Juniper Communities Appoints New Regional Director of Wellness and Wellbeing

Juniper Communities announces that Melissa “Missy” Ebner has joined Juniper as Regional Director of Wellness and Wellbeing. Missy brings a wealth of experience in nursing care, especially with seniors to her position. From a clinical perspective, her role will be to oversee the entire portfolio of clinical care and support for the residents, provide clinical oversight, and staff training. She is a licensed Registered Nurse (RN) in every state where Juniper currently has communities.

“We are very excited to have Missy join the Juniper family,” expressed Lynne Katzmann, CEO of Juniper Communities. “She comes to Juniper with a wonderful background and deep experience in the clinical complainants of senior living. She will be a great resource for our community wellness teams and to the home office team in this changing healthcare environment.”

Missy’s interest in working with senior living communities is that they offer residents more freedom than skilled nursing settings. “The seniors can be taken care of in a homelike environment and you can become a friend, not seen as a nurse or caregiver,” she explained. “Juniper’s staff is wonderful at treating the residents as a parent or grandparent, this doesn’t always happen in institutional settings.”

Juniper Communities owns and operates Personal Care, Assisted Living, Memory-Care, Skilled Nursing and Independent Living communities in NJ, FL, CO and PA.

“Nobody is as forward thinking as Juniper. They are far ahead of the curve in the industry and where healthcare is going. The staff I’ve observed go above and beyond, always doing more even though no one is looking,” Missy described of her building level observations.

Missy Ebner has worked in the healthcare industry since 1987. She received her LPN from the James Martin School of Nursing in 1987 and her RN from Excelsior College in 2005. She is a resident of Willow Grove, PA and born and raised in Pennsylvania. She has been married to Henry Ebner for 26 years and has three children, Corey, Shane and Cassidy.  Something her family and friends know about her is that she loves to shop the Outlets, and loves a good bargain!

Celebrate Little Things: December Events

This month is all about celebrations! Not only will we be celebrating holidays such as Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve, but we will also celebrate the little things that make life worthwhile. Little things such as the reassuring touch of a friend’s hand, a kind word from an acquaintance and a warm smile from a stranger.

In our all too busy lives we sometimes forget to honor the simple things in life that bring us peace and joy. Most experts recommend that we allow 10-20 minutes of relaxation and stress relief each day. Making time for that can even be a stressful experience! During this busy month of baking, shopping, visitors and juggling tasks take time to remember what is really important.

Here are some tips to keep holiday stress in check: Acknowledge your feelings - you are not alone as holiday stress is not uncommon. Be realistic with expectations - you can only do so much, learn to say no. Ask for help when needed - everyone wants to be needed and may feel more included by being able to contribute. Plan ahead to minimize unplanned expenses and tasks. Take a breather - take a walk at night and do some stargazing, listen to soothing music, or get a massage. Above all enjoy all the holidays have to offer by sharing time with others.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our Family Council Meeting with Debbie Fulton from the Alzheimer Support Network as our guest speaker on our topic of “Coping with Holidays” on December 8^th from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm (RSVP to 239-598-1368 by December 4^th); our Holiday Bread Exchange for a cup of cheer with delightful appetizers, and a fresh baked Holiday Bread made just for you to take home on December 9^th from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm (RSVP to 239-598-1368 by December 5^th); or our Celebrating Holiday Traditions Family Luncheon feast on a variety of traditional Holiday favorites from around the world to celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa and Chanukah with family and friends on December 17^th from noon to 1:00 pm (RSVP to 239-598-1368 by December 10^th)!

Look through our calendar and join us during the busy month of December for our annual cookie exchange and holiday celebrations. Take time to Celebrate Little Things with those you love!

Juniper Village at Naples Family Halloween Fun!

Juniper Village at Naples celebrated a very special Halloween with family and friends. What a spooktacular time we had with the  special trick or treaters on Halloween! We had a delightful  visit by "Officer Sally" from Avow hospice- toting her coffee and donuts! Nurse Nandie was spooky along side her little bumble bee and little officer!  The residents were delighted to have such special guests to trick or treat! A Happy Halloween that was shared by all ages!

Cherish the Journey: November Events

Life is a journey filled with lessons, celebrations and special moments that ultimately lead us to our destination, our purpose in life. The road will not always be smooth and we may encounter many challenges. Some of these will test our courage, strengths, weaknesses, and faith. Along the way, we may stumble upon obstacles that must be overcome. But, sometimes these obstacles are really blessings in disguise, although we may not realize it at the time. How we react to the situations we face will determine what the rest of our journey will be like.

This month Juniper Communities will honor our Families and cherish the journey we have taken together. November is all about celebrating the bonds we share and recognizing where we’ve been and where we’re going. We will do this through autobiographical journaling, reminiscing about family celebrations and breaking bread together in Thanksgiving. In order to support our families along this journey we will continue to develop our support groups and provide additional resources when needed. We will give back through our Annual Food Drive. From November 1 through November 30 all non-perishable food items collected will be donated to a local food bank.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our Annual Food Drive where you can drop off non-perishable food items for Harry Chapin Food Bank anytime all month long; our Luncheon with Daniel Burzynski to answer all your questions on the process of obtaining Veteran Benefits including the Aid and Attendance benefit on November 10^th at 12:30 pm (please RSVP by Nov 3^rd to 239-598-1368); our Luncheon with Jill Burzynski about life planning to help educate on the many choices on November 18^th at 12:30 pm (please RSVP by Nov 10^th to 239-598-1368); or our Giving Thanks Family Luncheon for our family and friends to feast on the turkey, the taters, and the stuffing, as we sit around the table and count our blessings on November 20^th from noon to 1:00 pm (please RSVP by Nov 13^th to 239-598-1368).

Look through our calendar and plan to join us for family celebrations, Thanksgiving dinners and many events and activities allowing us all to reflect and Cherish the Journey!

Juniper Village at Naples Residents visit the Humane Society of Naples

A group of 8 residents and staff  took an exciting bus trip on Friday October 10^th,  to

 the Humane Society of Naples. They brought the many bags of dog and cat food that were donated at the PAWTINI fundraiser.  Patrice Worcester of the Humane Society was very grateful for all the goodies that we brought. She and the staff were very welcoming to our residents as they took them on a tour and let them visit with some of the puppies that are waiting to be adopted during adopt-a-dog month. It was very heart-warming to see our residents smile and even laugh, while watching the kittens play. Some of the  residents even got a very welcomed kiss, from one of the puppies! Our residents had a wonderful time and look forward to the next trip we take to the Humane Society of Naples.

"PAW-TINI" Fundraiser for our Furry Friends

Juniper Village at Naples celebrates "Friendship" with a  "PAW-TINI" fundraiser for our furry friends.

So many of us enjoy the Friendship of a loving cat or dog. They bring us joy when we are sad and never expect a thing in return. On Tuesday night, September 30^th colleagues and friends gathered and generously brought items to be donated to our local Humane Society. A fun time was had by all,  at the "PAWTINI" event! Refreshments had an animal theme- a Chocolate-Lab-tini and kitty fur-balls(Swedish meatballs) to name just a few. All were prepared by Juniper Village at Naples Food and Beverage Director Steven Moyer. Guests even included Levi & Stuart Noger- two sweet long haired Chihuahuas!  They are so cute! A big thank you goes out to all! Watch for the next step- as our residents of Juniper Village at Naples take a trip to donate the items to the Humane Society of Collier county!

Show Your Colors: October Events

October brings forth vibrant color in our foliage as well as our sports teams. Our high school football teams will be in full swing and hockey season will prepare to fill the stands with team colors and spirit. Juniper Communities will also be honoring our colors with many sports-themed activities and events. We will be enjoying the changing colors of the season as we transition from summer to fall and the crazy costumes of our annual Halloween celebrations.

While showing our colors we not only focus on our team colors, but also showing our true colors. We recognize that working together as a team, results in better coordination of care, better quality of care and as a result better lives for our residents. This is evidenced by our excellent clinical outcomes data. We are happy to see the results of collaboration resulting in decreased re-hospitalizations and better quality of life for our residents.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our Family “BOO” Luncheon where you can put on a bed sheet and come on down for “Spooktacular” food at the best Halloween Luncheon in town on October 22^nd from noon to 1:00 pm (RSVP by Oct 14^th to 239-598-1368); our 100th Anniversary WWI Lecture hosted by Steven Valdespino that will educate and reminisce on the prelude to the world’s first global conflict, the “Great War” on October 24^th from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm; or our Enhancing End of Life Care through Hospice Presentation an informative educational CE will explains how to identify a patient/resident who is hospice appropriate and the eligibility criteria providing 1 CEU for RNs , LPNs, SWs and LTC Administrators (RSVP by Oct 21^st to 239-598-1368)!

Please look through our calendar to celebrate the spirit of autumn with us and Show Your Colors!

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 Strolling Guitar and Singing performance by Bob Shea on September 10^th at 2:00 pm; our Strolling Accordion and Singing performance by Louis Salvatore on September 16^th at 4:00 pm; our Mystery Bus Ride to (oh, right, it’s a secret, so I can’t say) on September 18^th at 1:30 pm; or our Picnic at Veteran’s Park featuring beautiful views and delicious food shared with good friends on September 25^th at 11:30 am.

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

Juniper Village at Naples enjoys the environment at the Wonder Gardens of Bonita Springs

Juniper Village at Naples residents celebrated August's environment month at the Everglades Wonder Gardens in Bonita Springs. They saw flamingos, ducks, turtles and tortoises in their natural environment. They saw many of the gators at the alligator pool. They viewed the lush botanicals while walking through the gardens.  The Wonder Gardens is one of the last survivors of Florida's Golden Age of roadside attractions established in 1936. The residents and staff enjoyed a wonderful day viewing Florida's beautiful environment.  

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 Go “Green “Family Luncheon where we take “going green” literally with everything from lime-aide to key-lime pie, this luncheon will make Kermit the Frog green with envy on August 13^th from noon to 1:00 pm (RSVP by August 6^th to 239-598-1368); our “Caregiver Stress” informative educational seminar by Dr. Catherine Cruikshank of the Alzheimer’s Association on August 20^th from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm (please RSVP by August 13 to 239-598-1368); or our “Mount Rainier” afternoon of education and fun with light refreshments and a presentation by Steve Valdespino M.A. Brown University on August 28^th at 2:30 pm (please RSVP by August 20 to 239-598-1368). 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.

Juniper Village at Naples visits with North Naples Fire Department

Residents and staff made a very special trip to the fire department to show them how much we truly appreciate all that they do.  The firefighters of the North Naples fire department were very grateful for the lovely fruit basket that was given to them. The residents loved their “fire hats” and were so happy to have their pictures taken with the firefighters!  

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 Family Patriotic Luncheon where you can wear your Red, White and Blue while feasting on hot dogs, burgers, and all the fixings on July 2^nd from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm; our Back to School Fundraiser taking donations of school suppliers for local Collier county schools in exchange for wine and light appetizers on July 10^th from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm; or our Debbie and Friends Family Council Driving and Alzheimer’s discussion offering tips on how to approach loved ones when it is no longer safe for them to drive on July 15^th from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm. 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. 

Welcome to the Wild West Father's Day Chuckwagon

Juniper Village at Naples celebrated Father's Day in old west style.
Chuck wagon grub and country music were enjoyed by all. "The Duke"
himself arrived to make sure the posse was in order! Join us on July
2nd for the Patriotic- Fireworks-luncheon.

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 Bob Shea’s Strolling Guitar and Singing performance on June 7^th at 2:00 pm; a scenic Boat Ride on June 11^th at 2:30 pm; and our Father’s Day Family Luncheon on June 12^th at noon (RSVP to 239-598-1368 by June 4^th). Join us this month as we Live in Wellness.

Derby Day

The red hatters at Juniper traded in their traditional toppers to don Derby bonnets. This milliner activity resulted in some stunning works of art. Stop by on Derby Day to see the ladies in their creative masterpieces. They are sure to win place and definitely show.

Juniper Village at Naples takes a Ride on the Wild Side

Residents enjoyed an exciting tour of the Everglades on a private airboat ride. Corey Billie, native Seminole Indian, owns and operates this adventurous attraction. The 200 acre preserve located in the heart of the Everglades offers opportunity to see exotic animals, rare birds and of course alligators!

Here comes Peter Cottontail

Families, friends, residents and staff enjoyed a traditional Easter egg hunt. Little tikes gathered more than 200 eggs that had been hidden by the residents. Robbie the Ring Master wowed the audience with magic feats and balloon art. What a way to kick off Spring.

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 Naples for our Coastland Mall Walking Outing on May 7^th at 10:00 am; our Mother’s Day Brunch on May 8^th at noon (RSVP to 239-598-1368 by May 2^nd); our Friends of Debbie Alzheimer’s Support Group on May 27^th at 2:30 pm (RSVP to 239-598-1368 by May 20^th); or our Veteran’s Pinning Ceremony on May 28^th at 3:00 pm (RSVP to 239-598-1368 by May 21^st). See our newsletter calendar for a complete listing of events and come visit us during any that suit your fancy!

Route 66 Walking Club

Juniper Village at Naples has established a walking club cleverly named Route 66. Our focus in May is fitness and this seemed to be a great time to take our club on the road. This lively group visited Veteran's Park where they enjoyed a nature walk in the beautiful sunshine and lunch al fresco.

4th Annual Art Exhibit

Juniper Village at Naples was the scene for our 4th Annual Resident Art Exhibit. Juniper Gallery presented original Art from the Heart masterpieces painted by residents and local health care providers. This mix and mingle art sale benefits Alzheimer's Disease. To obtain original art feel free to contact our Connection's Department.