Giving The Gift of Warmth at the Spearly Center

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” ~Aesop

The Spearly Center enjoys giving back to the community and empowering people to be the best they can be.  During the month of December, The Spearly center will be accepting winter coats and jackets for donation to the Denver Rescue Mission for those in need of warm clothing during this holiday season.  Anyone is welcome to participate.  Any new or used coat or jacket in good condition will be accepted.  A donation box will be available in our front lobby from December 1^st-31^st.  When you give a little… you actually give a lot.

December 2016 Events in Denver, CO: Cherish the Journey

Juniper Village nurtures wellbeing by encouraging an active body, an engaged mind and a fulfilled spirit. This month this custom is more evident than ever as we share our celebratory spirit - mind, body and soul. December is a month filled with holidays and celebrations, but at Juniper we like to kick it up a notch! All around the community all of your senses will be stimulated as you see traditional holiday décor, hear joyous laughter and singing, smell heavenly treats baking and taste them as well. We will celebrate all the joyous little things that make this time of year so special. Traditions both old and new will be honored. And through sharing our numerous cultures and traditions with each other we will learn more about each other, opening the door to deeper understanding.

This month take a moment to reflect on the little things that bring joy to your life. Reminisce about the traditions from your past and the new traditions you have started with your family. Celebrate the holiday season with us as we share a bit of ourselves with our annual cookie exchange and ethnic holiday celebrations. December is always an eventful month and we look forward to sharing it with you.

Our fabulous December 2016 events in Denver, CO at Juniper Village at The Spearly Center include our:

§  Spearly Sidekicks Cookie Exchange because whatever is your favorite kind of cookie - chocolate chip, ginger Snap, or macadamia nut – join Spearly residents and staff for this tasty event as we decorate and sample various types of cookies during this is a great opportunity to mingle with friends, share some laughs, and, maybe even try something new, so join us in our cozy Country Store on December 9^th at 2:30 pm.

§  Celebrate Little Things Holiday Soiree as Arthur Conan Doyle said it best, “It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important,” so family, friends and our surrounding community neighbors are invited to attend this warm, festive event and Celebrate Little Things with us with live holiday music, great food, refreshments and a warming atmosphere, so please join us in our Country Store December 15^th at 2:30 pm.

§  New Year’s Eve Karaoke Contest for a rockin’ New Year’s Eve at The Spearly Center with family, Partners in Caring, friends and community neighbors since everyone is invited to come and enjoy music, sing your favorite karaoke songs, dance and have FUN during all the festive, friendly camaraderie that will take place in our Country Store, and refreshments will be served, so let’s rock out and welcome the New Year on December 31^st at 2:30 pm.

We look forward to sharing our December 2016 events in Denver, CO at Juniper Village at The Spearly Center with you as you Cherish the Journey.

Spearly Open House 2016

On October 13^th, The Spearly Center hosted an Open House to reveal our renovated outdoor patio and deck.  Close to 100 guests, including practitioners, family, the outdoor space craftsmen, children and prestigious members of the long term care community, were all in attendance.  We had live entertainment from local artist Kayla Marque, a coffee barista, a Kid’s Corner Creation Station, elegant and delicious appetizers and 15 raffle prizes.  One of the most memorable moments of the evening was a beautiful mandala gifted to Spearly from our friends at the home office.

Juniper Communities hosted a camp at Burning Man, called AgingInsurrection.  Our goal was to use Burning Man as a vehicle for our anti-ageism message, with a focus on the idea that we are all the same inside no matter what our age.  We all want to be accepted for who we are, we want to have friends and family who care about us, we want to have the opportunity to work, do and create. 

One of our sponsored events was called Joining the Generations: An Intergenerational Coloring Party.  We opened that event up to our neighborhood and the entire Burning Man community.  We also had a group of kids who were camping at Kidsville come over to join us.  We had a huge blank canvas that was for free form art, coloring, and commentary.  And we also had the more structured mandala project.  One of our resident artists, Hank Reikena, started the center of the mandala.  Over the course of the day we had over 30 people involved in the creation of the mandala.  They were folks of all ages from young kids to those in their 80’s. 

The mandala proudly hangs in Spearly’s Town Hall.  Come on by and check out our wonderful new outdoor space and our beautiful mandala!

November 2016 Events in Denver, CO: Cherish the Journey

Each November we turn our attention to Family with our Alive In All Seasons Theme: Cherish the Journey. We have always enjoyed helping our residents chronical their individual life journeys through journaling. In addition to keeping track of the daily happenings in our lives, journaling has surprising health benefits as well. University of Texas at Austin psychologist and researcher James Pennebaker contends that regular journaling strengthens immune cells, called T-lymphocytes. He also believes that writing about stressful events helps you come to terms with them, thus reducing the impact of stress on your health. Other research indicates that journaling decreases the symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. Scientific evidence also shows that writing your thoughts down can help clarify your thoughts and feelings, help you to know yourself better, reduce stress, and problem solve more effectively. An additional benefit of journaling is that you are leaving a legacy for future generations. Review your journal together! Reminiscing about the events in one’s life is a way to affirm who they are, what they’ve accomplished in life and relive happy times. So, pick up a pen and Cherish the Journey, the benefits are endless!

Join our journey through November as we honor and celebrate family and the journey of life with our autobiographical journaling. Help us support our greater community with our annual Food Drive and our on-site support groups. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Our fabulous November 2016 events in Denver, CO at Juniper Village at The Spearly Center include our:

§  American Pride Veteran’s Day Celebration because our men and women who have proudly served our country will be honored on this very special occasion, so friends, families and our Partners in Caring are cordially invited to this heartwarming celebration with live music, pie and refreshments served for this patriotic gathering, so please join us in our lovely Spruce neighborhood, as to all American Veterans, young and old, here and gone, The Spearly Center would like to say Thank You for your service on November 11^th at 11:00 pm.

§  Cherish The Journey Thanksgiving Dinner because lifelong friendships, family commitment and great food are the recipe for a memorable thanksgiving, it’s the time of year when meaningful conversations nurture the spirit of life, so family and friends are invited to join us in our lovely dining room for this savory meal with all the trimmings as we Cherish The Journey on November 24^th at noon.

We look forward to sharing our November 2016 events in Denver, CO at Juniper Village at The Spearly Center with you as you Cherish the Journey.

Get By With A Little Help From Your Friends

“A friend is one that knows you as you are, understands where you have been, accepts what you have become, and still, gently, allows you to grow.”

~ William Shakespeare

During the month of September, Juniper Village spread our joy by celebrating friendship.  On September 22^nd, the first day of autumn, The Spearly Center hosted Fiesta Amistad, which in Spanish translates to “Friendship Party”.  Just The 2 Of Us performed live music in our Country Store while residents and staff enjoyed cupcakes, cookies, hot chocolate, cappuccino and assorted juices.  Everyone had a great time dancing, singing and mingling with friends.  Friendship is important to us all… Spread the Joy!

October 2016 Events in Denver, CO: Show Your Colors

As we say good bye to Indian summer, we welcome the cooler air and slower pace of the autumn season. From warm apple cider, everything pumpkin and end of season hiking trips, there are so many reasons to enjoy autumn. William Cullen Bryant says it best, “Autumn, the year’s last, loveliest smile.” With the seasonal changes now in full swing we see fall flowers appearing where summer blooms once stood and leaves changing into vibrant shades of yellow, orange and red. The evening air has a slight chill and carries the scent of campfires, leaves and cinnamon spice. Our activities turn from swimming and baseball to raking leaves and football. Not only is Mother Nature showing her colors, but we begin to show our team colors with a focus on sports! Join us throughout the month as we bond over sporting events while cheering on our favorite teams, complete with tailgate parties and snacks.

Throughout October we will show our colors as we sponsor and support local sports teams. We will honor our associates who show their colors by “nurturing the spirit of life” with The Juniper Spirit awards. Alas, October would not be complete without celebrating the season with our annual Halloween Costume Party, which is open to ghosts and goblins of all ages. Join us this month and Show Your Colors!

Our fabulous October 2016 events in Denver, CO at Juniper Village at The Spearly Center include our:

§   6^th Annual Show Your Colors Spearly Tailgate Party as Spearly continues to be alive in all seasons with our annual tailgate party is back in full swing with live music, games, fun, and festive food, this hearty invitation is extended to our First Responders, Partners in Caring, family, friends, and community neighbors, so please join us on our front lawn for this gathering celebrating sports, and wear your favorite team gear and show your colors, plus, special guests will be there too, so you won’t want to miss this popular event on October 19^th from 2:00 to 4:00 pm.

§  Spearly Spooky Spaghetti Dinner because Halloween is right around the corner, and Spearly is getting excited… and hungry, so the Spearly family is kicking off this spooky season by inviting Partners in Caring, friends and family members to a good old fashioned spaghetti dinner with some Halloween flair at this festive and tasty dinner that will be held in our Main Dining Room, so be sure to save room for breadsticks on October 28^th at 5:00 pm.

§  Spearly Sidekick Haunted Halloween Social as we would like to invite family and friends to our Halloween celebration, so come sing and dance with the ghost with the most and enjoy spooky snacks and bubbling beverages in our Country Store as we celebrate this exciting holiday with prizes will be awarded in several categories for costumes, so come one, come all and be prepared to “boo boogie” if you dare on October 31^st at 2:30 pm.

We look forward to sharing our October 2016 events in Denver, CO at Juniper Village at The Spearly Center with you as you Show Your Colors.

September 2016 Events in Denver, CO: Spread Your Joy

As the air begins to cool and summer wanes, Juniper Village ends our “Stay Connected” series by recognizing Friendship and Joy. What is it that brings you joy? Is it the wet nose of a newborn pup? The smile of your first grandchild? The taste of a triple chocolate ice cream cone? Whatever it is we invite you to share that joy with others at Juniper Village this month.

Much attention has been paid to studies regarding the effects of stress on your health, but what about the effects of joy? The landmark “Nun Study,” as it's often known, revealed that positive emotion is correlated with longevity: 90% of the most cheerful quarter of nuns was alive at the age of eighty-five, whereas only 34% of the least cheerful quarter lived to that age. Similarly, 54% of the most cheerful fourth was alive at age ninety-four, versus 11% of the least cheerful. Of the 678 sisters in the original study about four dozen are still living. So go ahead, grab that triple chocolate cone it might just extend your life!

Join us this month as we celebrate friendship and staying connected with calendar events such as our annual daffodil planting and our home warming, birthday party and Best Friend initiatives.

Our fabulous September 2016 events in Denver, CO at Juniper Village at The Spearly Center include our:

§  Spread Your Joy Friendship Feast because Eleanor Roosevelt said it best, “Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart,” friends, family and neighbors are cordially invited to the last outdoor BBQ of the season to celebrate friendship, so join us on our Outdoor Patio and try a variety of grilled favorites, and let’s spread the joy of friendship together on September 5^th at 11:00 pm. 

§  Fiesta Amistad in Spanish translates to “Friendship Party,” so Partners in Caring, First Responders, and community members are invited to celebrate the gift of friendship with us and share their own joyous stories of friendship as assorted Tapas and beverages are served, so please join us in our Country Store on September 22^nd at 2:30 pm.

§  8^th Annual Spearly Sidekick Photo Shoot because everyone loves to take photos with friends, and this fun and memorable activity is one of Spearly’s most anticipated events of the year; it brings joy, laughter and camaraderie to family members, residents, staff and visitors to the Spearly community as professional portraits are provided and costume changes are encouraged on September 29^th from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

We look forward to sharing our September 2016 events in Denver, CO at Juniper Village at The Spearly Center with you as you Spread Your Joy.