You're invited! Great fun for a GREAT cause!

PSU BrainBuilders at Juniper

This fall, Juniper Village Senior Living is hosting a group of nine health care professionals and students, as well as community participants for the "BrainBuilders" program--designed for people who are living at home or with a loved one, and who struggle with thinking, memory and communication issues.

Anne Marie “Kitty” Kubat, an instructor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders in the College of Health and Human Development at Penn State, is leading the BrainBuilders program at Penn State, which launched seven years ago at Purdue University, where she led the program for six years.

The weekly sessions provide support to people with mild to moderate stages of cognitive decline, and provide an environment for social interaction, language/cognitive stimulation and creative expression for individuals experiencing cognitive deficits.

According to the University, clients participate in structured and appropriate activities to stimulate attention, memory and thinking skills. Socialization, participation and enjoyment of group activities are the primary foci of the program. At the same time, caregivers participate in the "Circle of Support" support group.

Current BrainBuilders positions are filled, but those interested in participating in a second set of support groups can call Kitty Kubat at 814-867-6212 for additional information.

September 2015 Events in State College, PA: 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!

This month we invite you to “Spread Your Joy” as we honor our friendships in our Red Hat and Villager clubs and our Best Friends events; get our hands dirty at our Friendship Daffodil Project; and celebrate with our Birthday Party and House Warming Initiatives.

Our fabulous September 2015 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Senior Living include our:

§  Friendship Lunch and Learn as Evelyn Wald, MS, M, DIV, talks about the importance of social groups and friendships in maintaining positive mental health at any age, so bring a friend or two, on September 9^th at noon. (RSVP to 814-235-2041.)

§  Spaghetti Dinner and Bake Sale Fundraiser for Big Brothers/Big Sisters for a sit-down or take-out meal and delicious treats with a program that will teach you how you can make a difference in the life of a very special child through Centre County’s Children and Youth initiative that fosters positive friendships on September 23^rd at 5:00 pm.

§  Nittany Valley Society’s Legend of the Valley presentation as we learn about the history of Happy Valley and Penn State, our local land, university, and famed folklore from the experts while we nosh on delicious hors d’oeuvres made from locally produced favorites on September 24^th at 6:00 pm.

We look forward to sharing our September 2015 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Senior Living with you as we Spread Your Joy.