September 13 – 19 is National Assisted Living Week

Understand the senior living options available

This year, National Assisted Living Week’s theme is Nourishing Life: Mind, Body and Spirit and celebrates the countless ways assisted living caregivers nurture the whole resident. This has been the basis of Juniper Village at Naples’ mission since we began and is certainly a goal of the industry.

With the percentage of the U.S. population over age 65 steadily increasing, it is important to understand the many options available in specialized residences and the level of care they provide for the growing and varied needs of seniors.

In addition to the type of community, it is equally important to find one that offers compassionate care, unparalleled access to healthcare – preferably onsite, programming that will stimulate you such as Music & Memory, and a commitment to continued improvement.

Personal Care/Assisted Living residences are for seniors who require the least amount of care. Meals are provided along with assistance in medication management, bathing, and dressing, if needed. Housekeeping and laundry services may also be available. Community social activities or outings may be offered, and depending on their preferences and budgets, residents may have the option of choosing a private room or a shared apartment.

Although some Assisted Living residences may provide services for seniors with cognitive impairment, a Memory Care residence is a specialized community for patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Providing 24-hour supervision and security, the Memory Care environment is designed to meet the unique challenges of Alzheimer’s patients.

A Skilled Nursing Care residence, sometimes known as a nursing home, provides the highest level of care for its residents as well as round-the-clock availability of medical care. Seniors in these communities may be incontinent or require assistance with eating, walking, and moving about the bed.  Skilled Nursing Care residences usually provide long-term care for seniors who are too sick or frail for other types of residences.

In recognition of National Assisted Living Week, remember, when independent living becomes too difficult, moving into a senior living community that offers appropriate levels of care based on an individual’s need can often be the best solution.

Glowing Endorsement from Resident's Family Member

Yesterday, we received this letter from one of our resident’s family members with a glowing endorsement of and sincere gratitude for the excellent level of care and compassion we provide. 

(The image below was edited only to remove their last name for privacy.)

September 2015 Events in Naples, FL: 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!

This month we invite you to “Spread Your Joy” as we honor our friendships in our Red Hat and Villager clubs and our Best Friends events; get our hands dirty at our Friendship Daffodil Project; and celebrate with our Birthday Party and House Warming Initiatives.

Our fabulous September 2015 events in Naples, FL at Juniper Village at Naples include our:

§  Creating with Clay pottery program as we create our own unique pieces of artwork working with self-drying clay and incorporate exercise with creative fun adding outstanding dimension to our lives on September 11^th from 10:30 am to noon. (RSVP to 239-598-1368 by September 4^th.)

§  Friendship Family Luncheon as we join our loved ones and friends for a wonderful picnic lunch and enjoy BBQ chicken, a baked potato, and yummy fruit salad on September 17^th from noon to 1:00 pm. (RSVP to 239-598-1368 by September 10^th.)

§  Wine and Whiskers as we get together and help our four legged friends with donations to the Humane Society of Naples while we enjoy a glass of wine and sample delicious treats prepared by our own Chef Steven on September 29^th from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. (RSVP to 239-598-1368 by September 22^nd.)

We look forward to sharing our September 2015 events in Naples, FL at Juniper Village at Naples with you as we Spread Your Joy.

August 2015 Events in Naples, FL: Breathe in Life

As we continue our summer focus on Staying Connected, we devote our August 2015 events in Naples, FL at Juniper Village in Naples to connecting to the Environment. One of our Signature Programs is the Green Canopy Program. This program is designed to support healthier living for our residents and staff through environmentally conscious communities and events. This program directly supports this month’s focus on the environment and our vision to make the world a better place, a place where each of us can live fully throughout all seasons of life.

Margaret Mead reminds us that “We won't have a society if we destroy the environment.” To that end, Juniper Village has created Green Teams in each of our communities to support our environmental initiatives by assisting with our recycling and energy efficiency programs – such as using CFL light bulbs and Energy Star rated appliances, while making suggestions for additional programs to increase quality of life and promote sustainability in our communities. Have you met your Juniper Village Green Team? This month during our August 2015 events in Naples, FL at Juniper Village at Naples our Green Teams will share their mission with the greater community by heading up initiatives to help others learn how to live a more sustainable life through our Wide-Scale Recycling Programs, our Environmental Stability Program and the Implantation of our Green Teams. Stop in for one of our educational programs, recycling and upcycling events or anything else that strikes your fancy this month with our August 2015 events in Naples, FL at Juniper Village at Naples as we Breathe in Life!

Our fabulous August 2015 events in Naples, FL at Juniper Village at Naples include our:

§  Free Document Shredding Event to bring in your old documents, newspapers, magazines and files to have them shredded so you don’t throw them in the trash to keep your identity safe and our environment clean on August 18^th from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. (RSVP to 239-598-1368 by August 11^th.)

§  Go Green Family Luncheon as we take “going green” literally from lime-aide to key-lime pie, this luncheon will make Kermit the frog green with envy on August 25^th from noon to 1:00 pm. (RSVP to 239-598-1368 by August 18^th.)

§  “Out and About Travel Series” Mt. Rainier National Park presented by Steven Valdespino, M.A. for a beautiful tour of this spectacular national treasure complete with music and sounds from nature to get a feel for the flora, fauna, trails, and even night sky of this amazing park on August 31^st from 10:30 am to 11:30 am. (RSVP to 239-598-1368 by August 25^th.)

We look forward to sharing our August 2015 events in Naples, FL at Juniper Village at Naples with you as we Breathe in Life.

Caring for an American Hero: Juniper Village at Naples' CPL Jack Skeels

Corporal Jack R. Skeels is an American hero.  He served in the United States Army Air Force during World War II. He is one of a rapidly dwindling number of living WWII veterans.   As a Radio Defense Medic, he served in the Atlantic-Pacific Theaters and earned numerous service medals.

Mr. Skeels was a humble man and rarely spoke about his experience, but his awards and medals tell the story:  Victory Medal, Atlantic-Pacific Theater Ribbon, two Overseas Stripes, and Exceptional Conduct Medal.  Mr. Skeels married his wife Lois in 1943 and she followed him to most of his postings during the war.  After the war, Mr. Skeels first job was as a salesman with the Fuller Brush Company.  He worked in sales for his entire adult life and ultimately became VP of Sales for Rapistan Conveyor Company.

When this American hero developed dementia late in life, Lois continued to care for him at home as long as possible.  When the time came to move him into a memory care setting, they chose Juniper Village at Naples.

“One of my dear friends and neighbors had her husband at Juniper Village at Naples.  She told me that the care he received was wonderful and that I should check it out.  I visited Juniper Village at Naples and was impressed with what I saw and realized that I could let him go and know was he was safe and well cared for”, stated Lois Skeels.

One of the Juniper Village at Naples team members stated that Mr. Skeels is her best friend.  To this day, he dazzles with his sparkling blue eyes and charming smile.

We are honored to be caring for this American hero.  

Juniper Village at Naples gets New Leadership to Implement Integrated Model of Assisted Living Care and Service

Juniper Communities is pleased to announce the appointment of veteran leadership in the position of Executive Director for Juniper Village at Naples. Maria Ciocca, who has worked in the senior living industry for 25 years, and with Juniper for the past five, will be implementing Juniper’s Connect 4 Life model of integrated care locally.

For nearly two decades, Juniper Communities has been a thought leader in senior living care, developing innovative service and delivery programs to enhance aging, lifestyle and resident health.  Embracing the current changing landscape of healthcare and how it is delivered, Juniper has pioneered its Connect 4 Life model which reduces hospital admissions and readmissions; improves medication reconciliation which results in fewer medication errors; and increases functional ability.

With more than 20 communities across the country, including Juniper Village at Naples and Juniper Village at Cape Coral, the company is receiving industry accolades for its C4L model.

The model has three key components and offers a unique alternative to more traditional senior living providers. The opportunities that the model capitalizes on include:

• Intentional use of data and outcomes to drive quality, define performance and guide operations.
• Integrating primary care physicians directly into senior living settings via a patient-centered medical home model.
• Cultivating wellbeing through therapy-driven physical wellness programming and seamless access to other services through strategic partnerships and alliances.

“Achieving better health for older adults will depend heavily on a multi-pronged approach to wellness – one that encompasses physical health, mental and spiritual wellness, social interaction and much more,” explains Lynne Katzmann, CEO and Founder of Juniper Communities. “Our integrated Connect 4 Life model does just that, it emphasizes a richly active and engaged approach to healthy aging and ultimately decreasing costs. We are extremely pleased to have Maria Ciocca spearhead our effort in Naples.”

The Power of Music and Art on Those with Dementia: Featured Programs at Juniper Village at Naples

The term dementia describes the symptoms of memory loss and cognitive decline associated with many different conditions/diagnoses. Some of these diagnoses include:

• Destruction of brain cells such as with Alzheimer’s (the most common) and some other neurological diseases

• Vascular dementia which results from disruption of blood flow such as occurs with strokes

• Traumatic brain injury, which can include repeated mild to moderate concussions (as in some professional football players who have developed dementia) or a single very significant head injury

• Frontal-temporal dementia, affects the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain — the areas generally associated with personality, behavior and language.

• Long-term, chronic drug and alcohol abuse

With the various types of dementia, this process of information connection and retrieval is disrupted.

Recognize the value of some very new research and programs that seek to improve the lives of people living with dementia. Much of the current research focuses on the value of music, art, dance, and social connections in treatment of dementia.

Two of those incredibly valuable initiatives are featured here: Memories in the Making which is a program developed by the Alzheimer’s Association and Music & Memory a program developed by Dan Cohen and his organization of the same name.

Art Without Boundaries is an innovative program that enables persons with Alzheimer’s, stroke, brain injury and related disorders who are experiencing losses in their ability to verbally communicate their thoughts and feelings, to express themselves through art.  Certified facilitators help people with dementia – many of whom often have no art background – create drawings and paintings. These sessions provide participants social interaction and boost their self-confidence while opening the channels of communication with loved ones.

Art Without Boundaries has been part of our Juniper Village at Naples community for five years.   Each year we celebrate with an annual art show featuring the resident artists.

Research shows that persons with dementia, Parkinson’s and other diseases that damage brain chemistry can reconnect to the world and gain improved quality of life from listening to personal music favorites.

The power of music can spark compelling outcomes even in the very late stages of the disease. Research also concludes that music can shift mood, manage stress-induced agitation, stimulate positive interactions, facilitate cognitive function, and coordinate motor movements. This is due to the fact that rhythmic and other well-rehearsed responses are influenced by the motor center of the brain and require little to no cognitive or mental processing. A person’s ability to engage in music remains intact late into the disease.

In selecting music for a Music & Memory program, music from the individual’s young adult years (18 to 25) typically have the strongest responses and the most potential for engagement. As individuals with dementia progress into the later stages of the disease, music from their childhood, such as folk songs and nursery rhymes, work well.

Juniper Communities is proud to be part of both the Memories in the Making program through the Alzheimer’s Association and the Music & Memory program started by Dan Cohen. To learn more about these programs visit our website and download the full version of this white paper.