November 2016 Events in Aurora, CO: Cherish the Journey

Each November we turn our attention to Family with our Alive In All Seasons Theme: Cherish the Journey. We have always enjoyed helping our residents chronical their individual life journeys through journaling. In addition to keeping track of the daily happenings in our lives, journaling has surprising health benefits as well. University of Texas at Austin psychologist and researcher James Pennebaker contends that regular journaling strengthens immune cells, called T-lymphocytes. He also believes that writing about stressful events helps you come to terms with them, thus reducing the impact of stress on your health. Other research indicates that journaling decreases the symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Scientific evidence also shows that writing your thoughts down can help clarify your thoughts and feelings, help you to know yourself better, reduce stress, and problem solve more effectively. An additional benefit of journaling is that you are leaving a legacy for future generations. Review your journal together! Reminiscing about the events in one’s life is a way to affirm who they are, what they’ve accomplished in life and relive happy times. So, pick up a pen and Cherish the Journey, the benefits are endless!

Join our journey through November as we honor and celebrate family and the journey of life with our autobiographical journaling. Help us support our greater community with our annual Food Drive and our on-site support groups. We look forward to seeing you soon!

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

§  Holiday Edition Expert Panel because when we think holidays, we think food; we can’t help it; that’s why this “Two-Part Holiday Edition” of the Juniper Village Expert Panel will feature our very own Chef, Chris Hannah, and one of our favorite Occupational Therapists, Robyn Phelps of Senior Functional Fitness, for a unique experience that will be extremely informative and also tasty with a live cooking exhibit, so all are encouraged to attend this quarterly event on November 2^nd at 6:30 pm.

§  Painting With Elyse because memories are the most precious keepsake, no matter which holiday it is, so join our family at Juniper Village as we enjoy painting and making memories together with our wonderful instructor Elyse at this event that is open to everyone on November 16^th from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

§  Juniper Village Annual Food Drive because here at Juniper, we believe the holiday season should be something every family looks forward to, so help others this holiday season by helping us gather donations for our annual food drive; we will accept canned goods and monetary donations to help benefit local families, so please bring donations to the front lobby at Juniper Village at Aurora all month long.

We look forward to sharing our November 2016 events in Aurora, CO at Juniper Village at Aurora with you as you Cherish the Journey.

October 2016 Events in Aurora, CO: Show Your Colors

As we say good bye to Indian summer, we welcome the cooler air and slower pace of the autumn season. From warm apple cider, everything pumpkin and end of season hiking trips, there are so many reasons to enjoy autumn. William Cullen Bryant says it best, “Autumn, the year’s last, loveliest smile.” With the seasonal changes now in full swing we see fall flowers appearing where summer blooms once stood and leaves changing into vibrant shades of yellow, orange and red. The evening air has a slight chill and carries the scent of campfires, leaves and cinnamon spice. Our activities turn from swimming and baseball to raking leaves and football. Not only is Mother Nature showing her colors, but we begin to show our team colors with a focus on sports! Join us throughout the month as we bond over sporting events while cheering on our favorite teams, complete with tailgate parties and snacks.

Throughout October we will show our colors as we sponsor and support local sports teams. We will honor our associates who show their colors by “nurturing the spirit of life” with The Juniper Spirit awards. Alas, October would not be complete without celebrating the season with our annual Halloween Costume Party, which is open to ghosts and goblins of all ages. Join us this month and Show Your Colors!

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

§  Oktoberfest because if you’ve never been to Munich for the World Famous Oktoberfest, Juniper Village at Aurora insists that you are missing out, and that’s why you’ll want to grab your largest stein and head toward the accordion filled fun at Juniper, from beer tasting to Roasted Bratwurst Skewers and Homemade Sauerkraut, Juniper will have it all, so come hungry and leave happy, as this fun filled tradition of ours is always something to look forward to, and this complimentary event is open to the general public on October 13^th from 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

§  Physical Therapy at Home with Senior Functional Fitness’s very own Dr. Mollie, who will be in to teach us the basics of physical therapy, so we may even discover some basic steps we can take at home each day to help ourselves or those dear to us stay fit and healthy on October 21^st from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

§  Boo Fest as we are sure you already have some “spooktacular” events planned for this fun evening, so that’s why Juniper Village has a special morning celebration for this fright-filled holiday, and this event is open to the public and is sure to be a time you won’t want to miss on October 31^st at 9:30 am to 11:30 am.

We look forward to sharing our October 2016 events in Aurora, CO at Juniper Village at Aurora with you as you Show Your Colors.

Friendship

What do 1000 pieces, Gateway Club, Howard & Dell have in common?  Friendship. A friendship that’s nourished each day huddled around a very intricate puzzle in Gateway Club.  First they sort the small puzzle pieces by color, then confer with each  other where their interlocking pieces fit.  It’s common to see them scratch their heads and stroke their chins as if we could see the question marks hovering above their heads. 

Juniper Village at Aurora and Dell are very proud of Howard for challenging himself in solving the 1000 piece puzzles. These men are glue behind a strong friendship.

September 2016 Events in Aurora, CO: Spread Your Joy

As the air begins to cool and summer wanes, Juniper Village ends our “Stay Connected” series by recognizing Friendship and Joy. What is it that brings you joy? Is it the wet nose of a newborn pup? The smile of your first grandchild? The taste of a triple chocolate ice cream cone? Whatever it is we invite you to share that joy with others at Juniper Village this month.

Much attention has been paid to studies regarding the effects of stress on your health, but what about the effects of joy? The landmark “Nun Study,” as it's often known, revealed that positive emotion is correlated with longevity: 90% of the most cheerful quarter of nuns was alive at the age of eighty-five, whereas only 34% of the least cheerful quarter lived to that age. Similarly, 54% of the most cheerful fourth was alive at age ninety-four, versus 11% of the least cheerful. Of the 678 sisters in the original study about four dozen are still living. So go ahead, grab that triple chocolate cone it might just extend your life!

Join us this month as we celebrate friendship and staying connected with calendar events such as our annual daffodil planting and our home warming, birthday party and Best Friend initiatives.

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

§  Fresh Bread for Friends because National Assisted Living Week is not only a chance to pat ourselves on the back for all that we do, but it’s also a chance to acknowledge all of the other communities that provide great care for seniors, so Juniper will be baking friendship bread and delivering it hot and fresh out of the kitchen to our partners in caring between September 12^th and September 17^th.

§  Best Friends Forever because each and every senior here at Juniper Village has a special bond with their best friend who is an associate on our team, so join us on this special day as we celebrate our friendships with a gift that lasts a lifetime by transferring our favorite pictures onto beautiful wooden canvases with the help of our best friends, and though this event may sound exclusive, we promise to include anyone and everyone that wants to participate, so come and join in the fun on September 22^nd from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm.

§  Learning With Friends because with such spectacular resources at our fingertips, we’d be terrible friends not to share, so Juniper will join our partners in caring from across the Front Range to tour the Rocky Mountain Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, located on the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus; there are only 15 total spots available for this exclusive, expert led tour, so secure your spot today on this one of a kind journey through today’s top findings in CU’s passionate quest to cure Alzheimer’s on September 29^th from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm. (Please RSVP to Evan at 303-218-8322.)

We look forward to sharing our September 2016 events in Aurora, CO at Juniper Village at Aurora with you as you Spread Your Joy.

August 2016 Events in Aurora, CO: Breathe in Life

Each August we turn our focus to the environment by offering social events and educational opportunities on living a more environmentally sustainable life. By making caring choices and creating helpful habits we can all make a difference to our planet.

Did you know that an aluminum can may remain in its current condition in a landfill for up to 500 years? That same can, when recycled, can end up back on your grocer’s shelf in as little as two months. Recycling that aluminum can also saves energy. Enough energy, in fact, to power your television for three hours! Aluminum can be recycled over, and over and over again – without limit. Americans will use about 2.5 million plastic bottles every thirty minutes. If that bottle is not recycled it can spend the next 450 years or more in a landfill. A modern glass bottle will take about 4,000 years to biodegrade. Glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled again, and again and again. So, the next time you are enjoying a delicious beverage, be conscious of the packaging and make the choice to recycle.

Join us this month as we promote the environment with a focus on our recycling programs – from annual rummage sales to shredding and more; our educational offerings will help you to support our environment and Breathe in Life!

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

§  Silent Auction & Anniversary Bash because the team at Juniper Village at Aurora is no stranger to parties, and as a matter of fact, we aren’t even scared to throw one for ourselves, so come celebrate 17 years of leading the Front Range in Dementia Care, but make sure and bring the checkbook though, as our very own artists here at Juniper have their best works available for bidding and all proceeds will benefit the Alzheimer’s Association on August 12^th from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

§  Understanding & Responding to Dementia Related Behaviors FREE educational event for the public here at Juniper provided by The Alzheimer’s Association with complimentary refreshments, so don’t miss this great opportunity to hear local experts share advice for helping those with memory loss on August 17^th from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm.

§  Music & Memory iPod Drive because here at Juniper, we believe that music is medicine, and our Seniors are no different in the fact that they love to listen to music, almost all day– every day, so why not recycle your old iPods and headphones by donating them to Juniper, and we will also accept iTunes gift cards as well as monetary donations for our Music and Memory Program anytime from August 22^nd to 26^th.

We look forward to sharing our August 2016 events in Aurora, CO at Juniper Village at Aurora with you as you Breathe in Life.

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!