“Pets on Parade” Pet Show

On July 8^th, Juniper Village at Mount Joy hosted the 3^rd Annual Pet Show.  This year, residents, family, staff and community members packed the front living space to catch the pet parade featuring KPETS therapy dogs and special guests. KPETS is a network of dependable registered therapy teams committed to providing therapeutic benefits through the use of pets to people with physical, emotional, and mental challenges, from all walks of life in a wide variety of settings. KPETS coordinates the work of highly motivated and committed volunteers in providing thousands of pet therapy hours a year in the community.  

The “Pet Parade” was kicked off by two special guests, Mokey and Secret, miniature therapy horses!  A first at our Juniper Village!  Following, we enjoyed the tricks and costumes of a dozen canine entertainers.  Three esteemed resident judges, Ms. Pauline, Ms. Carol Ann and Ms. Bertie , compared notes and named winners in three categories-Most Obedient, Best Trickster and Best in Show.  All participants were a delight to watch and meet.  Following the show, the petting, snuggling and wet kisses commenced.  Smiles and wet noses all around!

July 2016 Events in Mount Joy, PA: 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 Mount Joy, PA at Juniper Village at Mount Joy include our:

§  The “Pets on Parade” Pet Show as we get out of the heat and grab a front row seat and run, scamper, trot, or doggie paddle over for this favorite long-awaited fun time featuring K-Pets therapy dogs, and a few surprise guests, this annual event is sure to get your tail a waggin’ as the fashion show and pet talents will be highlights at this event that is open to the community with refreshments offered on July 8^th from 2:00 pm to 3:30 pm. (RSVP to 717-492-9692 by July 5^th.)

§  Operation Gratitude Care Package Assembly and Donation Drive to lift the spirits and meet the evolving needs of our First Responder, Active Duty, and Veteran communities as they seek to provide volunteer opportunities for all Americans to express their appreciation for these heroes; since 2003, more than 1.5 million care packages have been shipped filled with snacks, entertainment, hygiene products, handmade items, and personal letters of appreciation to New Recruits, Veterans, First Responders, and U.S. Service Members deployed overseas, as well as Wounded Heroes and their caregivers; Juniper Village residents and staff will be volunteering together to create notes of appreciation and to assemble care packages; if you would like to participate, please join us or you may donate care package items; please refer to Operation Gratitude’s wish list at www.operationgratitude.com for specifics, and the wish list is also posted at the front desk where donations will be received on July 20^th from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm. (Donations will be accepted through July 19^th.)

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

Juniper Village hosts The Mount Joy Chamber of Commerce

Juniper Village at Mount Joy, a long-standing active member of the Mount Joy Chamber of Commerce, proudly hosted the monthly mixer on Thursday, June 9.  “The Chamber” founded in 1939, exists to promote, educate, and represent surrounding businesses and organizations in the Mount Joy area. The covered back porch, lush garden courtyard and center gazebo served as the perfect setting for an early evening gathering.   Debra Miller (Executive Director) and Mary Main (Director of Community Relations) represent Juniper Village at monthly Chamber meetings and a multitude of community events and fundraisers.  The ladies hosted 20+ Chamber members as they met, socialized and networked, sharing business information and mutual interests over the course of two hours.  Guests sipped sangria, nibbled on artisan style snacks and enjoyed the beautiful summer weather.  No one  was quick to leave this lovely event. 

1st Annual Carnival Day at Juniper Village at Mount Joy

Yet another rainy day outside in Mount Joy, PA last Saturday, 5/21-so what better to turn frowns upside down than an indoor carnival?! Juniper Village at Mount Joy’s grand living room was transformed into a hometown fair.  Hand-spun cotton candy, warm soft pretzels, fresh-popped popcorn and hot, sugary funnel cake drew a crowd.  Eight vintage carnival games with prizes and staff dressed as carnival barkers kept guests attention.  Event goers ages ranged from newborn to 99, sharing memories of carnivals and fairs of recent and past.  This multi-generational event was enjoyed by all!  This carnival will definitely make a return appearance in Mount Joy!

June 2016 Events in Mount Joy, PA: 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 Mount Joy, PA at Juniper Village at Mount Joy include our:

§  LGBT Aging Workshop sponsored by the Lancaster Activities Directors Association and Lancaster LINK  as topics covered will include: culture, needs, and unique considerations of LGBT older adults; why LGBT older adults are less likely to access health and social services; how caregiving for an LGBT older adult differs from caregiving for their heterosexual peers; best practices, policy and practice areas for increasing inclusiveness and safety for LGBT older adults and their caregivers; with lunch and snacks provided on June 7th from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm. (RSVP via www.joinlada.com. Only the first 36 registrants will be accepted.)

§  Mount Joy Chamber of Commerce Mixer as all Chamber members and those interested in learning more about the Chamber and its initiatives are invited to mix and mingle, so we look forward to entertaining members in the beautiful courtyard and sharing refreshments on the back porch on June 9th from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm. (RSVP to the Chamber Office at 717-653-0773.)

§  Father’s Day BBQ – Burgers, Beers & Quality Time as we are calling all sons, daughters, grandkids, nieces, nephews and friends because we are honoring the men in our lives with an honest to goodness BBQ, so join us at Juniper Village at Mount Joy for all your cook-out favorites to celebrate Father’s Day on June 17th from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm. (RSVP to 717-492-9692 by June 15th.)

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

Mother's Day Par-Tea

Friday, May 6th marked Juniper Village at Mount Joy's annual Mother's Day Par-Tea!  This festive celebration honors all the mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers that have and continue to share their love and support to our residents, families and staff.  The beautifully appointed décor, courtesy of Leadership Team member, Theresa Dumez and delectable eats by Chef, Jason Hampton, brought smiles to the faces of our guests as they sampled the dessert and tea pairings.  The choices seemed endless at the candy buffet.  No one left hungry!  Sending a HUGE thank you to Mom's everywhere!

Tiny Timbers

The sweet little faces of Tiny Timbers preschool students brought rays of sunshine to the Residents of Juniper Village on what has been a dreary, cloudy and soggy week in Mount Joy!  Tiny Timbers Christian Preschool is a part of West Green Tree Church of the Brethren in the neighboring town of Elizabethtown, PA.  Both the morning class and afternoon class visited Juniper Village on Thursday, May 5.  The children were excited to share their typical “getting started” routine by way of sharing an “Hello” song that they sing to teachers and friends, a favorite “Months of the Year” song and even their most liked prayer that is said before snack time.  Our Residents were thrilled to interact with the youngsters and applauded their job well done!