Day of Caring Comes to Juniper Village!

On Saturday, April 22nd, over 1,000 volunteers from all over Lebanon County came together for breakfast at Lebanon High School, and then they dispersed throughout the County from 9:00 am to noon to do volunteer jobs at various agencies and facilities.  Juniper Village at Lebanon was fortunate enough to be chosen by the Youth Advocate Program (YAP), who brought some great prizes and then helped us to play Bingo for an hour.  Then we all moved to the lobby to hear another Day of Caring Volunteer, Bob Phillips (who is also our County Commissioner!) sing some of our favorite songs from the 40's and 50's. Christine and Paul couldn't help but dance to the swing music, and Joe provided some great backup and harmony with the extra microphone.  It was a fantastic morning for everyone involved!  Both Bob and the YAP volunteers said that they will be back again!

May 2017 Events in Lebanon, PA: Grow Strong Daily

Continuing our Spring Alive In All Seasons focus on healthy again, we continue to let wellbeing thrive with a May focus on Fitness. Staying fit throughout all seasons of life is possible and at Juniper we promote fitness every day of the week! We recently shared on our Facebook page a New York Times story, authored by Gretchen Reynolds, providing results from the Mayo Clinic who recently conducted an experiment on the cells of 72 healthy but sedentary men and women who were 30 or younger or older than 64. The volunteers were randomly assigned to a particular exercise regimen. There were some unsurprising differences: The gains in muscle mass and strength were greater for those who exercised only with weights, while interval training had the strongest influence on endurance. But more unexpected results were found in the biopsied muscle cells. It seems as if the decline in the cellular health of muscles associated with aging was “corrected” with exercise, especially if it was intense, says Dr. Sreekumaran Nair, a professor of medicine and an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic and the study’s senior author. In fact, older people’s cells responded in some ways more robustly to intense exercise than the cells of the young did. So pick up those weights, get on that bike and remember it’s never too late to benefit from exercise. And if you’re not doing so already, follow us on social media so you don’t miss a thing.

We invite you to Grow Strong Daily along with us with programs such as Fitness Five and our Route 66 Walking Program. Learn more about fitness and keeping your heart healthy at our Heart Healthy Luncheon and educational presentation. Staying fit throughout all seasons of life is possible.

Our fabulous May 2017 events in Lebanon, PA at Juniper Village at Lebanon include our:

§  Open House Independent Living/Garden Apartments in The Club of the Community House to learn more about our beautiful Garden Apartments as we have first and second floor, one and two bedroom, apartments available with optional meal plans and a variety of fun and educational activities are also available with a month-to-month rental model with no buy-in fees, so if you’re thinking about downsizing, now’s the time to see what Juniper Village has to offer as light refreshments will be served and each tour participant will receive a “goody” bag to take along on May 11^th from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. (RSVPs not required but appreciated at 717-272-8782.)

§  What Theralink and Vitality Days Are presented By Genesis Rehab with Jim Dumser, MPT, Director of Rehab, who will discuss Theralink and Vitality days as it relates to Juniper Village’s Connect4Life program and the Theralink program, which includes physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, in these special programs that help our residents continue to maintain or improve their physical abilities, reducing fall risks and hospitalizations; there is no cost to attend this informational session and a light lunch will be provided in The Club of the Community House on May 17^th from noon to 1:30 pm. (RSVP by May 15^th at 717-272-8782.)

§  Third Annual Community Yard Sale including a large selection of books and puzzles with all proceeds, including the food sales, supporting the American Heart Association held rain or shine in The Club of the Community House and tours of the community will also be available throughout the morning on May 20^th from 7:00 am to 12:00 pm.

§  National Senior Health & Fitness Day as we are proud to have partnered with WellSpan Health to participate in this 24^th annual event; during this fun-filled day, seniors will have the opportunity to participate in a yoga class, our Band-Together class, a specialty fruit and salad bar, and a presentation by Dr. Lisa Helwig to learn more about senior health, so all seniors are encouraged to join us for this exciting event on May 31^st from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm. (RSVPs not required but appreciated at 717-272-8782.)

We look forward to sharing our May 2017 events in Lebanon, PA at Juniper Village at Lebanon with you as you Grow Strong Daily.

Fourth Annual Spring Egg Hunt

Over 50 children and their families participated in the annual Spring Egg Hunt at Juniper Village at Lebanon. The residents had previously filled over 1,000 plastic eggs with wrapped candy and tickets for bigger prizes. Then they helped to hide the eggs in the garden behind the Village. The entire hunt was over within minutes, but then everyone went to The Club for snacks, crafts, and to spin the prize wheel. There was even a live bunny in the Village lobby for photos. Many thanks to all of the volunteers and staff who made this special day possible.  It was worth all of the preparations just to see the smiles on the faces of the kids and the adults!

Sweet and Sassy!

On April 18th, we were very fortunate to have a visit to Juniper Village at Lebanon from the Sweet and Sassy Line Dancers from the Maple Street Senior Center in Lebanon.  Several visitors stopped in their tracks after entering the lobby when they saw a dozen ladies dancing to songs like "Funky Town" and "YMCA".  Many residents and staff members joined in, and everyone else moved their feet and clapped along with the peppy music.  Those who participated said that it was quite a workout!  We are looking forward to their next visit!

Having Fun At The Senior Senior Prom

Several residents from Juniper Village at Lebanon attended the "Senior Senior Prom" at Cedar Crest High School on April 7th.  The students were excellent hosts and hostesses, looking elegant in their black and white attire as they served hors d'ouvres, drinks, dinner, and dessert.  They even danced with us as we listened to the Mick Cochran Band playing our favorite songs.  We are fortunate to live in a school district that provides several wonderful events like this to the community throughout the year.  It was a memorable evening for everyone who attended!

Happy Birthday OMA!

Juniper Village at Lebanon would like to wish a very special Happy Birthday to OMA!

April 2017 Events in Lebanon, PA: Believe in Yourself

Each April we begin our Healthy Aging Series with a focus on brain health, and encourage you to Believe in Yourself. We know that believing in yourself has a positive effect on your mental health, but did you know that self-confidence influences your physical health as well? Recent studies show people who exhibit self-confidence are generally healthier and tend to live longer. That's because confidence is a positive emotion and positive emotions have countless health benefits for your mind, body and spirit. In nurturing wellbeing by encouraging an active body, an engaged mind and a fulfilled spirit, Juniper is also building self-confidence. The link between health and confidence also may be related to the ability of positive emotions to boost our brain's power to hold attention, be aware and remember things. We are better able to learn, build new skills and relate with others when we are feeling optimistic. Also confident people are better able to handle chaotic situations in a positive manner. This helps to reduce or avoid excessive stress, high blood pressure, anger, confusion – all the negative side effects of feeling powerless, overwhelmed and out of control.

If you need to kick start your confidence, here are a few things to try: smile; count your blessings; surround yourself with confident people; learn how others have found their confidence and follow their lead; challenge negative or inaccurate thinking and replace with accurate, constructive thoughts; and encourage yourself. You can also plan to join us this month for uplifting discussions and a focus on brain health with offerings such as Daily Brain Builders, Wii games, and a Brain Healthy Luncheon.

Our fabulous April 2017 events in Lebanon, PA at Juniper Village at Lebanon include our:

§  4^th Annual Spring Egg Hunt as all little ones up to age 10 are invited to hunt for colorful eggs in our charming courtyards at this wonderful opportunity to experience the warmth that comes from sharing special moments with your friends and family at Juniper Village because everyone is welcome for this complimentary community event on April 1^st from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm.

§  Get Organized During Spring Cleaning because there’s no better time to get organized than during Spring cleaning, whether you’re cleaning out your own home or helping a loved one preparing to downsize, Kristen Martin, owner of TLC Ladies, will share tips and tricks-of-the-trade to make this an easier task, with over 20 years of experience, TLC Ladies has helped hundreds of families organize, downsize and move, so join us for this complimentary event that will be held in The Club of the Community House and a light lunch will be provided on April 12^th from noon to 1:30 pm. (Space is limited and reservations are required. Please RSVP by Monday, April 10^th by calling 717-272-8782.)

§  Women’s Heart Disease Support Group Hosted by WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital held in The Club of the Community House, this support group that meets every third Thursday of the month at a different location provides women living with heart disease critical peer-to-peer support, information and encouragement; this month’s topic will be Protecting Your Heart Managing Your Heart Medications, and a copy of the schedule and other site locations will be available at this meeting on April 20^th from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. (Reservations are requested. Please RSVP by calling 717-272-8782.)

§  Understanding and Coping with Stroke with Amanda Mae Gilgore, stroke coordinator for WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital, who will provide insight into stroke; signs and symptoms, early intervention, treatment options, and support groups, during this complimentary session held in The Club of the Community House with a light lunch provided that is open to anyone who would like to know more about dealing with stroke on April 26^th from noon to 1:30 pm. (Please RSVP by Monday, April 24^th by calling 717-272-8782.)

We look forward to sharing our April 2017 events in Lebanon, PA at Juniper Village at Lebanon with you as you Believe in Yourself.