Juniper Village at Meadville Wins 2016 Best of Assisted Living Award

Juniper Village at Meadville, a personal care community, was presented with a 2016 Best of Assisted Living Award for receiving consistently high ratings from residents and their families this past year on SeniorAdvisor.com, a premier ratings and reviews site for senior care and services nationwide.

Winners of the SeniorAdvisor.com Best of 2016 Awards represent the top tier of in-home care, personal care, assisted living, and other senior living providers, based on the online reviews written by seniors and their families. This exclusive designation places the winners in the top one percent of senior care providers according to those who matter most - the consumers.

Of the nearly 100,000 providers currently listed on SeniorAdvisor.com, about 1,000 have been recognized with this award.

Juniper Village at Meadville regularly receives highly positive reviews from their families like this one posted by Angela Perone. “I knew the moment I stepped foot into Juniper that my Dad would be taken care of. Upon meeting the staff, I felt immediately comfortable. The rooms are beautiful, the food very good and there is always an event happening to keep everyone busy!”

Kathy Freeman stated, “Excellent care! Wonderful atmosphere, delicious food. Very, very pleased with everyone and everything.”

"Families are increasingly looking to online reviews to find out who truly delivers great care for our

seniors, not just who claims to deliver great care," said Eric Seifert, President of SeniorAdvisor.com.

"Our SeniorAdvisor.com Awards program is all about celebrating the exceptional people who do just

that. We're honored to spread the word about these organizations whom families can entrust with the

care of their senior loved ones."

To qualify for inclusion in the Best of 2016 Awards, providers must have maintained an average overall rating of at least 4.5 stars while receiving three or more new reviews in 2015. 

Holiday Wrap Up

Before the final holiday wrap up is done and all the decorations are put away a few last minute holiday pictures have surfaced! 

I must admit that it is my life goal to infuse the Christmas Spirit into the Grinchiest of those amongst us, my beloved husband the biggest of all!  I believe that no matter how Grinchy one may seem on the outside, a spirit filled Holiday elf is hidden in all of us.  Sometimes it takes a little coaxing, a little prodding, and maybe even a little begging!  But if you have right environment surrounded by those who truly appreciate your efforts, some holiday tunes and a great outfit…  You just never know what will happen! 

My husband and I have had a holiday tradition for the past several years of dressing up as Santa and this year we added Mrs. Claus to the mix.  It is a wonderful time for us to spread holiday cheer and it brings out the Christmas spirit in us as well as those around us!  This year we were able to add Juniper Village Meadville to our annual stops and as you can tell, a good time was had by all!

From my family to yours, we want to wish you the happiest of holidays and the best 2016 ever!!!

Best Wishes,

Amy Learn

Juniper Village at Meadville Welcomes Amy Jo Learn as Director of Community Relations

Amy Jo Learn has joined Juniper Communities as the new Director of Community Relations at Juniper Village at Meadville. Born and raised in Girard, PA where she graduated from high school, Amy has lived in Meadville for 17 years. She obtained her nursing degree from Mercyhurst College.

As DCR, Amy Jo Learn will act as community liaison, and provide building tours and education for families, physicians as well as other referral sources for Juniper. “I am happy to be able to assist families with their aging loved ones by working for a personal care community that provides safe, affordable quality care that will enable them to keep their independence and live their lives to the fullest,” she expressed.

Amy is an active partner with the Meadville Area Chamber of Commerce and the Pennsylvania Link. She will help direct Juniper’s marketing activities locally as well as work with Juniper’s corporate marketing and sales team.

Prior to this position, she was with Saint Vincent Hospital as a Practice Manager in the Medical Group and then Oncology Nurse Navigator. On taking the DCR position with Juniper, Amy said, “My grandparents lived very happily in personal care for many years and it has been a goal of mine to transition into personal care as well as work within my own community. There is nothing better than caring for your neighbors!”

January 2016 Events in Meadville, PA: Welcome New Beginnings

Happy New Year! January is the time when we all welcome new beginnings and set resolutions to make this year better than the last. But how does one keep those resolutions throughout the year ahead? The New York Times offers four suggestions: First, make a concrete plan, something visual to embed it to memory. Second, put something you value on the line – is it your health or your pocketbook – keep that in mind when you are tempted to break your resolution. Third, bundle your temptations. For instance, you want to exercise more, but struggle getting to the gym and you also have a fondness for gossip magazines but feel they are a waste of time. Combine the two – read the magazines only at the gym! And fourth, seek social support. You can achieve more by pursuing goals with the help of a mentor.

Still haven’t made any resolutions? Resolve to join us every month for a wide variety of events and activities. This month we explore our creativity through music with outings to local musical performances, Elvis’ birthday celebrations and concerts by our Joyful Noise Choir. We invite you to Welcome New Beginnings and make regular visits to Juniper Village part of your new year’s goals!

Our fabulous January 2016 events in Meadville, PA at Juniper Village at Meadville include our:

§  New Year’s Celebration with live music as we celebrate a new year, new you, and new chances, with music by Carl and Barb Hultman on January 1^st at 2:00 pm.

§  Alive In All Season’s Dinner: The History of the Dulcimer for a free supper and a brief history of the Dulcimer with Carol Myers who will also be performing live dulcimer music on January 14^th at 4:30 pm.

§  Lunch & Learn Benefits of Creative Expression for a complimentary meal accompanied by an informational seminar on Creative Expression and the benefits of the arts with the talented and energetic Marcy Williamson on January 20^th at noon.

We look forward to sharing our January 2016 events in Meadville, PA at Juniper Village at Meadville with you as we Welcome New Beginnings.

Alive in All Seasons, Christmas Celebration

Christmas time is always a special time around Juniper Village at Meadville!  This year’s Alive in All Seasons Celebration was better than ever.  Friends and families were able to gather for this yearly holiday celebration with tons of hors d’oeuvres, live holiday music and of course a glass of wine.

We continue to celebrate the holiday season every day with our beautifully decorated building, Christmas music playing in the living room and multiple holiday related activities.  Neighboring school children have made multiple stops to sing their Christmas carols and play their musical instruments.  The residents and staff have enjoyed all of the extra visitors that the holidays bring.

We are all looking forward to a special visitor, you know, the jolly guy all dressed in red!  Not sure which day he will stop by, but it is something we all look forward to every year, don’t you worry, we are all on the nice list this year!!!

Christmas ROAD TRIP, Juniper style

Our ever dedicated, super fun and always up for an adventure Connections Director, Renee, took 10 of our residents to Kraynak’s “Santa’s Christmas Land” which is a 300 foot indoor starlight avenue of uniquely designed artificial Christmas Trees located in Hermitage PA.  With approximately 80 decorated trees on display plus many other seasonal favorites the residents really got the Christmas spirit in high gear after this trip.

After the tour, the group headed to Bob Evans for a hearty lunch which was enjoyed by all!

Everyone is looking forward to getting the holiday season underway!  Stay tuned to our blog for more fun seasonal holiday posts in the upcoming weeks!

December 2015 Events in Meadville, PA: Celebrate Little Things

This month is all about celebrations! Not only will we be celebrating holidays such as Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve, but we will also celebrate the little things that make life worthwhile. Little things such as the reassuring touch of a friend’s hand, a kind word from an acquaintance and a warm smile from a stranger.

In our all too busy lives we sometimes forget to honor the simple things in life that bring us peace and joy. Most experts recommend that we allow 10-20 minutes of relaxation and stress relief each day. Making time for that can even be a stressful experience! During this busy month of baking, shopping, visitors and juggling tasks take time to remember what is really important.

Here are some tips to keep holiday stress in check: Acknowledge your feelings – you are not alone as holiday stress is not uncommon. Be realistic with expectations – you can only do so much, learn to say no. Ask for help when needed – everyone wants to be needed and may feel more included by being able to contribute. Plan ahead to minimize unplanned expenses and tasks. Take a breather – take a walk at night and do some stargazing, listen to soothing music, or get a massage. Above all enjoy all the holidays have to offer by sharing time with others.

Join us during the busy month of December for our annual cookie exchange and holiday celebrations. Take time to Celebrate Little Things with those you love.

Our fabulous December 2015 events in Meadville, PA at Juniper Village at Meadville include our:

§  Lunch & Learn Beating the Wintertime Blues for an informative presentation from Dr. Lisa May about staying upbeat when the weather turns cold and the sky is gloomy and enjoy a complimentary meal on December 2^nd at noon. (RSVP by November 30^th to 814-333-4400.)

§  AIAS Christmas Gathering for hors d'oeuvres, fun and family, as we will be having lots of wonderful snacks upstairs, then don't forget to join us downstairs for fun and drinks on December 10^th at 4:30 pm. (RSVP by December 4^th to 814-333-4400.)

§  Barber Shop Chorus right in the main dining room, so you won’t have to go far to hear the joyous tunes on December 22^nd at 6:30 pm.

We look forward to sharing our December 2015 events in Meadville, PA at Juniper Village at Meadville with you as we Celebrate Little Things.