Thank You Volunteers!

We certainly couldn't nourish the spirit of life in all seasons without the support of those special people who volunteer.  To celebrate their involvement, we honored them with a spectacular dinner at Juniper.  These volunteers come from the community to assist with our programs, as well as residents who are the key members of our Ambassador program to welcome new residents.  We are truly grateful to them all!!!

Fun and Games

There has been a lot of afternoon activity here at Juniper.  Along with our regular bridge group, we recently started a weekly group to play all sorts of other card games.  Our games are played in the Bistro, and we were laughing and talking so loud we disturbed the bridge player's concentration!  To take a break from the games, we
enjoyed a stroll in the garden and admired the newly planted flowers. Both activities were a great way to begin the summer!

Happy Hour Musical Surprise

The residents of Juniper were wowed during happy hour when a new resident, Paule R., took center stage and belted out a fantastic version of "La Vie En Rose".  And this was her second day as a resident!!!   French born, Paule has lived a full life, and much of her experiences during the Nazi occupation have been chronicled in Peter Jenning's book, "The Century".  Paule was "discovered" in the 1980's by a musician who had performed with Edith Piaf, and he mentored her as she became an artist whose voice was often heard on French radio in New York.  We are delighted to have her, and hopefully she will bring her talent to our Juniper Glee Club!

July 2016 Events in Chatham, NJ: Stand in Integrity

Ah...the good old summer time filled with lazy, sunny days, ice cold treats, Independence Day celebrations, and get-togethers at the beach. Another sure indication of summer is our Alive in All Seasons theme of Volunteerism.

July is the perfect month to honor all of the many volunteers who contribute thousands of hours of time in service to our communities. From our four-legged volunteers to those of the two legged variety we are proud to say we receive more than 10,000 hours of precious time each year. We simply could not do it without all of your help, and this month we honor you. We will also be promoting the spirit of volunteerism by volunteering our time to help others. If you have some spare time on your hands consider joining us for a volunteer activity or better yet volunteer your time with us, we’d love to have you. What qualities make a good volunteer? Energy, passion, flexibility, creativity, reliability, commitment and perhaps most important of all – integrity.

Volunteerism benefits all parties involved. In addition to making new friends, volunteering also helps increase your self-confidence, provides a sense of purpose, combats depression and helps you stay physically healthy. Helping others also kindles happiness, as the London School of Economics found the more people volunteered, the happier they were.

In addition to volunteering opportunities, plan to join us during July for our summer celebrations and share our thanks as we honor those who Stand In Integrity with us.

Our fabulous July 2016 events in Chatham, NJ at Juniper Village at Chatham include our:

§  Independence Day Barbecue for hamburgers and hotdogs with all the great fixings with fun and sun, join us at the best barbecue in town as we celebrate the 4th of July in true Juniper style on July 4^th at 11:30 am.

§  Concert Under the Stars as we invite you to bring your lawn chairs and join us for a summer musical extravaganza with entertainment provided by Chatham Community Band and refreshments provided by our Juniper chefs on July 12^th at 7:00 pm Rain or Shine.

§  American Masterpieces as Walter Choroszewski, local art expert, celebrates the great artists of America by showcasing 25 American masterpieces and sharing biographies of the artists, so join us for a different take on Americana on July 13^th at 2:00 pm.

§  How to Communicate with your Loved One our topic for the month at our CEU Series presented by Compassionate Care Hospice on July 20^th at 2:00 pm.

§  Volunteer Breakfast to get your day started right, stop by and pick up your complementary burrito breakfast because we recognize the incredible work that our volunteers do for us each and every day, and this is our way of saying “thank you” on July 21^st at 8:00 am.

We look forward to sharing our July 2016 events in Chatham, NJ at Juniper Village at Chatham with you as you Stand in Integrity.

Juniper Village Health Fair

Juniper Village at Chatham was pleased to host our annual Health Fair representing all aspects of healthy living, from nutrition to chiropractics to helping the hearing impaired. This year's health fair was a huge success. We had 14 vendors representing all aspects of healthy living, from nutrition to chiropractics to helping the hearing impaired.  The variety of health providers was the perfect mix. These providers included: Chiropractic, Madison pharmacies, new eye equipment, Redwood: junipers signature health care program, Theralink, Madison Health Department, Susan G. Komen, Healing Oils, Shop-Rite, Dietitian, Chatham senior center, Hearing testing, and others.  We had to hold the event indoors at the last minute due to weather,  but it was fun and informative all the same! We wish to thank all who participated and hope, everyone who came learned something new.

June 2016 Events in Chatham, NJ: Live in Wellness

What is wellness? The National Wellness Institute defines wellness as "a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential." At Juniper we believe in fostering this definition of wellness everyday by offering programs and services that help our residents achieve their full potential. As we wind down our Healthy Aging series, this month we focus on Food by highlighting our H’Art and Soul of Dining Signature Program.

Throughout our lives the most important discussions, revelations, decisions and announcements have transpired around the dinner table. When company came over we caught up on the latest gossip over coffee and fresh baked goods. If you needed advice from your parents, it was often given while enjoying Mom’s delicious pot roast on a Sunday evening. Why should that be any different when you enter your retirement years in one of our communities?

With the kitchen often being the heart of the home, we have developed H’Art and Soul of Dining with this in mind. This program strives to impart spirited service, companionship and nourishment through sharing the joy of good food – just like home! Our dining program is designed to not only meet resident’s physical needs, but their emotional and social needs as well. We believe this program provides a perfect balance of nutritious and delicious food choices, comfortable atmosphere and ambiance, social interaction, cleanliness and a spirit of service.

Indulge with us this month as we focus on the “heart” of the home with program offerings centered on food and nutrition such as our hydration program with healthy snacks and juices and educational presentations by a dietitian. Join us in June as we Live in Wellness.

Our fabulous June 2016 events in Chatham, NJ at Juniper Village at Chatham include our:

§  Water-Up Fire-Down Healthy Digestion presentation by Greg Quinn, who will be discussing this natural balance approach to healthy digestion, and will explore the concept of water energy and fire energy within our physical bodies and how to use that idea to reach both a digestive balance and over-all life balance on June 9th at 2:00 pm.

§  Caring for Heart Failure Patients with Compassion class presented by Compassionate Care Hospice approved for CEU credits on June 14th at 2:30 pm.

§  Warning – Read the Label as Lisa Monti, registered dietitian, will focus not on the foods we should be eating, but instead on the foods that we should NOT be eating; processed foods include ever-increasing amounts of additives, chemical binders, and other unnatural ingredients, and this discussion will teach you how to carefully read and understand the ingredients on the labels of the foods you buy on June 21st at 6:30 pm.

§  The Tasting Club program at Juniper that has quickly become a huge favorite, and of course we all know why, because who wouldn’t enjoy tasting delicacies from all over the world, so let your palate explore the possibilities as we share another culinary adventure on June 29th at 3:30 pm.

We look forward to sharing our June 2016 events in Chatham, NJ at Juniper Village at Chatham with you as you Live in Wellness.

Inter-Generational Pen Pals

The Pen Pal program between the 4th grade students of the Chatham Day School and Juniper residents was a resounding success!  The 22 students had been learning about senior citizens in one of their classes, and they asked if they might be able connect with our residents to discuss how different life was when they were their age. They visited after they had exchanged letters, and were extremely eager to share their experiences. Their enthusiasm and energy were astounding!