Music And Memories Make Memorable Moments

Juniper Village at Cape Coral is honored to be a part of the “Music & Memory” program. Our residents take great pleasure in this activity. Having them select the songs that are memorable, and at a very special time in their life, is incredible. The recollections of those particular times comes rolling back as if it were yesterday. I have been fortunate enough to video our residents when they first hear the music on their Ipods with their headphones. The reaction is indescribable, that it almost brings tears to your eyes. We have been fortunate enough to receive donations from our partners in caring from Ipods to headphones and itune cards. One of our family members recently watched some of the videos. She was so moved it brought her to tears. She asked what she could do to help with this program. Today Robin Rollinger came by and donated $200.00 in itune cards. This time I was the one crying. There are no words to describe the “THANK YOU” that we at Juniper can express. This generous gift will make many more of our residents also benefit from the “Music & Memory program.  It is special angels, like Robin, that allow success in this program to continue.

August 2016 Events in Cape Coral, FL: Breathe in Life

Each August we turn our focus to the environment by offering social events and educational opportunities on living a more environmentally sustainable life. By making caring choices and creating helpful habits we can all make a difference to our planet.

Did you know that an aluminum can may remain in its current condition in a landfill for up to 500 years? That same can, when recycled, can end up back on your grocer’s shelf in as little as two months. Recycling that aluminum can also saves energy. Enough energy, in fact, to power your television for three hours! Aluminum can be recycled over, and over and over again – without limit. Americans will use about 2.5 million plastic bottles every thirty minutes. If that bottle is not recycled it can spend the next 450 years or more in a landfill. A modern glass bottle will take about 4,000 years to biodegrade. Glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled again, and again and again. So, the next time you are enjoying a delicious beverage, be conscious of the packaging and make the choice to recycle.

Join us this month as we promote the environment with a focus on our recycling programs – from annual rummage sales to shredding and more; our educational offerings will help you to support our environment and Breathe in Life!

Our fabulous August 2016 events in Cape Coral, FL at Juniper Village at Cape Coral include our:

§  Beauty is in the “Eye” of the Beholder Presentation with Dr. Rodney Smith, local optometrist who specializes in geriatric eye disorders, as he educates us on eye disorders of our senior population including macular degeneration and discusses how certain diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure have a significant impact on eye health on August 16^th from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm. (Please RSVP by August 15^th to 239-542-3121.)

§  Veterans Aide and Attendance Presentation to learn about the new rules affecting individuals who will be applying for this Benefit Program this year with our special guest speaker, Ted Capuano, who will educate us on the new stricter financial and medical qualifications published by the Veterans Administration and other important things you need to know when applying for this benefit on August 23^rd from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm. (Please RSVP by August 22^nd to 239-542-3121.)

We look forward to sharing our August 2016 events in Cape Coral, FL at Juniper Village at Cape Coral with you as you Breathe in Life.

Volunteer's Story Left Us in Tears

Hi Everyone. My name is Linda and this is my story :

By now, you all know, that I was born with Muscular Dystrophy. This is a progressive neuro-muscular disease which causes severe weakness in the hands and legs, arms and feet. It also causes extreme loss of balance.

When I was little, I used to wonder why I couldn’t run, jump and play like all my friends. Through the years, as the disease has progressed, I have felt very sorry for myself and questioned God’s plan. Muscular Dystrophy has affected my life in so many ways. I was advised by my doctor not to have children as the chances were very high that this disease would be passed on to my children. Also, because of my weakness, it would be very hard for me to care for a child. Again, I questioned God and his purpose. As a matter of fact, my mother once told me that if she had known she had this disease she never would have had children. She had two and we both inherited the disease.

Finding MDA, which is the Muscular Dystrophy office in Ft. Myers, was a changing day in my life. That day I found my purpose, my passion and God’s plan. Not only has MDA provided me with material aids but they have provided me with great friendships and support. I have met so many family members, with muscular dystrophy, facing far more challenges than I. I have now come to realize God’s plan all along was to enable me to be one of the many mouthpieces to fundraise for the necessary research to finally cure this disease.

I firmly believe that in the not too distant future we will find a cure for the many types of this debilitating disease. I want to live in a world where no other parent has to bear the guilt of passing this crippling disease on to their child.

There are many other volunteers trying to find resources and together we are making a difference.

Having said all that, after a while, I felt the need to accomplish even more. It so happened that one of the ladies that worked in the MDA office had also worked at Juniper and knew Daisy. She said I should volunteer at Juniper Village as the residents and staff are so friendly and warm. I called Daisy and came in for an interview. Well, as you all know, once you meet Daisy you’re hooked. Her exuberance and enthusiasm is contagious. She also has compassion beyond measure. I immediately felt that this is where I belonged. I love every part of my volunteering from interviewing the new residents to computer work for Daisy as well as other duties. I love playing cards with George, exercising with Marjorie, playing bingo and poker and especially lunch.

When I walk thru those doors, I feel a calmness wash over me. The first person I usually see is Margaret, affectionately known as M&M, sitting by the front door. She always greets me with a big smile. Helen is embroidering and John is napping and the world is just as it should be.

I am very blessed to have a super supportive husband and as you can see he is not wasting away with me being here so often.

So, I want to thank you for welcoming me into your home and, I hope, into your hearts. I have met so many wonderful residents and staff and I will always treasure each and every one of your friendships. My husband’s motto is “happy wife, happy life” and, in part, because of Juniper Village I have a very happy and fulfilled life.

Thank you.

July 2016 Events in Cape Coral, FL: 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 Cape Coral, FL at Juniper Village at Cape Coral include our:

§  Music & Memories “Alive Inside” Screening if you missed our first viewing of this inspirational and emotional story “Alive Inside” we will once again be screening this very powerful movie in our second floor community room; this film dramatically portrays the power of music and memory and the astounding effects that music has on our senior population and light refreshments will be served on July 7^th from 3:30 pm to 5:30 pm. (RSVP by July 6^th to 239-542-3121.)

§  9th Annual Boogie Woogie Happy Hour so swing on over and enjoy the sounds of musicians Bob and Joan as they entertain us with their rendition of R&B songs from the past; also, in keeping with this month’s Juniper Village theme, “Volunteerism”, we will be collecting donations of sun block, hand sanitizer and chap stick, which will be delivered to our troops overseas by the Red Cross on July 15^th from 2:30 pm to 4:00 pm.

§  How Volunteering Changed My Life as we welcome our special guest speaker Linda, Juniper Village Connections Department volunteer, who suffers from Muscular Dystrophy and recently gave a very remarkable and touching speech to the members at the Lee County MDA about the life changing effect volunteering at our community has brought to her; she is honored to give an encore of her speech at our community so that the people whose lives she touches each day can hear her powerful story on July 19^th from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm.

We look forward to sharing our July 2016 events in Cape Coral, FL at Juniper Village at Cape Coral with you as you Stand in Integrity.

Edible Arrangement Class

June has always been one of our favorite month here at Juniper Village. Why, you ask? This month our focus is all about “Food”. One of our many successful activities is “Creating Our Own Edible Arrangements” class. Our residents always look forward to this wonderful activity. We welcomed our guests and volunteers with open arms. Our Juniper clay coffee mugs were ready to be transformed into a work of art. Selecting the beautifully shaped fruits and cheeses to inset in our skewers without eating was a bit of a challenge. As our creations began to take form so were the smiles on our creator’s faces. We were proud of our masterpieces. Many THANKS to all that were generous with your time to help in this fun filled hour!!!

Happy 107th Birthday Lorena, we’re proud to call you our friend.

Lorena was born June 13^th, 1909 in Dunkirk, New York. She was an only child and her parents were very protective of her. She shared with me that she was not even allowed to ride a bicycle as they felt it was too dangerous. When Lorena was about 4 years old, she went to visit her friend. She saw a nub of a pencil on a table and decided to take it (without asking). When Lorena went home, and her mother saw what she had done, she make Lorena go back and return the pencil. Her friend’s mother chuckled when she confessed what she had done. She told her she could keep the pencil. Lorena shared with me after that day (103 years ago) she never took anything without it being offered to her. The pencil she now proudly owned made her feel excited about learning. In her heart, she felt this was her first feeling of wanting to be a teacher. At the age of 19, her dream had come true. Her annual income for the year was $1,000.00. The following year her salary, as well as all of the other teacher’s pay, was cut 10% because of the Great Depression.

One year Lorena and her friends had heard that Niagara Falls had frozen over. They decided to venture there and they walked on the falls. This is one time when Lorena can say she walked on water. The police were called so they hurried and left the scene before they were caught. Years later, Lorena met the love of her life, Alllie.  They were married and two years later they had a beautiful baby girl named Alicia. After teaching in Dunkirk for 37 years, it was time to move to Florida. Cape Coral was their new found home. The teaching bug was still in Lorena’s blood. She taught at Cape Coral’s only elementary school for 11 years. Now it was time to retire. However, Lorena continued to be very active in the community. One of the proudest moments of her life was when she was the Grand Marshal in the Disney World Parade on her 80^th birthday.

Another big celebration was about to take place in Lorena’s life. She was going to turn 100. A party was planned and many guests were invited. Lorena was concerned that she would receive gifts she did not need. We asked the guests, if they felt they needed to bring something, non-perishable food items or a monetary gift would gladly be accepted. Her gifts were donated to the Cape Coral Caring Center (our local food bank). To this day, Lorena can still tell you the amount of food in weight and also the dollar amount that was donated. With many of the celebrations we have been fortunate to share with Lorena here are a few more that come to mind. Sharing that she was not allowed to ride a bicycle as a child, I asked her “what about a motorcycle”? “Oh heavens no, my dear” was her reply. I asked her if she was up to the challenge and she agreed to give it a try.   Rolling Thunder of Naples offered their services for this event. They had a caravan of motorcycles lined up. Lorena even agreed for me to apply a temporary tattoo on her arm. She was thrilled after returning from her ride and asked about going to Tampa next time. Many of our residents were delighted and went for rides as well. Later that year Lorena was made an honorary member of Rolling Thunder. They presented her with a vest and had a wonderful ceremony.

Another year we asked our local Fire Department to come and help us celebrate her day. They came dressed in full gear along with a fire extinguisher to help put out the candles. She was pleased but assured them she was very capable of blowing out all of her candles on her own. After the celebration we took Lorena out to take photos. They asked her if she wanted to ride on the fire truck. She replied “No, the steps were too high for me to step up to”. One fireman asked her to put her arms around his neck (she was very pleased with that request). He lifted her up and placed her in the front seat of the truck. She went for a ride and when they returned the sirens and lights were on.

Her celebration last year was a littler simpler as she requested. We invited her favorite entertainer, Greg Miller. She shared she was flattered that he came to her birthday party. We had students from one of our local high school help us decorate. We blew up 106 balloons (with the assistance of a helium tank). Her family and close friends along with our residents and staff were honored to be part of this delightful and amazing celebration. Lorena is a kind and gentle soul. You can bet she will always greet you with a smile. Her attitude is positive and uplifting. We are so privileged to call her our friend. 

June 2016 Events in Cape Coral, FL: 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 Cape Coral, FL at Juniper Village at Cape Coral include our:

§  Third Annual Edible Floral Arrangements back by popular demand, we will once again learn the art of creating floral masterpieces with food, so please join us for this fun interactive event as we learn the nutritional value of the fruits we are using and understand how they are beneficial to our health, and each year we add a surprise or two, new fruits, cheeses, shapes, et cetera, so be sure to come and let’s put the professionals to shame on June 8th at 2:30 pm.

§  Food Around the World in keeping with tradition, please help us welcome our community partners in caring as they share favorite foods from around the world for our seventh anniversary event, where we will have even more variety than ever before, so come and enjoy cuisine and culture from across the globe on June 23rd at 2:30pm.

We look forward to sharing our June 2016 events in Cape Coral, FL at Juniper Village at Cape Coral with you as you Live in Wellness.