Screening Day featuring complimentary memory screenings, memory care information, a virtual dementia tour and an interactive lunch and learn on November 18^th from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm (please RSVP to 303-341-6335)!

Look through our calendar and plan to join us for family celebrations, Thanksgiving dinners and many events and activities allowing us all to reflect and Cherish the Journey!

Denver Walk to End Alzheimer's

It was a beautiful day at the Denver Walk to End Alzheimer's!

 

We had several of our residents participate in the walk as well as Juniper Village at Aurora staff!

 

What a fun day; plus, it was for a great cause that is near and dear to our hearts!! 

Show Your Colors: October Events

October brings forth vibrant color in our foliage as well as our sports teams. Our high school football teams will be in full swing and hockey season will prepare to fill the stands with team colors and spirit. Juniper Communities will also be honoring our colors with many sports-themed activities and events. We will be enjoying the changing colors of the season as we transition from summer to fall and the crazy costumes of our annual Halloween celebrations.

While showing our colors we not only focus on our team colors, but also showing our true colors. We recognize that working together as a team, results in better coordination of care, better quality of care and as a result better lives for our residents. This is evidenced by our excellent clinical outcomes data. We are happy to see the results of collaboration resulting in decreased re-hospitalizations and better quality of life for our residents.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our Oktoberfest Celebration featuring German-inspired refreshments with musical accompaniment on October 9^th from 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm; our Chili Cook Off because nothing says autumn better than a steaming hot bowl of chili at this competition for the title of “best chili” in Aurora to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association on October 21^st from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm; or our Trick or Treat Street where we invite Family, friends, staff and residents to come in costume and go Trick or Treating on the “streets” of Juniper Village on October 31^st at 10:00 am!

Please look through our calendar to celebrate the spirit of autumn with us and Show Your Colors!

Juniper Village at Aurora Recognized for Outstanding Resident Satisfaction with Excellence in Action Award

Juniper Village at Aurora has received the Excellence in Action award from My InnerView by National Research Corporation. This honor recognizes long term care and senior living organizations that achieve the highest levels of satisfaction excellence, as demonstrated by overall resident or employee satisfaction scores that fall within the top 10 percent of the My InnerView product database, the largest in the U.S.

“We are so honored to receive such a prestigious award. This award is a testament to Juniper Village at Aurora’s commitment not only to customer satisfaction, but also employee engagement,” exclaimed Valerie Valdez, Executive Director of Juniper Village.

Mary Oakes, Vice President of Post-Acute at National Research states, “We are very honored to award these exemplary organizations for their excellent quality of care, resident experiences, and staff engagement, as recognized by their customers and employees. Every day, these providers are making a difference in the lives of residents and caregivers across all facets of the long term care and senior living spectrum to ensure they are receiving the utmost quality of care. We congratulate our clients for taking the proactive initiative to measure quality by listening to the feedback of their customers and caregivers.”

“The Excellence in Action Award inspires so many long term care and senior living communities to really step up their game in an era where quality performance defines customer-centric healthcare,” said Jason Stevens, Vice President of Business Development at National Research. 

This is the first year that Juniper Village at Aurora has earned this national award.

15-Year Anniversary Juniper Village at Aurora

We celebrated 15 years of Stellar Memory Care at Juniper Village at Aurora!  Our theme was Hollywood and "Rolling out the Red Carpet!"

We also celebrated three of care staff that have been with us since day one for the past 15 years – Alba, Daniel, and Evelyn!  We are so fortunate to have them on our team at Juniper Village at Aurora!

Without great staff, we are just a building.  Our wonderful staff, residents, and family make Juniper Village at Aurora the amazing community that it is!

Spread Your Joy: September Events

September signifies the end of summer with Labor Day celebrations and the Autumnal Equinox on the 23^rd. In this last month of our “Stay Connected” series we aspire to connect with our friends and embrace the theme of Spread Your Joy.

The Mayo Clinic tells us that friends are good for your health. They can help you celebrate good times, provide support during bad times, prevent loneliness and give you a chance to offer needed companionship, too. Friends increase your sense of belonging and purpose, boost happiness, reduce stress, and improve your self-confidence and self-worth. Friends can also encourage you to increase healthy habits – it’s always better to walk, run, swim or exercise with a friend. And friends don’t always have to be of the human kind either! Several studies have shown that heart attack patients who have pets survive longer than those without.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our 15-Year Anniversary Luau featuring delicious Hawaiian cuisine in a festive atmosphere complete with traditional music and floral decorations on September 4^th from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm; our Concert in the Village end-of-summer musical performance on September 11^th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm; our Walk to End Alzheimer’s team participation in City Park (we’ll be the ones with the Juniper green shirts) on September 20^th; or our Plant a Juniper event as our residents and associates help beautify our environment on September 22^nd.

Please look through our calendar and join us for any events that can help you stay connected, cultivate friendships and Spread Your Joy!

Best Friends Gift Wrapping

Giving back is something that makes people feel good! It isn't any different for our residents at Juniper Village at Aurora. One of our "Giving Back Socials" was to solicit donations of children's toys and then our residents, along with their best friends, wrapped the toys and then brought them to Children's Hospital in Denver. Christmas came early for some of the patients at Children's Hospital!

Rummage Sale at Juniper Village at Aurora

"Another person's trash is another person's treasure" and so it was at our annual rummage sale at Juniper Village! Staff, family and the community were able to benefit from our rummage sale and all proceeds raised will be donated to the Alzheimer's Association Walk to End Alzheimer's!

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 Rummage Sale as well as hot dogs, chips and sodas for lunch on August 8^th and 9^th from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm; our Concert in the Village the second of three summer music performances in our lovely courtyard on August 14^th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm; or our La Dolce Vita Spaghetti Dinner and Auction where you can enjoy a delicious meal then bid on crafts or art made by our residents with proceeds benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association on August 21^st from 4:30 pm to 6:00 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.

First Concert in the Village

We had our first of three Concerts in the Village on July 10^th.  We had wonderful music in our fabulous courtyard and our residents and staff had a very enjoyable evening!

John Austin Reed played some rock and roll favorites and we also sold hotdogs, chips and soda as a fund raiser for the Alzheimer’s Association.

It doesn’t get much better than being outdoors on a summer evening in Colorado with music and friends!

Dementia Whisperer

Laura Wayman, an internationally renowned Dementia Expert, came to Juniper Village at Aurora help to families and professionals who work on a daily basis with residents/loved ones with this disease. Ms. Wayman an accomplished keynote speaker, dedicated Gerontologist endorsed by Johns Hopkins University Press, and published author of, “A Loving Approach to Dementia Care”.

5.4 million Americans are caring for a loved one with some form of dementia-without any formal support, education or resources.  Even more frightening, 68% of these family caregivers will get sick or pass away before the loved one presenting the dementia symptoms that they are caring for.  Laura uses and teaches techniques that can arm families and caregivers with practical solutions to care for someone with dementia providing the caregiver with more moments of meaning and purpose.

Families were invited to attend her event and staff at JVA were able to meet with her after her presentation and ask questions.  We will be bringing Laura Wayman back in October for another event for families and a refresher with staff as part of our on-going training at JVA to ensure our staff is some of the most highly trained in dementia care. 

Jennifer Harris of Juniper Village at Aurora Promoted to Regional Director of Operations

Juniper Communities, one of the largest owner-operators of assisting living properties with revenues at $62 million, has named Jennifer Harris Director of Operations for the Colorado region.  Previously she was the Executive Director of Juniper Village at Aurora, recruited there in May, 2008 as the Wellness Director. She was promoted after one year to Executive Director.

In her new position, Harris will oversee the operations of three of Juniper’s Denver metro properties – Aurora, Louisville, and The Spearly Center – and expects to take on more as Juniper continues its expansion in this marketplace.

Lynne Katzmann, Founder and CEO of Juniper spoke about Harris’s abilities, “Jennifer has been a strong leader at Juniper for many years.  She proved her abilities not only in two different positions at Aurora but also in special project work throughout our portfolio.  At Juniper, our mission and culture drive our success so promoting from within makes a lot of sense as our new leaders not only have proven skills but also understand and believe in our mission!”

In her role as Executive Director of Juniper Village at Aurora, Harris led the Aurora team to be recognized by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America with its ‘Excellence in Care, Dementia Care Program of Distinction’ designation in 2009-11, 2011-13 and 2014-16; also, the Alzheimer’s Association’s Leader in Dementia Care for 2012 and 2013. Under her leadership, Juniper Village at Aurora was the first community to fully implement an electronic heath record system and received numerous corporate awards for customer satisfaction.

“It has been my great pleasure to work with Jennifer in multiple roles and projects over the years.  She brings an incredible level of operational strength and wisdom to her work with our Colorado communities.  I have no doubt that she will continue to foster our Juniper mission and community success in her new role as regional director,” said Cindy Longfellow, National Director of Sales and Marketing.

Jennifer Harris started her career in healthcare 21 years ago as a Certified Nursing Assistant. She went on to nursing school and has been a licensed nurse for 16 years.

“I have loved working with elders and especially with the Dementia population. My journey in healthcare has been so much more rewarding than I ever thought it would be,” Jennifer said.

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; our Concert in the Village which will be the first of three summer concerts in our beautiful courtyard on July 10^th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm; our Thank You Volunteers 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 15^th at noon; our Car Wash Fundraiser where you can get a clean and shiny car while helping out a great cause with all proceeds benefiting the Alzheimer’s Association on July 19^th from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm; our Breakfast Talk featuring hearty food and educational conversation on July 24^th from 7:30 am to 8:30 am; or our Best Friends Giving Back Social where you can indulge in light refreshments and mingle with fellow community members. 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. 

Father's Day Car Hop at Juniper Village Aurora

We celebrated all the dads in our lives in true 50's fashion!  We had a classic car rally with some really beautiful classic cars which our residents, staff and family loved!

We also had a fantastic barbecue and fresh, made to order malts – chocolate, vanilla and strawberry!!  Yum!

Lady and the Tramps performed as our residents enjoyed the beautiful day in our lovely courtyard!  What a great way to show appreciation to all the dads on Father's Day!

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 Father’s Day Car Hop on June 14^th at noon; and our Blueberry Pancake Breakfast on June 26^th from 8:30 am to 10:30 am. Join us this month as we Live in Wellness.

Flower Planting and Mother's Day Tea

This month’s Alive in All Seasons theme is “Grow Strong Daily” so what better way to start off the month then with our Best Friend’s flower planting!

It was a perfect day to be outside to do our flower planting.  We all donned our hats and gloves (and sunscreen) and enjoyed getting some exercise, spending time with friends and community, and celebrating the beauty of spring.  And spring is the perfect season to celebrate growth!

Later, we celebrated Mother’s Day with our traditional Mother’s Day Tea.  We had wonderful pastries,  beautiful harp music, and roses and gifts for all the women that attended our celebration.  Just a small token to show our appreciation for all the wonderful women in our lives!

“A mother is a verb.  It’s something  you do.  Not just who you are.”  - Cheryl Lacey Donovan

“Mother’s hold their children’s hands for a short while, but their hearts forever.”  Author Unknown

Bunnies! Cute, fluffy, adorable, little bunnies!

People that come to Juniper Village at Aurora often notice and ask about all the giraffe statues they see all over the community.  The giraffe is a symbol of sorts for us for two reasons:  One has to do with the giraffe’s long neck which symbolizes how we strive to reach way up, to go above and beyond.  The second reason is because at one time it was thought that giraffes had one of the largest hearts.  In reality, they have a small heart, however, it has such great power from a very strong heart beat because it has to generate blood flow from the heart all the way up to the brain which is quite a distance.  This heart beat is so strong generates twice the blood pressure of a human and double the beats per minute (170 beats per minute) as compared to a human.

We take pride in our giraffe symbol and a beautiful example of this is a recent rescue made by our maintenance director, Steve.  Steve found three dead baby bunnies in our courtyard.  The mother rabbit was gone and there were two small surviving baby bunnies.  He took them in and bought cat’s milk formula and a very small bottle and began the process of bottle feeding them.  One of them was extremely small, much smaller than the other one, and we didn’t think it would survive.  However, Steve would not even entertain the idea that the little one wouldn’t make it.  He took them home every night and fed them every two hours.  After the first couple of days, you could see that the smallest one was getting stronger.  It was not able to hop initially, it would walk off balance, and when it would sit up to try to clean its face, it would fall over. Still, Steve kept feeding them and letting them run around to get strong (even letting them run around on his bed at home) and they both continued to grow and flourish!

The team at JVA helped as Steve’s backup on occasion so he had some time off from caring for these adorable bunnies.  They are both doing very well, eating grass now and even drinking water from a shallow dish, so the goal is to release them back into the courtyard at JVA in the next week or two.

What a perfect example of the wonderful heart of Steve and the staff at Juniper Village at Aurora!  They truly embody the philosophy of a compassionate, strong heart and going above and beyond to make a difference!

Grow Strong Daily: May Events

Welcome to May where we will be dancing around the May Pole on May Day; donning opulent hats for the Kentucky Derby and sombreros for Cinco de Mayo; honoring our mothers on Mother’s Day and our fallen heroes on Memorial Day. What a fantastic month of celebration! In addition to observing these holidays, Juniper Village will be focusing on this month’s Alive In All Seasons theme “Grow Strong Daily” with an emphasis on fitness.

Studies show exercise is an effective treatment for many chronic conditions such as arthritis, heart disease and diabetes and can also help people with high blood pressure, balance problems or difficulty walking. Stress management, improved mood and cognitive function are other benefits of regular exercise. This is why Juniper Village makes exercise a part of every day! We are completely dedicated to whole person wellness and “nurturing the spirit of life” for each individual we touch by encouraging an active body, an engaged mind and a fulfilled spirit.

Join us here at Juniper Village at Aurora for our Best Friends Flower Painting on May 2^nd at 2:00 pm; our Mother’s Day Tea on May 10^th at 10:00 am; our Eat and Be Fit Luncheon on May 22^nd at noon; or our Memorial Day BBQ on May 26^th at noon. See our newsletter calendar for a complete listing of events and come visit us during any that suit your fancy!

Annual Easter brunch and Easter egg hunt!

Spring is such a wonderful time of year!  Flowers are beginning to come up from the ground and the trees are starting to bloom.  The weather warms up, the days start to get a little longer, and the birds can be heard chirping from early in the morning until late in the evening.  Another sign of spring is our annual Easter brunch and Easter egg hunt at Juniper Village at Aurora!

This year we had an even bigger turnout thanks to the beautiful weather!  For April, our Alive in All Seasons focuses on the brain and we know that social activity and healthy food are very important for brain health.  Our Easter brunch included lots of colorful, fresh fruits and lots of wonderful social activity starting with coloring eggs, stuffing candy into plastic eggs, hiding the eggs in our beautiful back yard, and nurturing relationships with our residents, their family and friends, and our staff and their children! 

And what would Easter be without a visit from the Easter bunny!

Spring is a magical time of year!

  

Celebrating Tradition with Performance

At Juniper, during the month of March we celebrated opportunities with performances of many kinds.  Included in the many and various opportunities that were offered were the Drama Club, Sing-a-longs, Scarf Dancing, Music Therapy, a Pom Pom Dance, One Accord Musical group performance, Poetry reading, a dance party, and we wouldn’t let the month pass without the Irish High Step Dancers performing on St. Patrick’s Day…it’s a long standing tradition! 

According to Wikipedia:  Irish step-dance is a style of dance with its roots in traditional Irish dance. It can be performed solo or by troupes. Two types of shoes are worn; hard shoes, which make sounds similar to tap shoes, and soft shoes, which are similar to ballet slippers. Dancers stiffen their upper bodies while performing quick, intricate footwork. Costumes are considered important for stage presence in competitive Irish step-dance. There are several levels of competition available for both individuals and groups.

The nature of the Irish dance tradition has changed and adapted over the centuries to accommodate and reflect changing populations and the fusion of new cultures. The history of Irish dancing is as a result a fascinating one. The popular Irish dance stage shows of the past ten years have reinvigorated this cultural art, and today Irish dancing is healthy, vibrant, and enjoyed by people across the globe.

Being able watch the young dancers move with such vibrancy, intent, and detail is always a joyful experience.  The smiles of the on-lookers brighten the room every time!  Being able to enjoy such performances with good friends, families, and acquaintances…and let’s not forget the delicious corned beef, cabbage, along with the rest of the very delicious meal would be the luck of the Irish.  With that said, we can all be a wee bit Irish on St. Patty’s Day.

Believe in Yourself: April Events

April, the month where we play innocent pranks on April Fool’s Day; celebrate Springtime and Easter with egg hunts, brunches, and church; pay homage to mother earth on Earth Day; and welcome the return of America’s favorite pastime – Baseball. This month we embark on a new quarter in our Alive in All Seasons calendar where we celebrate Healthy Aging and will “Let Wellbeing Thrive”. Throughout April our focus is on the brain and honoring the theme “Believe in Yourself”. Did you know that activities that are good for your heart are also good for your brain? The American Heart Association tells us that protecting memory and brain health is a matter of keeping your heart and blood vessels healthy. Regular cardio exercise and a healthy diet not only keep your heart happy, but your brain too.

This month’s offerings include activities and events that will keep our bodies and brains healthy and renew our faith in ourselves. Educational opportunities will cover brain health topics such as brain booster activities and ways to keep fit. We will rejoice in our individuality and celebrate ourselves through life affirming reminiscent and creative activities while reminding each other to “Believe in Yourself”.

Please join us here at Juniper Village at Aurora for Drum Therapy with Helen on April 5^th at 2:00 pm; our Healthy Brain Luncheon on April 10^th at noon; our Best Friends Dying Easter Eggs activity on April 18^th at 2:00 pm; our Easter Brunch and Egg Hunt on April 19^th at 10:00 am; and our Holocaust Remembrance Discussion on April 26^th at 2:00 pm. See our newsletter calendar for a complete listing of events and come visit us during any that suit your fancy!

H'Art and Soul of Dining - New Menus with Delicious Recipes!

We are proud to announce that on April 5th our revitalized spring/summer menus will begin for our H’Art and Soul of Dining Signature Program at all of our communities.  This new signature program will help us improve quality of life and whole person wellness for the individuals that call Juniper Village home.  We are very excited this season since the offerings will feature a delicious 5-week entrée select option featuring fabulous new choices using some of the fresh products available through our food vendors. Also, on our updated menus, we have added many lighter alternatives as well as recipes specific to each community that take into account special diets, regional tastes, food committee requests and our resident’s special needs and personal requests.  These changes to our meal plans significantly increase the variety of selections provided for our residents while focusing upon scratch made offerings and heart-healthy meals.  Furthermore, in celebration of our AIAS spring quarter “Healthy Aging,” our Grill Menus will be re-vamped to highlight healthier offerings throughout the season. In addition we will be implementing an innovative hydration assurance program served from our “Oasis Carts,” featuring a variety of flavored waters using citrus or mint or cucumbers, fresh brewed iced tea, lemonade, punch, smoothies and juices as well as nutritious snacks.

Below are some of the recipes featured on our new menu:

Carrot-Currant Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour (to measure, spoon into a cup and level)
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup carrot juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup dried currants
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl whisk together butter, egg, milk, carrot juice and vanilla. Pour the egg mixture over the dry ingredients and gently fold just until moistened. Fold carrots and dried currants into the mix. Scoop batter into the muffin pan and bake until golden brown and firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from pan (cool on a wire rack if you have one).

Yellow Squash Soup

Cooking Spray

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

1 cup diced zucchini

1 cup diced yellow squash

3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 (15 ounce) can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 ounce) can diced no-salt-added tomatoes

Coat a large saucepan with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add zucchini and yellow squash; sauté 3 minutes. Add all other ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.