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 Joyous Music from “ZPraise” on June 4^th at 2:00 pm; Paw Prints our visit with Mollie and our furry friends on June 11^th at 10:30 am; our Father’s Day Family Tribute Celebration on June 15^th at 2:00 pm; our Happy Hour with Austie on June 20^th at 6:00 pm; and our French Fries Social on June 28^th at 1:00 pm. Join us this month as we Live in Wellness.

Easter Egg Hunt

Juniper Village at the Historic Shenango Inn hosted their annual Easter Egg Hunt on April 19^th at 10:30am.  The weather for the day before Easter was a beautiful sunny 60 degree spring day, the perfect weather for the children in the community to participate in the egg hunt.  Approximately 50 children attended the event, along with their parents and grandparents.  Residents of Juniper Village enjoyed sitting on the porch and watching the festivities.   A visit from the Easter Bunny made the kids smile, and three lucky children won special prizes that consisted of an Easter basket with a stuffed bunny and chocolate candy egg. 

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 the Shenango Inn for our Happy Hour with Doug Lindey on May 2^nd at 6:00 pm; our Juniper Walk Buddies program at Buhl Park every Monday at 9:00 am starting May 5^th (free water bottles for all so RSVP to 724-347-4000); our Mother’s Day Family Tea Celebration on May 11^th at 1:30 pm (RSVP to 724-347-4000); or our Family Hospice Presentation on “Wellbeing through Reiki” on May 20^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!

Reader's Choice Nominee for the Best of the Best - Please Vote for Us!!

This year we here at Juniper Village are feeling very honored, as we were announced as a nominee for the Shenango Valley Reader’s Choice Awards, “Best of the Best!”  In order to gain the nomination enough people had to suggest us to be included for the award.  The nominees were listed in the Sharon Herald in the month of March.  The announcement of the winner will be later this month.  Although we will be super excited to win, we are truly honored for the nomination! 

 To vote all you have to do is fill out a form that was included in the daily newspaper.  Alternatively, you can call 724-981-6100 and ask The Herald for the form to fill out.  Please vote for us!!

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 the Shenango Inn for our Believe in Yourself Family Dinner on April 17^th at 5:00 pm; our Annual Easter Egg Hunt on April 19^th at 10:30 am; our Family Hospice Keeping Your Spirituality lecture on April 22^nd at 2:00 pm; and our Ask the Pharmacist discussion on April 29^th at noon. 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.

LINK of Mercer County First Annual Lunch and Learn

The LINK of Mercer County held its First Annual Lunch and Learn at Juniper Village at the Historic Shenango Inn on March 20^th.  The purpose of the Lunch and Learn was to give the community an opportunity to learn more about the agencies in Mercer County who provide supports and services to seniors and adults with disabilities in our community.  Each presenter spoke on their agency and programs, giving the audience a unique chance to learn about several agencies in one day!  Juniper’s very own  Chef Nathan and his team prepared a delicious continental breakfast buffet; and a lunch buffet including a salad bar, a made-to-order pasta station and hand-crafted dessert!