Music is the Treasure

On this beautiful day, we found Bill outside on the greens with his one true treasure…his guitar. To Bill nothing could be more satisfying then to sit in the garden playing his favorite tune. Bill is a Florida born and raised resident. His favorite types of tunes to play are country. On the days he isn’t playing a tune, you can be sure to find him in the garden holding tight to his guitar telling stories of the good old days.

Connect4Life Leads to Better Outcomes for Residents

Integrated Care in Seniors Housing that Meets the Triple Aim from Cindy Longfellow

Data shows Connect4Life’s high-tech/high-touch integrated services lead to higher quality care and better outcomes for residents

Executive Summary: Integrated Care in Seniors Housing that Meets
the Triple Aim

By Anne Tumlinson, MMHS and Lynne Katzmann, PhD

According to the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, more than 190 million Americans, or about 59 percent of the population, are affected by one or more chronic illnesses. Over the next 15 years (between 2016 and 2030,) 80 percent of the United States population will experience one or more chronic conditions, costing more than $42 trillion in medical care spending and losses in employment productivity.

To address these challenges and enhance the resident experience, Juniper Communities, a Bloomfield, NJ-based national owner-operator of seniors housing, developed the Connect4Life model, which provides on-site comprehensive therapy, primary care, pharmacy and lab services, integrated with other services using a “high-tech/high-touch” communications protocol that transfers information through an Electronic Health Record (EHR) and coordinates care through a human navigator.

Juniper Communities retained Anne Tumlinson Innovations (ATI) to compare Connect4Life outcomes and utilization data with data on the broader Medicare population from the 2012 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey (MCBS). The findings suggest that the Connect4Life model contributes to lower hospital readmissions and the utilization of inpatient services among a high-need resident population. The results affirm the potential of integrating select clinical care and services in a seniors housing environment that provides supportive services to those who have chronic conditions, functional limitations, and complex social needs.

The results suggest an integrated program of services in seniors housing—like Juniper’s Connect4Life —can contribute to reducing the cost of care and services to Medicare beneficiaries residing in seniors housing. More importantly, the data points to the value of the Connect4Life model for managing population health because of its ability to efficiently target integrated care interventions in the high cost, high-need Medicare population.

Juniper Communities has been a thought leader in senior living care, developing nearly a dozen innovative service and delivery programs to enhance aging, lifestyle and resident health. Recognizing opportunities in to meet the triple aim of recent health policy changes in the United States – improved customer satisfaction, evidence-base quality and lower healthcare utilization, Juniper is pioneering Connect 4 Life – one of senior living’s first truly integrated care models of assisted living care and service.

Read more in the FREE White Paper!

Cottage Updates

We have been very busy lately updating and remodeling our cottage, and we think the results are simply stunning! New appliances, cabinets, counter tops, and back splashes in the kitchen, with new paint and flooring in the main rooms all lead to a remarkably welcoming and warm atmosphere. Stop by for a tour to see the beautiful results for yourself; you won't believe it until you see it.

“Peaceful Art”

Caught in the act on this day… Sal was living with challenging behaviors ~ restlessness and anxiety. When presented with the opportunity to express his feelings, he creatively transitioned to the photo that we now interpret as peaceful art.

Let this be a reminder that in every moment is an opportunity for hidden therapy.

March 2017 Events in Naples, FL: Your Treasure is Within

Theatrical readings, colorful costumed dancers and spectacular vocal performances bring to a close our creative expression quarterly theme with a focus on performance and honoring our inner treasure – our self-worth. With so many demands on our time these days, it’s easy to always put others first and forget to care of ourselves. Also as we get older, retire from work and in some cases caretaking, we may forget our sense of value – our self-worth. A large part of nurturing the spirit of life is providing opportunities for purpose.

This month we will put an even greater focus on identifying our continued purpose and self-worth by performing purposeful activities, reminiscing and creating opportunities to treasure ourselves. Motivational speaker Anne Naylor offers these tips to help you treasure yourself: Treasure your thoughts with kindness – nurture your thoughts of gratitude and appreciation. Treasure your feelings and emotions – observe and use them as your guide. Treasure your body – treat it well with exercise, nourishment, rest, joy and laughter. Treasure your spirit – breathe, meditate and enjoy the goodness in your life. We hope you all enjoy the treasure of your wonderful self.

Please join us as we dramatically embrace performance throughout March with our weekly drama club, outings to live theatrical performances and our Oscar-themed party. Celebrate the Irish culture in grand style with our Saint Patrick’s Day event filled with food, fun and, of course, dancing! Honor yourself and recognize Your Treasure is Within this month at Juniper Village!

Our fabulous March 2017 events in Naples, FL at Juniper Village at Naples include our:

§  Leprechaun Shenanigans Family Luncheon because when Irish eyes are smiling, the Leprechauns are playing tricks, so catch them if you can for a delightfully delicious “pot of gold” lunch on March 8^th from noon to 1:00 pm. (Please RSVP by March 2^nd to Dinelle at 239-598-1368.)

§  Second Wind Dreams’ Virtual Dementia Simulation by Oasis Senior Advisors that recreates the most realistic scenario utilizing a home-like environment to depict what it is like for someone living day to day with Dementia in a mobile, hands on experience that you won’t want to miss on March 23^rd from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. (Please RSVP by March 18^th to schedule your tour time with Dinelle at 239-598-1368.)

§  Concert on the Green at the 4th hole for the delightful renditions of Bob Shea, so sit back and enjoy the whimsical music and sing-a-long to your favorite tunes with family and friends on March 30^th from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. (Please RSVP by March 23^rd to Dinelle at 239-598-1368.)

We look forward to sharing our March 2017 events in Naples, FL at Juniper Village at Naples with you as Your Treasure is Within.

Art Without Boundaries

Wendi Smith, a certified Mneme Therapist, brings Art Without Boundaries to the Naples community. It's an enjoyable, multi-modality process that engages the whole brain and stimulates its natural ability to rebuild lost or undeveloped functions, using a unique combination of singing, movement, directed painting, story-telling and praise. In one-on-one sessions the goal is to help individuals feel good about themselves and what they are able to do to improve their ability to communicate with others.

In this story telling session you can see our 87-year-old resident Pat enjoying her painting session she calls “HAPPINESS”. Pat talks about the memories of setting flowers on the table at home and the beautiful aroma filling the air.  

Juniper Village at Naples Earns “Excellence in Care” Distinction From Alzheimer’s Foundation of America

Juniper Village at Naples has achieved the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America’s (AFA) “Excellence in Care” distinction, having met the AFA’s rigorous national standards for dementia care settings. This is the fourth consecutive certification for Juniper, an unparalleled feat by most. At present, only two memory care communities have the Excellence in Care designation in Florida. Communities receiving the distinction can be viewed at http://www.excellenceincare.org/care-settings.

Juniper Village’s executive director Maria Ciocca expressed, “Our dedicated team has worked very hard to provide tender loving care to our residents. I am very proud that this is the 4th time that we have received this award. The staff works diligently at ensuring that our residents' experience a pleasant day while making new memories.”

“Juniper Village at Naples truly exemplifies the intent of our Excellence in Care program, to elevate the quality of care for people with dementia,” said Charles J. Fuschillo, Jr., AFA’s president and chief executive officer. “AFA is proud to recognize this organization for providing its clients with optimal care and nurturing their spirits.”

To earn the status of “Excellence in Care, Dementia Care Program of Distinction,” Juniper Village underwent a comprehensive on-site evaluation and consultation by an AFA Excellence Specialist to ensure compliance with AFA’s national standards on care quality and ability to sustain performance. This status is considered the highest hallmark of recognition by AFA for long-term care communities offering services for the memory impaired.