Spearly Celebrates the Little Things

Every year the Spearly residents look forward to receiving holiday gifts from several volunteer organizations within the community. This partnership has been very successful. The gift wrapping gathering provides an opportunity for leadership to share holiday stories while nurturing the spirit of life in their wonderful community.

Celebrate The Little Things 2014 Holiday Party at the Spearly Center

The Holidays are always a very special time at The Spearly Center.  On December 18^th we held our very festive Celebrate The Little Things Holiday Party.  The hot chocolate was warm and toasty, the live entertainment from Just The Two Of Us was delightful and fun, and there was plenty of holiday cheer to be spread by residents, family members and staff alike.  This time of year, the little things in life become a little more special for everyone.  From our home to yours… Happy Holidays from The Spearly Center. 

No-Shave November At Spearly

No-Shave November is a unique way to raise cancer awareness.   What better way to grow awareness than with some hair?  The goal of No-Shave November is to grow awareness by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free.  Here at The Spearly Center, we support all who are affected by cancer.  Residents and staff alike always look forward to this annual cause.

Juniper Communities Appoints New Regional Director of Wellness and Wellbeing

Juniper Communities announces that Melissa “Missy” Ebner has joined Juniper as Regional Director of Wellness and Wellbeing. Missy brings a wealth of experience in nursing care, especially with seniors to her position. From a clinical perspective, her role will be to oversee the entire portfolio of clinical care and support for the residents, provide clinical oversight, and staff training. She is a licensed Registered Nurse (RN) in every state where Juniper currently has communities.

“We are very excited to have Missy join the Juniper family,” expressed Lynne Katzmann, CEO of Juniper Communities. “She comes to Juniper with a wonderful background and deep experience in the clinical complainants of senior living. She will be a great resource for our community wellness teams and to the home office team in this changing healthcare environment.”

Missy’s interest in working with senior living communities is that they offer residents more freedom than skilled nursing settings. “The seniors can be taken care of in a homelike environment and you can become a friend, not seen as a nurse or caregiver,” she explained. “Juniper’s staff is wonderful at treating the residents as a parent or grandparent, this doesn’t always happen in institutional settings.”

Juniper Communities owns and operates Personal Care, Assisted Living, Memory-Care, Skilled Nursing and Independent Living communities in NJ, FL, CO and PA.

“Nobody is as forward thinking as Juniper. They are far ahead of the curve in the industry and where healthcare is going. The staff I’ve observed go above and beyond, always doing more even though no one is looking,” Missy described of her building level observations.

Missy Ebner has worked in the healthcare industry since 1987. She received her LPN from the James Martin School of Nursing in 1987 and her RN from Excelsior College in 2005. She is a resident of Willow Grove, PA and born and raised in Pennsylvania. She has been married to Henry Ebner for 26 years and has three children, Corey, Shane and Cassidy.  Something her family and friends know about her is that she loves to shop the Outlets, and loves a good bargain!

Spearly Sidekicks

Every September, the Alive In All Seasons theme is Friendship: Spread Your Joy.  Here at the Spearly Center, we have the Spearly Sidekicks program.  Each staff member is paired with a resident and acts as the resident’s Spearly Sidekick, providing advocacy, encouragement and companionship.  Every September we celebrate the Spearly Sidekicks program with our annual Spearly Sidekicks Photo Shoot, where residents and their Sidekicks dress up in wacky costumes for portraits.  This year, Jerry Lucero enjoyed his picture with his sidekick Cathy so much, he decided to re-create it in a drawing.  Jerry, commenting on the program, stated, “Cathy makes me laugh when we hang out.”  Cathy replied, “I enjoy hanging out with Jerry.  He makes me smile, and I love watching him do his art work.”  

Celebrate Little Things: December Events

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.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our Tree Trimming Social: Traditions and More to join us in our cozy country store for fresh pastries and a warm beverage as we decorate our tree in a wonderful opportunity to meet new friends while enjoying holiday favorites from Daniel on the piano on December 4^th from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm; our Celebrate the Little Things: Holiday Party for great music, tasty cuisine and good company with music provided by our favorite duo” Just the Two of us” and door prizes to get you in the party mood on December 18^th from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm; or our Culinary Cultural Foods of the World  as we come together to prepare tasty dishes from the Virgin Islands, Haiti, Mexico, Ghana, France and the United States, and  hear music from around the world while sampling theses tasty treats on December 29^th from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm!

Look through our calendar and 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!