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!