A Trip To The Islands

August 17th was our Trip To The Islands at Juniper Village at Lebanon. We started out the day with making our own Tropical Paper Leis in craft class - followed by a limbo contest, where staff and residents participated.  Then we invited families and friends to join us for a Tropical Luncheon.  But the main event was a musical trip to the Islands by Jamie and Henry.  They sang and used many types of instruments to make us feel that we were in Hawaii.  The day ended with a beach movie.  With the heat wave we have had all during August, we really felt as if we were in Hawaii!  Aloha!

September 2016 Events in Lebanon, PA: 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 Lebanon, PA at Juniper Village at Lebanon include our:

§  The Power of Pet Therapy because it’s no secret that animals seem to lift our spirit and soothe our soul, and pet therapy can help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, increase self-esteem and improve social skills, so join us at Juniper Village as K-Pets shares the benefits of pet therapy and their personal experiences during this complimentary program that is open to anyone who would like to know more about the healing power of pets with no cost to attend and a light lunch provided on September 14^th from noon to 1:00 pm. (Please RSVP by September 12^th to 717-272-8782.)

§  “Care of the Caregiver” - Time to Rejuvenate presentation by Michele DeVore, RN, Licensed Massage Therapist and Certified Medical Support Hypnotherapist from Hospice for All Seasons, who will create a space to explore with an experiential opportunity to learn about and discuss the barriers and benefits of taking time to rejuvenate self, because in keeping with the theme of FRIENDSHIP – we must be our own best friend first, so you will be encouraged to participate in activities such as meditation techniques, use of music, aroma and massage, so come and enjoy some time just for you, as there’s no cost to attend this interactive session and a complimentary light lunch will be provided on September 21^st from noon to 1:30 pm. (Please RSVP by September 19^th to 717-272-8782.)

§  Havin’ Fun Beatin’ the Drum with Wendy and Scott Gilbert of Drum2B1, who will share their passion and the therapeutic benefits of “beating the drum” at this hands-on Drum Circle session that will lift your spirit and soothe your soul, free to all attendees on September 29^th from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. (Please RSVP to 717-272-8782.)

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

Veterans Art Show

Three Juniper Village at Lebanon residents entered the Lebanon Veterans Administration Art Show on Friday, August 12th, and a bus full of spectators went along to the show.  Ken Scott, Paul Hirlinger, and Fred Olson all had entries in the art show, and each received a certificate for participation.  The Juniper Village table looked as good as any table there, and the residents were able to look at all of the other entries as well.  There was also live music in the lobby, and everyone was treated to a fountain drink in the canteen.  It was a memorable morning for everyone!

Ken's One-man Art Show

Ken Scott did not know about Mandelas before moving to Juniper Village at Lebanon, but he sure does now!  After being introduced to Mandela's at one of our art classes, he has since done over 130 of them!  He keeps them in two scrapbooks, but for his One-man Art Show, which was held in July, he took them out and spread many of them over all of the tables in the Garden Room.  He also displayed several of his acrylic paintings and mixed-media creations that he can be seen working on in his room at all hours of the day and night.  He said that the reason he has so many Mandelas is that he can't stop doing them because he enjoys it so much.  Some residents decided to give it a try after seeing Ken's display.  Residents who came for the art show also enjoyed the sparkling grape juice and cookie assortment.  It was a memorable morning for Ken and his family as well as the many residents and staff who attended the show.

On The Road Again!

Recently, there was a bus full of happy residents heading towards Ephrata singing "On The Road Again"! We ate lunch at The Udder Choice, which is famous for their ice cream creations, but their soups and sandwiches were great, too.  Rose, whose family owned an ice cream shop, got her picture taken in front of a huge collection of antique ice cream scoops and probably the largest ice cream scoop in the world!  After we finished there, we stopped at Weaver's Nut Store, which also had plenty of candy.  Fay can be seen standing next to a huge chocolate bar, and we all tried some free samples!  On the way home, we made one more stop to see Cindy Boyer's beautiful flowers in her yard.  Cindy drove separately with her mother Joyce, and helped out with our trip.  She also brought in fresh-cut flowers from her garden for each table in the dining room.  We really appreciate volunteers like Cindy!

Off to the Fair!

Nine Juniper Village residents braved the summer heat to visit the Lebanon Area Fair. We stayed in the air-conditioned exhibit halls for much of the time, where we saw every type of vegetable, flower, needlework, and artwork  imaginable. Then, we ventured outdoors in search of "fair food", with the famous milkshakes on the top of our list! Fresh cut fries, pork barbeque and fresh fruit rounded out the menu as we sat under the pavilion with a nice breeze to keep us cool. Afterwards, we visited the livestock halls, with giant pigs plus chickens and rabbits of all shapes, sizes and colors! It was a glorious day at the Fair!

Fun in the Park

Recently, a bus full of excited picnickers went to Coleman's Park for a refreshing afternoon of fun in the shade.  After enjoying a picnic lunch packed by Chef Ray, Juniper Village residents took turns on the swings and enjoyed strolling around the grounds, which featured a beautiful flower garden and a new playground for kids.  Some of the "big kids" even tried a few of the pieces of equipment.  On our way out of the park, we got to see the largest above-ground pool in the state.  We got back to Juniper Village just in time for the Folk Music Concert.  It was a full day of fun and excitement!