April 2015 Events in State College, PA: Believe in Yourself

Welcome to April - the name derived from the Latin word Aperire meaning “to open”; the month when everything starts to bloom and come alive. What better time to really put forth your best efforts and see the true beauty inside than the month in which everything begins anew! Diana Ross, in the Wiz, advises “believe in yourself, right from the start. You'll have brains; you’ll have a heart; you’ll have courage to last your whole life through if you believe in yourself.” So let’s put our best foot forward, believe in ourselves and we can move mountains!

Join us for our April 2015 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Senior Living as we pull pranks on April Fool’s Day; honor Jesus Christ on Good Friday, followed by hiding Easter eggs; celebrate the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery on Passover; and celebrate mother earth on Earth Day and Arbor Day. Peruse this month’s calendar as we focus on the brain through our Daily Brain Builders, Wii tournaments and our Healthy Brain Luncheon. Plan to join us for any and all events. Also, check out our Healthy Aging Resource Library to learn more about the brain or any number of health related topics. We look forward to seeing you during this fun filled month.

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

Ø  The Price is Right Live Game where we participate in our own version of the well-loved TV game show full of fun and prizes on April 16^th at 6:00 pm.

Ø  Tastes of Tuscany interactive presentation by the Penn State University Wine-Making Club as we tour the flavors of Italy on April 19^th at 4:00 pm.

Ø  Penn State Hershey “Brain Health” Lunch and Learn giving us tips on how to promote brain health and preserve cognitive function at any age on April 21^st at noon.

Ø  Nittany Valley Symphony Concert featuring Spanish Impressions with an intimate post-concert reception following the performance on April 25^th at 6:30 pm.

We hope to see you at one or more of our April 2015 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Senior Living!

Look what the wind blew in...

Residents of Brookline Senior Living recently were treated to local legends The Second Winds Band. Originally a spin-off from the Centre Region Senior Center dance bands of the 1990's, The Second Winds Band has been entertaining at Senior Center events, community festivals, and parties throughout Central PA for 20 years. The band's sound is an eclectic one, covering songs from the 1920's all the way through to the modern era. Typical gigs include a mix of swing, big band, and jazz standards, pop and rock and roll songs, with an occasional Latin, polka, blues, and/or film soundtracks thrown in for good measure.

The Second Winds Band is currently made up of 10 Centre County musicians. The combined age of the members of the group is 774 years!

March 2015 Events in State College, PA: Your Treasure Is Within

Treasure hunting has been around forever! The search for riches has evolved from archaeological digs revealing lost treasure to present day treasure hunts such as television’s “The Amazing Race”. Much has been written about the allure of treasure, but one thing that we’ve come to realize is that the treasure within is the most valuable of all. Each one of us has a treasure within and through our March 2015 events in State College, PA we will be exploring that treasure at Juniper Village at Brookline Senior Living - be it your ability to sing, play a musical instrument, recite dramatic prose or balance a spoon at the end of your nose. No treasure is too small! In the immortal words of Captain Jack Sparrow, “Not all treasure’s silver and gold, mate.”

With our March 2015 events in State College, PA at Juniper Village at Brookline Senior Living we end our Creative Expressions Series with a focus on Performance. Please join us during our March 2015 events in State College, PA while we recognize “Your Treasure is Within” as we provide opportunities to express yourself through our weekly drama clubs and by attending theatrical performances. If step dancing and corned beef and cabbage is more your thing, sample all that is Irish with our annual St. Patrick’s Day party or walk the red carpet and share your movie trivia skills at our Oscar Party.

Our fabulous March 2015 events in State College, PA include our Guest Speaker Presentation by Dr. Ferro on Theodore Roosevelt and The River of Doubt an incredible adventure narrative and a penetrating biographical portrait on March 13^th at 3:00 pm; our Irish Music Performance with Judy Sherwood featuring traditional instrumentations and harmonious melodies on March 17^th at 3:30 pm; our Singing Onstage Performance to watch stories come to life through expressive creativity with State College’s premiere musical theatre training and performance studio on March 27^th at 6:00 pm; or our Afternoon at the Opera Outing to see a rendition of La Boheme at Penn State’s Center for the Performing Arts on March 29^th at 1:30 pm.

We hope to see you at one or more of our March 2015 events in State College, PA, so check out our calendar for more!

Dance, dance, dance!

Penn State student and Juniper Village at Brookline dietary associate Kaylee Macko doesn't have a lot of free time, but this member of PSU's Student Nutrition Association uses what time she has nurturing the spirit of life in others. This past weekend, Kaylee participated as one of 700 dancers at THON, the University's annual dance marathon/year-long effort to raise money to fight pediatric cancer. This year was Kaylee's second time participating in the nation's largest student-run philanthropy, but her first time as a dancer.

When the junior--majoring in nutrition and dietetics, and minoring in gerontology and human development and family studies--was asked what drove her to participate in the event, she shared the following: " Last year, I came to THON to support my best friend while she danced for her organization. The second I walked into the stands at the BJC, I was completely overwhelmed and inspired by everything that was going on. I knew then and there that I had to find a way to contribute to this amazing cause. One month later, my club was having elections for the executive board positions for the following year. I decided to run for THON Family Relations Chair and to my surprise I won! My job was to be the person who directly contacts our THON family and be the one in charge of setting up events and activities for my club and I to do with the family. After meeting the Potters (our THON family) and getting to know Corban (our THON child) and his journey with Pediatric Cancer, I really wanted to try and run for the chance to dance on their behalf and be able to represent this amazing and courageous family on the floor during THON weekend. I was so ecstatic when I won. It was by far the hardest thing I ever had to do emotionally and physically, but definitely the most memorable and rewarding experience of my life. Words really cannot explain the things us dancers go through in those 46 hours; Laughter, tears, aches and pains. I wouldn't change or take back a single second of that weekend for anything! At the end, when we were able to FINALLY sit down, I just sat there and cried like a baby. Not because I was tired or in pain, but because it was all over. I could not (and still cannot) believe that the BEST weekend of my life was actually over."

This year's THON raised $13,026,563.23.

Painting Their Hearts Out

Outside things may be frozen, but creative juices were flowing inside during “Ceramic Masterpiece Creation” night on February 12. As we work all month to awaken our passions through artistic expression at Juniper Village at Brookline, residents and family members tried their hand at pre-fired pottery painting. Each participant chose from a variety of ready-to-decorate pieces including vases and planters, and got to work designing one-of-a-kind works of art. “It was a lot of fun for everyone,” said Connections Director, Jill McKenrick, adding that “it was great to see everyone working together, laughing, and enjoying one another’s company so much.” The event was such a hit that McKenrick says she plans on hosting a similar event in the near future.

You Gotta Have Heart!

February is American Heart Month, and Janie Provan and Anissa Rupert Ilie from Juniper Village at Brookline are pleased to be serving on the Executive Leadership Committee for the Central PA chapter of the American Heart Association’s 2015 Heart Walk, set for Sunday, September 27, 2015 at Millbrook Marsh in State College.

The Heart Walk exists to make healthier, longer lives possible for everyone, by raising funds to help reduce cardiovascular diseases and strokes. To join or support Team Juniper Village at Brookline, or for more information on the walk visit our team page HERE.

Awaken Your Passion: February Events

This month at Juniper Village we continue our Creative Expressions Series with a focus on Art.

Creating art for many of our seniors has been a lifelong passion, for others it may have been a casual hobby or serious vocation. Whatever the reason, art has substantial benefits to our bodies, minds and spirits! In Successful Aging, John W. Rowe, MD, and Robert L. Kahn, PhD, discuss key aspects of successful aging: low risk of disease, high mental and physical functioning, and being actively engaged in life. Expressive art activities promote active engagement in life in positive, healthy, and fulfilling ways - in other words, nurturing the spirit of life. Recent studies further indicate that older adults who participate in art programs have fewer doctor visits, use less medication, and experience a lower rate of depression – all resulting in lower healthcare costs.

Our fabulous activity offerings this month include our Print Making with Annie Swincinski, a Local Artist/ Arts Fest Winner, who will demonstrate the printmaking process and showcase some of her creations as she uses her art as a therapeutic outlet to express her emotions and facilitate her personal transformations on February 2^nd at 2:00 pm (1950 Cliffside Drive Rehab and Skilled Care); our Paint Your Art Out Wine and Chocolate Event extending a special invitation to those in our community who help us to help others including those who work in the fields of senior living and healthcare to join us and local artist Susan Robb for a fun-filled evening as we sip Seven Mountains Wine Cellars wine and sample some delectable chocolate creations while you paint your own wine glass to take home as a reminder of how much we appreciate all you do on February 16^th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm (1900 Cliffside Drive Willows Senior Living Dining Room); or our Resident Art Gallery Open House where you can delight in the artworks of Juniper Village Senior Living residents on display—and up for sale—including original watercolor and acrylics on canvas paintings, with proceeds to benefit the Art Alliance of Central PA, while enjoying delectable finger foods and beverages on February 25^th at 6:00 pm (1930-1940 Cliffside Drive The Inn & The Pines Senior Living).

Look through our calendar and plan to join us this month and “Awaken Your Passion” as we explore various mediums to expression through weekly art programs and visits to local art museums. Or, if art isn’t your thing, tailgate with us during the Super Bowl, await the Ground Hog’s prediction, our join in one of our festive celebrations on Valentine’s Day, Presidents Day or Mardi Gras.