H'Art and Soul of Dining - New Menus with Delicious Recipes!

We are proud to announce that on April 5th our revitalized spring/summer menus will begin for our H’Art and Soul of Dining Signature Program at all of our communities.  This new signature program will help us improve quality of life and whole person wellness for the individuals that call Juniper Village home.  We are very excited this season since the offerings will feature a delicious 5-week entrée select option featuring fabulous new choices using some of the fresh products available through our food vendors. Also, on our updated menus, we have added many lighter alternatives as well as recipes specific to each community that take into account special diets, regional tastes, food committee requests and our resident’s special needs and personal requests.  These changes to our meal plans significantly increase the variety of selections provided for our residents while focusing upon scratch made offerings and heart-healthy meals.  Furthermore, in celebration of our AIAS spring quarter “Healthy Aging,” our Grill Menus will be re-vamped to highlight healthier offerings throughout the season. In addition we will be implementing an innovative hydration assurance program served from our “Oasis Carts,” featuring a variety of flavored waters using citrus or mint or cucumbers, fresh brewed iced tea, lemonade, punch, smoothies and juices as well as nutritious snacks.

Below are some of the recipes featured on our new menu:

Carrot-Currant Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour (to measure, spoon into a cup and level)
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup carrot juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup shredded carrots

1/2 cup dried currants
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl whisk together butter, egg, milk, carrot juice and vanilla. Pour the egg mixture over the dry ingredients and gently fold just until moistened. Fold carrots and dried currants into the mix. Scoop batter into the muffin pan and bake until golden brown and firm to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from pan (cool on a wire rack if you have one).

Yellow Squash Soup

Cooking Spray

1/2 cup diced yellow onion

1 cup diced zucchini

1 cup diced yellow squash

3 cups low-sodium vegetable stock

1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasonings

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 (15 ounce) can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15 ounce) can diced no-salt-added tomatoes

Coat a large saucepan with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add zucchini and yellow squash; sauté 3 minutes. Add all other ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes.

The Eli Ripple Effect: Caring is What We at Juniper Village at the Spearly Center do Best!

The staff at the Spearly Center are a special bunch, and nowhere is that more evident than in our Environmental Services (ES) department.  No doubt the first image that comes to  mind when you think of  the Environmental Service staff of a nursing home is  men   laden down with tool belts filled with screwdrivers, hammers, flashlights and the like! But when I think about the ES staff at the Spearly Center, I think of three kindhearted individuals who view their jobs as more than just fixing a resident’s TV.  Rather, for them it means helping out each of our approximate 130 residents with compassion and care. 

Our department is headed by Mike “Tiny” Ladner.  Standing 6’6’’ inches tall and sporting a long beard, Tiny is anything but imposing.  Rather, he has the look of a large teddy bear, the inside of which houses a big heart.  You’d never know from the way Tiny walks the halls of our building, always stopping to say hello to a resident or spending five minutes talking to them, that he is always in demand, going from room to room fixing everything from a broken faucet to a malfunctioning light switch.    The residents, in turn, get a big kick out of calling him “Tiny, ”  as they thank him for all that  he does.    Always making sure those residents needs have been taken care of before he leaves for the day, Tiny roams the halls at eight most nights  to check one last time that nothing else needs to be fixed before he heads home.   “Aren’t you going home, Tiny?”  chimes in Robert, one of our residents.  To which he  replies, “Just checking to make sure you’re happy before I head out.”   

 

Tiny is assisted by Anthony and Josias.  All of them have a heartbeat on the special population that we serve.  “What we think of as little things aren’t little to our residents,” Anthony told me, referring to a time when he saw a dust ball in the corner of a resident’s room.  “I knew this little piece of dust could spur some scary images for individuals with mental health issues,” prompting him to sweep the room as quickly as possible.   And for all of them, they treat the residents as family.  As Anthony told me:  “Every time I get a room ready for a new resident, I always ask myself if I would feel comfortable putting my parents or grandparents in this room, for only then do I know the room is ready.” 

All three of them spoke of the appreciation they feel from residents, reminding them everyday that they are helping those in need.  Whether it is a relieved face that comes from reassuring a resident not to worry that his wheelchair accidentally hit the wall, or the outpouring of appreciation they receive when a resident tells them they made his day by the simple act of fixing his chair, they know the impact they have on residents is tremendous.  And when it comes to the resident’s appreciation for these three “cool and nice” men, one resident summed up the feelings of many here at the Spearly Center when she said, “This place wouldn’t be very good without the Environmental Service staff.”   

Tiny shared with me that the intrinsic satisfaction and joy he receives from connecting and helping the residents transcends the daily stress of his job. “It’s very heartwarming working with these residents, and something you can’t get at another job.”  So the next time you come visit us and see Tiny and his staff scurrying  from one job to another, please be sure and look beyond the tool belt, as you will see three very special compassionate team members. 

Your Treasure is Within: March Events

Our Alive in All Seasons program is alive and well at Juniper Village. This quarter’s seasonal theme is on Creative Expression: “Explore Your Creativity” and serves to promote our philosophy of encouraging an active body, an engaged mind and a fulfilled spirit. For March, we will turn our focus to Performance: “Your Treasure is Within”.

This month on March 2, 2014 we look forward to the 86^th celebration of the Academy Awards. As we watch popular comedian and talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres host the festivities while the beautiful stars dressed in their finery walk the red carpet we can’t help to stop, to pause and reminisce of all of the great performances of past years. Katherine Hepburn, Bette Davis, Marlon Brando, Robert DeNiro, Tom Hanks, Jack Nicholson, Vivien Leigh, Meryl Streep, Peter Ustinov and Dustin Hoffman; the list goes on! In addition to guessing who might win the Oscars for 2014, this month we will be learning about and experiencing all different types of great performance art, enjoying cultural events and trying our hand at acting in drama club.

It’s going to be a theatrical month at Juniper Village at the Spearly Center filled with creativity, great experiences and memorable performances! You are cordially invited to attend our “Mardi Gras Masquerade on Bead Street on March 4^th at 2:30 pm, our Heritage Irish Step Dancers performance on March 17^th at 10:00 am, our St. Patty’s Day “Pot of Gold Party” on March 17^th at 2:30 pm, our Coffee Hour with Entertainment by Gary on March 27^th at 2:30 pm, or any of our other activities (see our Newsletter for a complete listing).

So come in, and join in on the act to find that “Your Treasure is Within”.

Read All About It!

On December 15, 2013, Spearly had a ribbon cutting ceremony to
celebrate the grand opening of the new Resident Emporium. Located
between the Pinon and Juniper neighborhoods, the Emporium provides a
shopping, socialization and life skills opportunity for our
residents, especially for those who rarely leave the facility.

The store, which is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 1-2 pm,
sells clothing, blankets, books, CDs, DVDs, jewelry, wall hangings,
picture frames, toiletries, stationary, sunglasses, and much, much
more! Kenya bought himself a couple of shirts and a DVD set, while
Robert bought a silver bracelet for his friend Helen as an early
Valentine gift. For both of them, who don't go out much, the store
provided an opportunity to do something they have sorely missed since
living independently in the community.

The Emporium relies, in part, on donations from staff and community
members. All proceeds from sales are used to buy new store items, so
the inventory is replenished weekly. In the future, we hope to sell
bigger ticket items such as radios and TVs. Stay tuned!

The Eli Ripple Effect: Doing Good in Our Community

When you first meet Eli, he seems like any other second grader.  He likes math, art, recess, and building snowmen with his friends.  But scratch the surface, and you’ll find a special seven year old boy overflowing with compassion and kindness towards others. 

Eli is the son of our Administrator Sue Pappas.  Eli has fond memories from an early age of accompanying his parents, both of whom work with the elderly, to nursing homes.  On occasion, he witnessed vulnerable residents who seemed to need a voice, reminding him of how kids were bullied at school.  Rather than accept the status quo, he decided to do something about it. 

“When I was in first grade, I saw a lot of kids in school get into arguments, and judge other people. Because I can speak up for myself, I got treated good, but others couldn’t and didn’t get treated good.”  He formed his own Peace Club at school, providing him an avenue to speak up for others.   

First, Eli let his friends know that he was available to help them if they encountered any problems with his classmates.  Then, he observed his friends on the playground, watching their interactions and helping out when the need arose.  Soon, he was in high demand. 

Eli recounted a recent incident on the playground, when his classmate Nancy asked him for help.  Nancy’s friend was hogging the climbing bar she wanted to climb on, and Eli quickly told them, “We should share.”  “And because you have to have consequences to make a difference, if you don’t share I will tell the teacher,” he said.  Soon the problem was resolved.

It’s not easy to think of solutions to interpersonal problems on the spot, but it’s not hard for Eli.  “It just comes naturally,” he said, “And when I need advice I ask my parents or meditate to find the answer.”

As the founding member of the club, Eli expressed a real commitment to his work.   “I just want to help and do my best.”  Perhaps nothing shows his passion more than the fact that his teachers are unaware of what he’s been doing to help his friends.  “That is all right with me,” Eli said.   Learning to do things for their intrinsic value, rather than for the recognition they might bring, demonstrates a level of maturity that some adults never reach.

What’s in the future for such a kind young boy?  Eli summed it up best when he said, “I don’t know if I’ll change, be the same or become famous.  Not sure.”  Irrespective, we can definitely expect great things.

As I listened to Eli recount his journey I was reminded of the ripple effect of throwing one rock into a lake and watching the waves reverberate outward.  For Eli, his parent’s commitment to helping the elderly helped infuse this young boy with an endearing compassion for others.  It is a reflection of how the passion Juniper team members have for their work reverberates beyond the facilities and into the larger community.

This Eli Ripple Effect is present in many Juniper experiences among staff, residents, and communities.  In future posts, I will showcase more of the stories that exemplify this unique character of Juniper Communities.

Awaken Your Passion: February Events

This February our Alive in All Seasons’ theme is Art: “Awaken Your Passion”. In a moving quote from Honoré de Balzac we are reminded that art and passion are inextricably linked; he states, “passion is universal humanity; without it, religion, history, romance and art would be useless.” Art is truly a conduit that allows us to experience the richness and brilliance of all that life has to offer. Art can have a profound effect upon us by providing nourishment to our spirit and soul.

As you know there is always something special going on here at Juniper Village at Spearly and this February we will celebrate another wonderful month filled with memories, laughter and the opportunity to create! This month we will open ourselves to various forms of art. We will be taking field trips to local museums, learning about the Great Masters, and creating masterpieces of our own using various mediums.

Please join us for our Valentine’s Day Bash featuring The Cupid Shuffle at 2:30 pm on February 14^th, our Spearly Family Craft Creation art project with light refreshments at 7:00 pm on February 20^th, and our 5^th Annual Spearly Art Show at 2:00 pm on February 27^th. We encourage you to review our newsletter calendar for other offerings and attend any or all of the activities that are of interest to you.

Come get together with us for our Alive in All Seasons programs this February and Awaken Your Passion!

Spearly Christmas 2013

Nowhere was the spirit of Christmas more evident than here at The
Spearly Center. Our community looked like one big family on Christmas
Day: staff in the Gift Giving Parade were decked out in their red and
green holiday outfits, residents were busy opening their many gifts,
and everybody enjoyed the Christmas dinner complete with turkey, roast
beef, stuffing, gravy, corn, and an assortment of holiday pies.

Weeks before this special holiday, residents completed their wish
list- everything from clothes, jewelry, sports memorabilia, and hobby
kits- of what they desired to receive from Santa. You could hear the
sound of tearing wrapping paper and see the smiles on residents' faces
when they opened their presents. Some residents proudly tried on
their new jackets, pajamas and sweatsuits, while others got right to
work on their new puzzle or art project. The gratitude and
contentment was contagious, and a good time was had by all!