Welcome Karen Grope!

Everyone is working hard to make a positive impact at Juniper Village at the Shenango Inn!!  As a team, we are learning, growing and sharing so that we can provide the highest quality of professionalism each and every day.  The newest member to join our Leadership Team is Karen Grope, Wellness Director.  Karen has been a nurse for 19 years in a variety of positions including Wound Care Coordinator, Community Liaison, Health and Wellness Director and Medical-Surgical Nursing.  She resides in Youngstown where she enjoys spending time with her fiancé Jim and toy poodle MonAmi. She is an artist and loves to paint and draw.  Other exciting news at Juniper Village,  Executive Director Mary Bennett and Connections Director Meg Ferlin recently received recognition by becoming Certified Dementia Practitioners! Congratulations to them both!

Spread Your Joy: September Events

September signifies the end of summer with Labor Day celebrations and the Autumnal Equinox on the 23^rd. In this last month of our “Stay Connected” series we aspire to connect with our friends and embrace the theme of Spread Your Joy.

The Mayo Clinic tells us that friends are good for your health. They can help you celebrate good times, provide support during bad times, prevent loneliness and give you a chance to offer needed companionship, too. Friends increase your sense of belonging and purpose, boost happiness, reduce stress, and improve your self-confidence and self-worth. Friends can also encourage you to increase healthy habits – it’s always better to walk, run, swim or exercise with a friend. And friends don’t always have to be of the human kind either! Several studies have shown that heart attack patients who have pets survive longer than those without.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our “Sip and Paint” Fundraiser featuring thirst-quenching libations and artistic creations to support the fight against Alzheimer’s on September 3^rd at 6:00 pm; our National Assisted Living Week Family Luncheon where we share a delicious meal with our closest friends and loved ones on September 11^th at noon; our Musical Performance with Ed and Sandy Ceremuga presenting some of our favorite tunes on September 17^th at 2:00 pm; our For Your Health and Information Series with Karen this month discussing the benefits of friends and friendship on September 24^th at 3:00 pm; or our Best Friends Bingo Game where residents and associates play for bragging rights (and maybe a little something extra).

Please look through our calendar and join us for any events that can help you stay connected, cultivate friendships and Spread Your Joy!

Breathe in Life: August Events

Our Alive in All Seasons’ theme for August is The Environment. Our communities will focus their efforts on maintaining healthy environments through environmentally conscious activities. Our “Green Canopy” program emphasizes designing and operating buildings that meet new standards of environmental sustainability. We are proud to be the first long-term care company with a building in the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.

According to research by Go Green, Americans throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour; 25 billion Styrofoam cups and 40 billion soft drink bottles and cans each year. Eighty-four percent of the average American’s household trash can be recycled. If we recycled just 1/10 of our newspapers 25 million trees could be saved. Are we all doing our part?

Join us this month as we learn more about the environment, expand our wide-scale recycling program, learn more about environmental sustainability programs and work with our community Green Teams to promote our “Green Canopy” initiative. We encourage you to accompany us on this environmental journey so that we can all continue to Breathe in Life!

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our “Birds, Our Little Feathered Friends” presentation by Family Hospice about avian species and their impact on our environment on August 5^th at 2:00 pm; our “Recycle the Music” event with Al Boles Karaoke featuring resident and staff requests on August 14^th at 2:00 pm; or our “Green” Apple Family Luncheon offering delicious foods with a creative twist on August 21^st at noon. 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. 

Breakfast in a Bag

Every year, for the past six years, Christa Cicuto has organized a complimentary breakfast in a bag event for the Shenango Valley Community.  This year with the assistance of Juniper's Chef Nathan Reed, the breakfast was served up hot!  Chef Reed cooked up fresh, delicious, and hot egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches to people who drove up to 1330 Kimberly Road in Sharon the morning of June 24^th from 7:30 to 9:00.  A fresh and colorful fruit cup and orange juice accompanied the breakfast sandwich.  Drivers who came to pick up a free breakfast were delighted and excited about their morning treat!  What a great way to start your day! 

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 “Virginia the Amazing Volunteer” Puppet Show about the wonderful personal and community benefits of volunteerism presented by Family Hospice on July 8^th at 2:00 pm; our Juniper Family Patriotic Picnic where you can show your American colors and have a delicious good time on July 12^th at noon; our “Afternoon Delight” Musical Presentation featuring melodic rhythms and light refreshments on July 21^st at 6:00 pm; or our Volunteer Breakfast for any in the Shenango Valley who volunteer their time for those in need to enjoy a complimentary breakfast in our grand ballroom as our thanks on July 24^th at 10:00 am (please RSVP to 724-347-4000). 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. 

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.