PSU Nursing

Holly Parrish and Jill Arnoso both have mothers who are nurses, and were inspired at a young age to follow in their professional footsteps.  Now as sophomore nursing students at Penn State, they both find themselves at Juniper Village Rehabilitation and Skilled Care at Brookline, where they are working on their first clinical rotation. Parrish and Arnoso came to JVB as part of the “Fundamentals of Nursing” course taught by  Mary Anne Ventura and Cindy Sullivan. This spring semester (January through April) nine groups of student nurses—around 70 total—are participating. Parrish says that rotation is a lot different than she expected, adding that it comes much more naturally than she had anticipated. Arnoso likes that she is learning so many new things, sharing, “this doesn’t even feel like a class!”

You Gotta Have Heart!

February is American Heart Month, and Janie Provan and Anissa Rupert Ilie from Juniper Village at Brookline are pleased to be serving on the Executive Leadership Committee for the Central PA chapter of the American Heart Association’s 2015 Heart Walk, set for Sunday, September 27, 2015 at Millbrook Marsh in State College.

The Heart Walk exists to make healthier, longer lives possible for everyone, by raising funds to help reduce cardiovascular diseases and strokes. To join or support Team Juniper Village at Brookline, or for more information on the walk visit our team page HERE.

Awaken Your Passion: February Events

This month at Juniper Village we continue our Creative Expressions Series with a focus on Art.

Creating art for many of our seniors has been a lifelong passion, for others it may have been a casual hobby or serious vocation. Whatever the reason, art has substantial benefits to our bodies, minds and spirits! In Successful Aging, John W. Rowe, MD, and Robert L. Kahn, PhD, discuss key aspects of successful aging: low risk of disease, high mental and physical functioning, and being actively engaged in life. Expressive art activities promote active engagement in life in positive, healthy, and fulfilling ways - in other words, nurturing the spirit of life. Recent studies further indicate that older adults who participate in art programs have fewer doctor visits, use less medication, and experience a lower rate of depression – all resulting in lower healthcare costs.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our Print Making with Annie Swincinski, a Local Artist/ Arts Fest Winner, who will demonstrate the printmaking process and showcase some of her creations as she uses her art as a therapeutic outlet to express her emotions and facilitate her personal transformations on February 2^nd at 2:00 pm (1950 Cliffside Drive Rehab and Skilled Care); our Paint Your Art Out Wine and Chocolate Event extending a special invitation to those in our community who help us to help others including those who work in the fields of senior living and healthcare to join us and local artist Susan Robb for a fun-filled evening as we sip Seven Mountains Wine Cellars wine and sample some delectable chocolate creations while you paint your own wine glass to take home as a reminder of how much we appreciate all you do on February 16^th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm (1900 Cliffside Drive Willows Senior Living Dining Room); or our Resident and Local Artisan Art Gallery Shop and Tour where the works of our residents will hang for display and admiration and there will be works from several local artists available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds to provide school art supplies for area youth during an evening of celebration and socializing with refreshments on February 26^th at 3:30 pm (1950 Cliffside Drive Rehab and Skilled Care).

Look through our calendar and plan to join us this month and “Awaken Your Passion” as we explore various mediums to expression through weekly art programs and visits to local art museums. Or, if art isn’t your thing, tailgate with us during the Super Bowl, await the Ground Hog’s prediction, our join in one of our festive celebrations on Valentine’s Day, Presidents Day or Mardi Gras.

Sweet Sound of the Symphony

In January we celebrate music, and its sweet sound was in the air this week at the Mount Nittany Middle School in State College. The school’s auditorium was host to the Nittany Valley Symphony’s “Remarkable Kids” Family Concert, and more than a dozen Juniper Village residents took in an amazing performance. Scores included whimsical works by Rossini, Mozart and Mendelssohn. Best of all the concert introduced 17-year-old State College Area High School senior Raina Arnett as the featured violinist.

Juniper Village at Brookline is a big supporter of many area cultural organizations. Check out that back cover program ad!

Doing For Others...

Civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” There is no doubt that some very special Penn State University students were doing for others (and doing good) on Monday as they took to performing a variety of outreach projects around the University Park campus and the region as part of their annual celebration of Dr. King’s birthday. Six of those students made it their mission to visit with, and brighten the day of some residents of Juniper Village Rehabilitation and Skilled Care at Brookline.

On a day off from classes, student volunteers joined forces with our Connections department for parachute exercise, one-on-one resident visits, and even took in some scrapbooking. Citing King’s famous 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech, PSU senior Elizabeth Peter told the Centre Daily Times, “We are a family. We are Penn State. We are the dream.”

Welcome New Beginnings: January Events

Welcome to 2015! What a wonderful time for us to reflect on the past year and forge ahead with new beginnings. January is a time for change when we make and sometimes break our New Year’s resolutions and focus on what we want to make better in the coming year.

January is also the month that Juniper Village begins our Winter Alive In All Seasons theme of Creative Expressions: “Explore Your Creativity” where in January we will focus on music! Research shows that music can help us physically by easing pain, helping us sleep better, eat less and enhance our blood vessel function. It is also suggested that music can help us mentally by reducing stress, relieving symptoms of depression, elevating mood, decreasing anxiety and improving cognitive performance. Hospitals are using music to help cancer patients manage stress and anxiety and to ease recovery in stroke patients.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our Harp Therapy as part of New Year, New You Day of Wellness with  the heavenly sounds of Certified Harp Therapist Ellen Slingerland who showcases how her music can have a soothing and comforting effect on listeners in the Second Floor Dining Room at Brookline Rehabilitation and Skilled Care (1950 Cliffside Drive) on January 5^th from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm; our ReMarkable Music with Grace Between Us to dazzle and inspire you with traditional hymns that are sure to impress in the Gathering Room at Wellspring (610 Whitehall Drive) on January 12^th from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm; our Winter Warm-Up Happy Hour with JT Thompson  for an evening of drinks and hot tunes by this Bellefonte native who is  a regular on the State College music scene in the Pines Piano Lounge at Brookline Senior Living (1940 Cliffside Drive) on January 14^th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm; our Alive Inside Screening of the inspirational and emotional film dramatically portraying the power of music and memory that left the audience humming and cheering at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival where it won the Audience Award in the Willows Dining Room (1900 Cliffside Drive) on January 22^nd from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm; or our Virtual Dementia Tour and Create Your Playlist Event an interactive, experiential journey into the realities of dementia that allows you to “walk in the shoes” of your loved one, enabling you to better understand their needs and behaviors, at the end of which you can create your own personalized music playlist and participate in an iPod and MP3 player donation drive for musical tools to utilize throughout the community in the First Floor Lobby at Brookline Rehabilitation and Skilled Care (1950 Cliffside Drive) on January 28^th from 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm!

Look through our calendar and join us this month as we explore our creativity through music with outings to local musical performances, Elvis’ birthday celebrations and concerts by our Joyful Noise Choirs. We invite you to Welcome New Beginnings at Juniper Village and make a habit of joining us for activities and events throughout the year!

And The Winner Is...

We are pleased and privileged to announce that Michelle Myers, Wellness Nurse, is the first recipient of the quarterly Juniper Spirit Award at Juniper Village Rehabilitation and Skilled Care at Brookline community in State College, Pennsylvania.

Michelle started her career in long-term care as a nursing assistant. She then pursued education and training at the Clearfield County Career and Technical Center, becoming licensed as a practical nurse. Myers began employment at the former Fairways at Brookline in January of 2010, after seeking “a more family-like atmosphere”.  She joined Juniper Communities as part of our change in ownership, which occurred in July of 2014.

During her more than four years of service to our residents at Juniper Village, this LPN has been recognized by her supervisors, fellow associates, residents, and family members for providing exemplary service. Michelle has a positive attitude, with a strong resident-centered approach to care. She is a competent and intelligent nurse, with strong clinical skills.  Aside from being a dedicated community member, Michelle is an effective communicator and has excellent management skills. Her leadership has been instrumental in improving teamwork.

Michelle lives in Osceola Mills with her husband Eddie and four children, Lexi, Mackenzie, Sadie and RJ.

As a nurse, Michelle “nurtures the spirit of life” by developing caring and trusting relationships with each of the residents who reside on the 3 West Neighborhood, as well as their family members. One of her nominators was resident family member, Mr. Haffner, who stated that Michelle’s genuine concern and kind heart makes the care that she provides his wife nurturing and comfortable. She goes out of her way to make sure that is wife is well cared for and will even call him at home to check on his health if he misses a daily visit. This kind of care makes a situation that could be stressful and difficult, one that is comfortable and welcoming. People like Michelle make a positive difference in our lives.